Greg's Gift Guide - Super Easy, Top Rated Gift Ideas

Well it's really starting to look a lot like Christmas with fake snow blanketing San Francisco storefronts and downtown parking garages horrendously full. Save yourself some time and money this year and shop online. Or call us and we'll help make Christmas shopping easy for you.

Here are a few top rated Aveda gift ideas for you at a range of prices.  Each of these top picks are rated at five stars by people who've purchased them. From $26 to $56 there's a little something for everyone. Here's what I recommend...

 

The Gift of Pure Relief

This is a great little wintertime set. Great gift for people dealing with wintery dryness, keep one for youself and gift the other.
gift set ($56 value)
24 of 25 (96%) of Aveda customers recommend this product to a friend.
» Shop Aveda

Rosemary Mint Set
One of the most popular and versatile products made by Aveda.  It smells like winter, a great way to wake up in the morning.  Amazing on fine or oily hair.  An essential top seller.
gift set $37.00
121 of 126 (96%) of Aveda customers recommend this product to a friend.
» Shop Aveda 

Go for smooth
Bay Area winters are especially damp. Remember, you’re in control, you don’t have to fizz out!
gift set $26.50
428 of 447 (96%) of Aveda customers recommend Smooth Infusion™ Shampoo.
392 of 415 (94%) of Aveda customers recommend Smooth Infusion™ Conditioner.
» Shop Aveda 

Shampure™ Soy Wax Candle

Everybody loves it. It’s refillable and green. You can not go wrong.
"Calming aroma of 25 pure flower and plant essences—including certified organic lavender, petitgrain and ylang ylang—in a candle that burns cleanly, completely."
9.7 oz/275 g $32.00
177 of 185(96%)of Aveda customers recommend this product to a friend.
» Shop Aveda

Hey SF tech start-ups! We have a deal for you!

Does it look like your developers sleep under their desks? Your team has worked hard this year so why not reward them with some Lounge time?  I don’t know anybody who doesn’t crave any of our fabulous services. Whether it’s a massage or a manicure, there’s something for everyone at the Lounge. You can still give Barber Lounge gift cards to your team for the holidays and receive 20% extra. This is a no-brainer if your office is located South of Market in San Francisco.

We’re close to Moscone Center convenient to the epicenter of technology & culture in SF.  Drop by, or call us to get hooked up.

Bay Area Beauty Blogger Kaitlyn Visits The Lounge - Video

A few weeks ago we were visited by beauty blogger Kaitlyn to be featured in this awesome video blog for Kaitlyn's Beauty Journal. We were thrilled to be a part of this Asian American show on KTSF. 

Here Kaitlyn discusses the importance of a great night sleep and explores the Aveda Chakra System with our spa team leader, Stephanie.




In the second video, Kaitlyn and Stephanie talk about how to combat acne with Aveda. Just in time too, since there's no bigger bummer than wearing spots at your holiday party.

Great job spa team leader Stephanie, you rocked it!!!

A Gift of Thanks From The Barber Lounge - 20% Extra on Gift Cards

Thank you for making our salon a huge success this year! Without you, our loyal customers, there would be no - award winning - Barber Lounge!

Purchase a gift card and get 20% MORE!

$50 gift card: we'll make it $60


$100 gift card: we'll make it $120


$150 gift card: we'll make it $180


$200 gift card: we'll make it $240

Pass-on the THANKS!  Must be purchased as a gift for someone else.

Some restrictions apply. Call or contact the salon to inquire.

Also, every Aveda Holiday gift set purchased comes with a $10 Aveda gift card for service, upping the Value of your gift! 

Do you know a special host or hostess who would love a gift visit to the Barber Lounge? This is a great opportunity to share the relaxing experience of the Lounge. I don't know any woman in San Francisco who doesn't love looking great. Weather it's a mani-pedi, a massage, or our fabulous salon services there's something for everybody - and every budget - at the Lounge.

- I love the Aveda fragrances, don't you? -

Guess What? - We're Not Just Barbers!

Hi it's Steph, the Barber Lounge web mistress. Several years ago when Greg told me he was opening his own Salon I literally begged him to let me create his website. At the time I was working on really boring web software in Silicon Valley and at last I had an opportunity to be creative and have some fun with my work. Plus the project came with some outstanding perks, I made the site for a trade in services. It was well worth it.

Today the Barber Lounge is over four years old and has been winning awards left & right like San Francisco City Paper's "Best of". But despite being a full service day spa and salon for both women and men the Barber Lounge has a slight naming problem. At first glance people think it's a Barber Shop. Well, there is a barbershop at the Barber Lounge, but there's ever-so-much more.

I stumbled upon this blog post by Muffin Loves Biscuit about her visit to the Lounge.  Let me  re-post her photo which wonderfully depicts just how great the Barber Lounge is for us ladies. This totally reminds me of why I will be forever devoted to Greg, and his Salon.

