Hi Grand beauties!

I’ve gotten off to a great start this New Year with the opportunity to style Miss Michelle Phan’s hair.

What an amazing experience!

She is so cute and nice!   I have to admit I was a little nervous and excited driving to Fort Lauderdale to do the hair of such a creative artist.

Phan Hairstyle Inspiration

I sat down to talk with Miss Phan about the look and inspiration. Her dress was her inspiration. It was short with a light rust color. We both agreed on Florida beachy waves with a braid, especially since braids will continue to accessorize hair thru spring!

Phan Hairstyle Process

I started by smoothing her ends using Shu Uemura Essence Absolue with my hands to nourish her dry ends. Then I sprayed mineral salt spray to the roots of the hair and roughed it up with the blow-dryer and my fingers.  I began with rectangular sections at the base and curled the hair clockwise then counterclockwise.  I crimped a side section for my braid and switched to my larger barrel iron on the top, always protecting the hair with Shu Uemura heat protection design hairspray.

At the end, I shook out all the waves and used one of my favorite texturizers, Cotton Uzu, on the palm of my hands.

Michelle mentioned she loved the smell.  I decided to place the braid around her head like a headband and connect it to a peek-a-boo fishtail braid extension I added.

Phan Hairstyle Result?

She loved it!

I think the most impressive part of my experience was when Michelle blessed the food when I was setting up my things so I took a moment, bowed my head and joined the room in prayer.  At that moment, I knew everything was going to be all right!

Thank you to Kerastase Paris/Shu Uemura for the opportunity.

Carmen

The holidays are over and I feel that January has kept the same momentum as December.

Valentine’s Day Promise

As one of the most loving days of the year approaches, our Grand Beauty salon team has been brainstorming and getting inspired to bring sexy back to our clients after such a stressful and busy couple of months.

Carmen Lee Sargeant Client - Before and After Looks

We will be posting what we think are the sexiest trends and hair looks for this Valentines Day in a sequence of before and after photos.

Please follow us and get inspired to try one of the fabulous styles, or make your appointment so we can replicate a look for you!

Krysta Coggins
Beauty Stylist

Carmen, Owner Grand Beauty Spa

Wow, what an amazing year 2011 has been!

As I look back on 2011, I believe it to be one of our best learning years.  It feels like I’m just getting started: from making the Kerastase/ Shu Uemura team to having the support and training from our flagship with Thalgo Paris, we have found a balance.  We have also built a great team of therapists, support staff, and managers.  With your help, we made a difference helping women fight Breast Cancer and with our Christmas piano concert helping foster children in Tampa. I’m so excited for what 2012 brings regardless of the Armageddon

We are planning to keep you looking and feeling your best.

As we approach each New Year, we make resolutions to renew ourselves, lose the holiday unwanted pounds, and feel good about ourselves.  It feels good to change it up! That’s why we are focusing on detox and skinny body wraps in January.   Join us for an exciting event to learn the secrets and methods European women use to maintain firm and beautiful skin.

January is a great time to become a Grand Beautiful Member.  Imagine a full year dedicated to your well being so you can take care of your self and receive a spa visit at least once a month.

Visit the Grand Beauty Salon to change up your hair style.  Our stylists love to take the time to consult and help you find your best look!

I wish you a Blessed, Happy New Year!

Thank you,

Carmen

Kickoff Your Gasparilla Style 2012

Gasparilla 2012 is right around the corner filled with parades, parties and galas to kick off this season. The Grand Beauty Salon team is gearing up with the latest styles for updos and makeup to make each look unique and fabulous.

Whether you are attending a black tie event or simply joining in the festivities for the parade, the salon team will create a style for hair and makeup that captures the excitement of this year’s celebrations.

My client, Merrin Jenkins, is this year’s Gasparilla Queen.  I have compiled a few pictures highlighting a few of the looks we put together for her for Queen’s Party, King’s Dinner and Debutante Ball.

