PENNY MILLER COSMETOLOGY ACADEMYWe are offering specials this week at the Academy.
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Yes, Hair color can be a lot of fun, but not when a mistake is made and you end up with a color scheme that is not attractive on you.
Here are a few tips to help you decide what type of color is best for YOU.
1. Think about your youth. Children always have beautiful hair color. This is before we use and abuse our hair. Over process, Over Styled, Over Colored, Over Stressed…..Hair can take a lot of abuse from us. Remember when we were just a little younger. Hair was silky, shiny, bouncy, had great texture, volume and memory. When we looked at our hair, as a child, it was not just one one flat shade, it had dimension. Remember this.
2. Think about how often we can afford to come into the salon for maintenance. Time and money is always a consideration. How much money do you want to spend on maintenance, but most importantly, how often, time wise, can you afford to go to the salon and spend time for maintenance?
Strong vibrant, artificial tones require a higher maintenance schedule, where as an ombre’ color if not too far from your regular base could be much lower maintenance.
Vibrant Red
Natural Ombre‘
3. When YOU look at your clothing, your most favorite pieces, what colors are they? Do you like blues, violets, greys? Or do you like reds, yellows, and rich browns? Is there a blouse or shirt that makes you feel special when you wear it? When we are young we naturally are drawn to colors that make us feel better about ourselves, as we age, we put those feelings aside and conform to what we think other people think looks better on us….Now is a time to re-visit our youth and find what colors help make us feel special….
Now that you have selected your most favorite colors, you will find that if you selected colors that are on the warm side of the color wheel, such as red, orange, yellows, or even yellow greens, you will probably look better in warm, sunny colors. If you selected cool colors such as violets, blues, greens, and violet reds, then you will probably look better in cool, icy colors. Neutrals are great on everyone, however, they are sometimes a little boring, and it is nice to add a splash of one of your favorites into the mix.
4. What is your natural color? This is a good question, since a lot of us haven’t seen our natural color for years, and years. If it has been at least four weeks since you have had a re-touch, you can look at the base section of your hair and see your natural color. It will look dark if you press it down against your head, so hold it up, try to fan it out and let light reflect through it. 
Now, what do you see? Is it light, medium or dark? Do you see cool tones, or warm tones? Do you see any silver (Grey Hair)? Does it look mousey, or bright?
Did I get bored with it? Was I attempting to cover the grey? Go blonde? Brighten it Up? If you like what you see, do you want to go back to your natural?
5. Now that you have made a few decisions, about your past and present hair color choices and selections, we can help you get your most perfect hair color. We can help you decide on a technique and color selection that will be perfect for you, your skin tone, your life style and your time and money investment. Give us a call at 405-238-3426, and we will schedule you an appointment for a consultation, and get you into the hair and makeup you have always dreamed of. What better way to make a change in your personal appearance than with a new fresh look for Spring .
Call and receive a free Cosmetic application with the purchase of any hair color service for the month of June 2015. Limited time offer, Must make an appointment for special offer. Call us at 405-238-3426 to schedule you appointment now.
All the products and tools you need for beautiful hair, skin, and nails at Penny Miller Cosmetology Academy.
Limited quantities!
Recently I ran across an article about Clients with Cancer, this subject has came up several times in my career while I have been working with my clients. I found this article to be very informative about the therapies that are available, and how they affect the human body and spirit. We as salon professionals can make a difference. When a client looks better, they immediately feel better and the caring touch we give to our clients can get them into a better place to help them with their recovery. Please check out this article I think you too, will find it informative, and together we too can make a difference.
By: Morag Currin Posted: June 29, 2012, from the July 2012 issue of Skin Inc. magazine.
Cancer treatments can wreak havoc with the skin, the body’s largest organ. With this type of challenge, how can skin care professionals help clients who are undergoing cancer treatments overcome the debilitating changes to the skin?
Cancer treatments include the following.
Chemotherapy—Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment, meaning it can attack cells throughout the whole body, including all skin cells of the epidermis and dermis. Very often, the skin becomes extremely dry and sensitive.
Localized radiation—Localized radiation affects cancer cells in the part of the body being treated. It also affects healthy, growing cells in the area being treated, and damage to the healthy cells can cause side effects, such as erythema.
Total body irradiation (TBI)—TBI gives a dose of radiation to the whole body. It can eliminate cancer cells throughout the body, and it also destroys the immune system so that it will not attack the donor’s cells during a transplant. In doing so, the skin barrier and immune cells in the skin are affected.
Biological therapy—this uses portions of the body’s natural immune system to treat a disease. Side effects depend on the type of treatment; however, many affect the skin with a rash. A rash is considered an inflammatory condition of the skin, and there are numerous types of rashes.