Right now I'm thinking mani/pedi for the holidays. But whatever service anybody receives it's all fabulous at the Barber Lounge.

Let The Barber Lounge Help You Get Into Character This Halloween

San Francisco, Are You
Ready for Halloween?

It seems like Halloween must be the greatest holiday in the city: we like to "drag" it out into a multi-week affair. Whether you need help achieving the perfect Bachmann hair, or transforming yourself into the living dead, our expert stylists want to help you get into your chosen character.

Here are some recent transformations at the Barber Lounge. Photos by Kelly Koehler. View more photos on Flickr.



- Hauntingly Angelic (note the low-lights on the hair) -



- Playful & Architectural -



- Reminds me of Dr. Seuss -

- And of course Zombies are always welcome! -
Walk-ins always welcomeormake an appointment now!

New Hours - More Lounge Time!

In order to better meet the needs of our ever-growing client family, we have decided to extend our salon hours!

We Will Now Be Open:

• Monday-Friday 9am-8pm
• Saturday-Sunday 9am-6pm

Remember! Walk-in are always welcome!

The Schedules of our Stylists, Barbers and Spa staff will be changing also,
so please call us if you have any questions!

Fight The Frizz Forum, 10 easy steps for Fall

Save the crazy hairstyle for Halloween and control bad hair days and fly away frizz. There are a few easy steps to help minimize your "finger in a socket" look for the next few months.

Let's start at the beginning of your day...

1 - Use the right shampoo and conditioner. Yes! It really does make a big difference. If you're prone to big hair, you'll want to use a very emollient shampoo that will add some weight to your hair. I like Aveda's Smooth Infusion line.

2 - Don't rinse out your conditioner all the way. Leave in just a little bit to help tame the mane.

4 - Add a leave-in conditioner to prep your hair and protect it from the heat of styling. Adding a straightening serum with some hold on top of that will ensure that your blow out will last through the storm.

5 - Having a good blow drier is huge! Make sure it's Tourmaline Charged, Ionic and at least 1800 watts. Tourmaline is a mineral that when heated will seal moisture to your cuticle, and the positive ions make for a faster, frizz-free blowout. My favorite blow drier is the Sedu Revolution Green drier. It's a light-weight, hot-wind powerhouse that uses less power than most driers, so you get a lot of bang for your buck, and it's better for the environment.

6 - Blow dry your hair using your hands until it's 70% dry, then section off your hair just above the ears and start working with a round brush from the nape up. It sounds time consuming, but it will save time in the long run. Make sure to invest in a good Boar Bristle Round brush. The bristles really grab the hair and pull the strands straight and smooth without tangles. Make sure the hair is 100% dry when you finish - if it's even slightly wet, it will frizz. Finish with a cool blast using the cool button on your drier. Hair is workable when it's warm, and cooling it will lock down your style.

7 - Finish with a few drops of glossing serum from the ponytail down and a light mist of aerosol hairspray. If you have fly-aways, spray some hairspray on your hands and smooth down what's sticking out. After this finish, your blow dry should last a few days.

8 - At bed time, wrap your hair into a bun or top knot, secure it with a non binding piece of fabric, or wrap your head in a silk scarf. Sleeping on down pillows with cotton cases is hard on hair and a surefire way to ruin a good blow out.

9 - Try going a few days before washing your hair. If you get oily easily, use a dry shampoo: spray at the root, give it a minute to soak up the oil, then blow dry out the excess and brush your hair with a paddle brush. Your hair and scalp will thank you. Your natural oils are really the best conditioner for your hair, and a good dry shampoo can re-vamp a 2-day old blow out like nobody's business.

10 - If you MUST wash your hair, apply conditioner from the pony tail down and just shampoo your scalp. Hair doesn't need to be washed every day, and shampooing your ends too frequently will remove your hair's natural oils, which are nature's best frizz fighters.

Barber Lounge is Forever SF Faithful - Niner Miners TV Spot

We were more than thrilled to participate in this San Francisco 49ers TV spot with The Niner Miners. Check out The Niner Miner's getting their "beards" trimmed at the Lounge in this hilarious ad.

The barber lounge turns 4!

Fight the Frizz Forum 10 easy steps to Smooth hair

With spring showers come May Flowers and frizzy, fly away, bad hair days. There are a few easy steps to help minimize your "finger in a socket" look for the next few months.

Let's start at the beginning of your day...

1 - Use the right shampoo and conditioner. Yes! It really does make a big difference.  If you're prone to big hair, you'll want to use a very emollient shampoo that will add some weight to your hair.  I like Aveda's Smooth Infusion line.

2 - Don't rinse out your conditioner all the way.  Leave in just a little bit to help tame the mane.

4 - Add a leave-in conditioner to prep your hair and protect it from the heat of styling. Adding a straightening serum with some hold on top of that will ensure that your blow out will last through the storm.