Clients will encounter a difficult and emotional time once they have been diagnosed with cancer, and they have to learn how to handle this challenge with grace and positivity. As a skin care professional, what can you do for these clients that will make a difference?
How your clients look affects how they feel about themselves, and how they feel about themselves can dramatically affect how they feel physically. This is more than a logical argument; it is a proven fact. The significance of the relationship between self-esteem and physical well-being is important to recovering cancer patients. Attitude plays a vital role in recovery. Cancer clients who take control of their appearance can reap rewards that are more than skin deep. Added benefits can include enhanced self-esteem, relief from depression and renewed motivation.
As clients conquer their beauty challenges, each small success is a stepping stone to another small success. Success breeds success, and conquering beauty challenges provides motivation to attack other challenges, the result of which is a resumption of life as they knew it before cancer, or a new and improved version of life as they want it to be from that point forward.
Stress from a cancer diagnosis and treatment has a huge effect on a person as a whole, and with the overall skin condition. A reduction of stress can help improve skin issues. Reducing and controlling stress will aid in the overall improvement of a client’s skin condition. Not only does stress affect skin condition, but it also affects a person’s facial expressions. Consider a tranquil, optimistic person, and note what you see in her face and eyes when compared to a harried, stressed individual. Restore inner calm to repair outer beauty.
When clients are not feeling well, they do not have the energy to spend hours in front of the mirror doing their makeup on a daily basis. This may require some effort from the client; however, from a psychological standpoint, they may feel a lot better once they have created a look for themselves that boosts their confidence. Also note that not every women who gets cancer uses makeup. There are women that stick to the natural look, and apply minimal makeup. Some may just use lipstick for some color.
It is ideal to keep any makeover natural and healthy-looking. Women undergoing cancer treatment are going to want to look normal under all circumstances, particularly if they are still working during their treatment. As a skin care professional or makeup artist, it is very important to avoid overcompensating by applying heavy makeup, because this will result in an unnatural look. Apply makeup with a light touch. To project a radiant, healthy look, accentuate the positive and conceal the negative.
Some clients will feel more confident if attention is directed away from their lack of eyebrows and hair. There are multiple ways to change this emphasis. Suggest the addition of:
It is always important to care for the skin before adding makeup. Consider these makeup tips when working with the following common skin conditions
for clients with cancer.
Dry and sensitive skin—Ensure the skin itself is sufficiently moisturized before a makeup application, and also confirm that all skin care products and makeup used are formulations with no harmful, toxic or irritating ingredients.
Erythema—this can successfully be covered with the right concealer and foundation. Note that areas of erythema from localized radiation can have tissue changes.
Immunosuppressed client—Sanitation is imperative when working with a client who is immunosuppressed. Makeup should not be dragged on the skin, and it is highly recommended that the skin care professional wear gloves during a makeup application with this type of client. It is also crucial that disposable items are used in the correct manner.
Rashes—Refer clients to a dermatologist for assessment if a rash crops up. If the client has received the go-ahead for a makeup application, ensure you know what rash you are dealing with and use the correct products for the specific rash.
Clients who are undergoing cancer treatment are going to be very appreciative of any skills you can teach them, and a makeup application is certainly going to boost their confidence to face each day. You can use your knowledge to help them stay beautiful inside and out.
REFERENCE – J Sadr, I Jarudi and S Pawan, The role of eyebrows in face recognition, Perception 32 3 285–293 (2003)
Be The Match Foundation: www.marrow.org (Accessed May 2, 2012)
Morag Currin has more than 16 years of spa industry experience, including training and management, and has pioneered an oncology esthetics certification for estheticians. Students learn to incorporate massage techniques for people undergoing cancer therapies, to screen for cancerous skin lesions and to bring cancer survivors’ skin back into balance. Currin developed TecNiche, a skin care line for health-challenged skin, and is the author of two textbooks on oncology esthetics, including Oncology Esthetics: A Practitioner’s Guide (Alluredbooks, 2009).
Editor’s note: Want to learn more about skin care for clients with cancer? Morag Currin’s book, Oncology Esthetics: A Practitioner’s Guide (Alluredbooks, 2009) can be purchased online at www.Alluredbooks.com.
I again cannot stress enough our roles as professionals in the Beauty Business. When a client is going through treatment, for any health concern, sanitation, professionalism, and confidentiality are utmost in making the client look better and feel better about themselves. Let’s take our profession to the next level and give back to the ones who have given us so much.
I hope you have enjoyed this article. Penny Miller
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You can also win Gift Certificates, Products and Prizes! Hurry and share this information with all your friends and join the fun at Penny Miller Cosmetology Academy!!! 