5 - Having a good blow drier is huge!  Make sure it's Tourmaline Charged, Ionic and at least 1800 watts.  Tourmaline is a mineral that when heated will seal moisture to your cuticle, and the positive ions make for a faster, frizz-free blowout.  My favorite blow drier is the Sedu Revolution Green drier.  It's a light-weight, hot-wind powerhouse that uses less power than most driers, so you get a lot of bang for your buck, and it's better for the environment.

6 - Blow dry your hair using your hands until it's 70% dry, then section off your hair just above the ears and start working with a round brush from the nape up. It sounds time consuming, but it will save time in the long run.  Make sure to invest in a good Boar Bristle Round brush.  The bristles really grab the hair and pull the strands straight and smooth without tangles.  Make sure the hair is 100% dry when you finish - if it's even slightly wet, it will frizz.  Finish with a cool blast using the cool button on your drier. Hair is workable when it's warm, and cooling it will lock down your style.

7 - Finish with a few drops of glossing serum from the ponytail down and a light mist of aerosol hairspray.  If you have fly-aways, spray some hairspray on your hands and smooth down what's sticking out. After this finish, your blow dry should last a few days.

8 - At bed time, wrap your hair into a bun or top knot, secure it with a non binding piece of fabric, or wrap your head in a silk scarf.  Sleeping on down pillows with cotton cases is hard on hair and a surefire way to ruin a good blow out.

9 - Try going a few days before washing your hair.  If you get oily easily, use a dry shampoo: spray at the root, give it a minute to soak up the oil, then blow dry out the excess and brush your hair with a paddle brush.  Your hair and scalp will thank you. Your natural oils are really the best conditioner for your hair, and a good dry shampoo can re-vamp a 2-day old blow out like nobody's business.

10 - If you MUST wash your hair, apply conditioner from the pony tail down and just shampoo your scalp. Hair doesn't need to be washed every day, and shampooing your ends too frequently will remove your hair's natural oils, which are nature's best frizz fighters.

The Good the Bad and the Ugly. Pregnancy and Post Pregnancy Hair

As a hairdresser and owner of a busy salon, many of my clients are either pregnant or new mothers.  I've given plenty of advice for new moms.   I grew up with a pediatrician for a dad and a nurse for a mom as well as three sisters, and twenty nieces and nephews.  These experiences taught me useful tips about the all-important matter of hair care during and after pregnancy.

Throughout a woman's life, hormonal changes occur due to various factors, including going on or off birth control or changing brands or methods of birth control, menopause, and issues with hormone producing glands such as the thyroid.  Such shifts can affect mood, energy, sleep patterns and body weight, not to mention hair, skin and nails.  Nine months of pregnancy can do a number on a woman's body.  Normal hormonal shifts can contribute to swollen feet and hands, adult acne, intense mood swings, indigestion and gas.  On the other hand, pregnancy produces thick, shiny, fast growing hair and nails adding to that wonderful mother-to-be glow.

Immediately following delivery, the female body retains some of its pregnant characteristics and hormones.  Things can be a bit bumpy with a new baby which often adds lack of sleep, sensitive breasts, and perhaps some postpartum depression.  When baby is four to six months old or when they are weaned off breast milk the body says "Okay, I'm done with this pregnancy."  At this point the hormones begin to re-regulate, typically resulting in mild depression, brittle nails, skin rashes, and most notably sudden hair loss.  In fact all the hair retained during the pregnancy sheds within a few weeks.  This can be very shocking, upsetting and drain-clogging.   But don't panic the hair all grows back.

"But how long will it take to grow back?!" the new mom asks.  Take comfort!  Healthy hair grows about a half of an inch per month, so within a few months hair will begin to fill in again.  The first few months are the hardest because the hair sticks straight our from the head like a fright wig.  In approximately six months to a year a full head of hair will generally return.   I wouldn't recommend a short haircut during or right after a pregnancy, it's usually not a good idea unless you have short hair to begin with.   Feeling pretty and feminine is important during this time and a big style change added to an even bigger lifestyle change is usually a bad move.

A good way to deal with those first few months of "bad hair days" is to try a more layered haircut or bangs.   Hair may seem more frizzy and fly-away than normal.   The best way to combat the frizz is a light styling creme, check out Aveda's Defining Whip,  Supremo Magic move or Bumble and Bumble Styling Creme.  To finish your style, spray your hands with a medium-hold hairspray like Aveda's Brilliant hairspray and smooth over the surface of your hair, this technique should calm things down.  If none of this works or you have super thick or curly hair, go shopping for some new headbands or scarves, it's a very chic look and will hide the baby hair until it grows out.

As a stylist, I know that our hair is important, especially to a new mom who may not feel the best about her looks during this stressful time.  Be assured that as time goes by your hair will become more manageable and you'll get your body back.
So enjoy your new baby... and don't stress the rest.