Aromatherapy is the practice of using the natural oils extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to enhance psychological and physical well-being.
The inhaled aroma from these “essential” oils is widely believed to stimulate brain function. Essential oils can also be absorbed through the skin, where they travel through the bloodstream and can promote whole-body healing.
A form of alternative medicine, aromatherapy is gaining momentum. It is used for a variety of applications, including pain relief, mood enhancement and increased cognitive function.
There are a wide number of essential oils available, each with its own healing properties.
Aromatherapy History
Little is known about the history of aromatherapy, or where it originated specifically, but the Egyptians are credited with developing one of the first distillation machines to extract oils from certain plants — cedarwood, clove, cinnamon, to name a few — which were used to embalm the dead. The practice of using infused aromatic oils as a mood enhancer, however, is thought to have roots in China.
The Greeks also played a role in the history of aromatherapy. Megallus, a Greek perfumer, developed a fragrance he called megaleion, which consisted of myrrh. The “father of medicine” Hippocrates is said to have practiced aromatherapy (before it was dubbed so) for healing purposes. Greek mythology claims the gods were gifted with the knowledge of perfume and fragrance.
The actual term “aromatherapy” first originated in 1937 when French chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse invented the word after a burn incident spurred his curiosity about the healing power of essential oils. On the heels of Gattefosse’s “discovery” that lavender oil helped to cure his burn, French surgeon Jean Valnet used essential oils to help heal soldiers’ wounds in World War II, proving the medical benefits of aromatherapy.
Today you can find a large range of products with aromatherapy properties. Aromatherapy is used largely in the cosmetic and beauty industry, not just for fragrance but for the benefits of the essential oil used in the product. If you are interested in more information about aromatherapy blends, essential oils, and the benefits of these different oils click here to find out more.
Ancient Cosmetics.
The current cosmetic market is filled with countless types of makeup in a world of different color variations. Today we even have trained professional cosmetologists for a variety of jobs from personal makeup artists to help with particular events or occasions to specialized costume cosmetologists on a movie set. However, makeup is a very old idea. With the rise of ancient civilizations and of a distinct ruling class, the intention of trying to improve one’s individual looks to show off one’s power, wealth, or even accentuate a person’s natural attractiveness brought about the rise in the cosmetic industry. The use of red ochre as a type of decorative body paint can be traced back to early prehistory even. The only problem is that these founding cultures had not yet developed our modern synthetic blends for makeup that mostly hide imperfections and to highlight features that are considered to be beautiful on the face of the wearer. Without these early pioneers in cosmetics though, we would not have taken the steps to create our modern cosmetic market.
Egypt
The ancient civilization of the Nile River Valley known as Egypt is one of the most notable records of early cosmetic use. Countless papyrus scrolls exist with some of their cosmetic recipes, and archaeologists have even found some containers with the residue of these makeup mixes. The natural tinted clay pigment known as red ochre was the favorite way for Egyptians to rouge their cheeks and lips. The most famous makeup of Egyptians is probably their eyeliner. Even modern makeup artists still enjoy using at least simple black eyeliner to accentuate the eyes of the wearer and sometimes pull a line of the black pigment outward from the corner of the eye to closely resemble paintings and decorated, painted busts that have been collected as artifacts from this ancient civilization. The original black pigment the Egyptians used was called kohl. However, it was made from a combination of different materials rather than a single item from nature. By grinding together burnt almonds, ochre, oxidized copper, malachite, lead, and crushed antimony one creates a dark black powder that would then be applied with a small stick to give the effect of more almond shaped eyes when put along the edges of the upper and lower eyelids. This special combination was also thought to reduce eye infection and to help restore failing eyesight in addition to reducing the glare of the powerful Egyptian sun. Modern scientists have investigated these ancient claims to find out that the combination of minerals can prove to be helpful in small amounts as an eye antiseptic and easily help with glare as even football players know to apply black paint beneath their eyes to help reduce the whiteout effect of a brightly shining sun.
Before the ancient Greeks invaded Egypt to establish the ruling Ptolemys and adopted several of the ancient Egyptian cosmetic combinations they did have their own techniques for the beautification of the human form. Since the Greek goddess Aphrodite was considered to be the human personification of beauty and drawings and raised relief carvings of her were everywhere, the Greeks were pretty set in their standard of beauty. Normal women who were not Aphrodite used cosmetics to increase their public appeal. A mixture of honey and olive oil was frequently applied to skin to give it a lighter color, act as a moisturizer, and give the skin a shimmering quality. Rather than using the Egyptian formula for kohl, Greeks would merely grind used charcoal and mix the powder with olive oil to create eye shadow instead of using eyeliner. Crushing iron oxide (rust) into a powder could be used as a rouge colored blush. Also, the ground iron oxide was frequently mixed with olive oil (the basic staple for Greek cosmetics and everyday life) and beeswax to make a paste for a type of lipstick or lip gloss to redden lips. However, cosmetic use was light in Greek women as they preferred as natural a look as possible to create the ideal beauty. Depictions of Aphrodite never showed a woman slathered in makeup with artificial beauty enhancers; therefore, Greek women truly attempted to keep makeup as light as possible to live up to these expectations of beauty. They really preferred to use the skin mixtures to increase what nature had given them rather than cover things up with foundation or concealer like in modern times or even during the major reign of the Roman Empire when makeup was considered to be the height of beauty and expressions of wealth and status.
The ancient Romans were very close in their take on makeup as our modern world. The wealthy and affluent Romans were patrons to cosmetology as fashion was pretty much standard for the different levels of society. Therefore, to show their wealth and status, the Romans (particularly Roman women) were very much into extravagant makeup and elaborate hairstyles—even stylish wigs. Since Romans were prominent leaders in the slave trading of the ancient world, they felt as though a few select slaves could prove useful in helping to act as the cosmetologists of early history. These slaves were the ones who came up with new inventive styles for wearing makeup and arranging locks of hair. The higher quantities of makeup and the more expensive the mix of ingredients would be a sign of a woman’s status in society and the wealth of her family. Hygiene was of great importance to Romans. Each new Roman urban area would always have the building of a large bath, or bathhouse. Aristocratic and wealthy women would also apply moisturizing creams after their social bath in the changing rooms of the bath building. Roman women were also some of the first habitual makeup wearers and would have multiple layers of makeup to create a perfect or ideal look on the canvas of a woman’s face (whether they were attractive to begin with or not). The first layer of makeup would consist of a paste like foundation to completely cover the skin of the face and make it appear lighter in color. The average Roman woman who wore makeup would usually have a foundation of chalk, orris root, and a small amount of fat to make it thick enough to cover any facial imperfections. Really wealthy women would go all out though with a foundation of white lead paste as it was a better mixture to lighten the skin, cover flaws, and create an overall look. However, since the foundation was poisonous (even though the civilization did not know the dangers of lead based makeup) many rich women who wore it a lot (as in daily) would get sick or even die without a solidly known cause. Following in the way of the Egyptians, the Roman women would achieve red pigmentation in their lips and cheeks with red ochre. The makeup to beautify the eyes though was of special importance. Again, Romans took a leaf from the Egyptian cosmetic book to use kohl as both an eyeliner and even an eyebrow pencil since emphasis of the eyebrows were very important. Ground saffron and crushed malachite stone were used for colored eye shadows—saffron for red-oranges and malachite for green.
As you can see, cosmetics have come a long way over the years. Things you may want to consider…. What ingredients are in your current cosmetics? Are they water, cream, oil or silicone based? New ingredients are invented daily and technology and trends change to look, feel and texture of cosmetics. Everyone is different and enjoys a different feel & look to their cosmetics, & it is most important for you to get your “perfect fit” in your cosmetic regime. Drop by and see us and we will be happy to help you with your cosmetic needs at Penny Miller Cosmetology Academy.
Pure mineral makeup has become popular because it’s less harsh on the skin than other products. But before using this makeup, it helps to have a few tips. Read on to learn how to achieve smoother skin with pure mineral makeup.
Always cleanse the face first and then apply moisturizer before using mineral makeup. Even individuals with oily skin may experience some dryness and flaking when using this type of makeup. Applying a moisturizer with SPF will make skin look softer and provide protection from the sun.
Mineral cosmetics now come in a variety of packages. For light coverage, or a very natural look, use a large brush when applying the makeup, swirl the brush around in a circular motion all over the face until the level of coverage is achieved. For a full coverage, which is best for photographs and special events, use a large round sponge for the main areas of the face and an angle sponge for those delicate areas around the eyes, nose and hair line.
Use a finishing spray. If after applying mineral makeup, your skin still looks dry, apply a moisturizing finishing spray to the skin. This will get rid of that “flaky look” and make skin appear more flawless, and dewy. Simply spritz a large round cosmetic sponge with the finishing spray and then blot gently all over the face.
If you have any questions or comments please contact me @ 405-238-3426. We keep a full range of cosmetics, and skincare in stock to help you with your beauty needs. Don’t underestimate the power of good skincare, we offer a complete line of facial services, as well as make-up lessons if you need more help.
The Color Wheel