Gasparilla Queen’s Party 

Gasparilla King’s Dinner

Gasparilla Debutante Ball

Make an appointment with the Grand Beauty Salon team and let us give you a knockout look for this year’s Gasparilla season!

Stewart Pittman
Beauty Stylist & Makeup Artist

You Can’t Go wrong with a Bun….

It is a fun and easy way to look elegant, and it doesn’t have to look perfect.
That’s the key!

1. Start with clean, or better yet, day old hair.  Section your tresses with clips. Using a three barrel waver, take 1-inch sections of your hair and, beginning at the roots, press the hair into the waver.  Hold for three full seconds, overlapping slightly so you don’t leave gaps, and work your way down to your ends.
2. Apply a workable hair spray to your hair, running your fingers through the waves to reach the layers underneath.
3. Pull your hair softly to the nape of your neck.  Secure with a ponytail hook or a Bobby Band (a combination of a bobby pin and an elastic).
4. Twist the low ponytail to the right, coiling it softy around the Bobby Band or hook. Secure with hairpins.
5. Go through the bun and pull it slightly apart with your fingers.
6. Mist lightly with your working hair spray.

The best part about the messy bun is that anyone can achieve it, and add your own personalized touch.  Whether you prefer higher up, or right at the nape of the neck, this look is an elegant look for the holidays. Need some help with this look? Call us at 813-874-7674 or request an appointment online.

Leyda Jaramillo
Associate Beauty Stylist

Get your holiday started off right with the perfect hair.

You’ve got the outfit, now all you need is the right hair to finish a fabulous look!  This season’s trends are a beautiful blend of classic and modern.  Straight from fall fashion week, top designers are showing us the perfect way to complete a look.

Messy Bun

Classic Messy Bun

The most likeable hair for the season is the classic messy bun.  This look will give you the perfect mixture of attitude and confidence.  To create the messy bun, select a part (the extreme side-part is back),  and then gather the hair into a low side or mid-ponytail.  After fastening with an elastic band, spray the lengths of the hair with hairspray to add grip, then knot or coil the hair and secure with bobby pins.

Hitchcock Bouffant

Hitchcock Bouffant

Another hot holiday hair trend is the most dramatic: “The Hitchcock Bouffant”(also known as the French twist with a bit of attitude).  Retrofitted volume and texture are staging a comeback for the holidays!  To get this look, prep hair with a volumizing spray or mousse, then blow-dry.  Back comb at the crown for desired height, then coil into a French twist and secure with bobby pins.

Beachy Waves Are Back

Beachy Waves Look

One last look to consider for the holidays is waves. This season, perfect prom curls are out, more- messy, unrefined curls are in!

From celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Leighton Meester, and even Carrie Underwood, the beachy waves are back.

To get the look, prep the hair with a thermal protection, section the hair and take small diagonal sections.  Start at the root and curl 1 ½ times around the barrel, then take the same section and wrap the opposite way.  Once you are done finish with a light hold hairspray and your look will be complete!

With the right hair, you can make any outfit look great this Holiday Season!

If you’re going to a holiday party, or just going shopping and want to have great hair to make your look fabulous, come to The Grand Beauty Spa, and any of our superior stylists will have you looking your best for the Holidays!

Katie Ryan
Beauty Stylist

Celebrity Hair Extensions

It has been made my esteemed privilege to announce that at last you have access to the same hair extensions that have graced so many heads in Hollywood. Hairdreams is now available at the Grand Beauty Spa!

Recently, our hair extension specialist Krysta Coggins (my mentor) & I attended the two day Hairdreams course and now are licensed to create lustrous locks to all who desire them.

We’re overjoyed to have this uniquely luxurious 7 star hair to offer you. One touch and the difference between these beauties and other brands is undoubtedly distinctive!

Now at The Grand Beauty Spa

Hairdreams doesn’t stop distinguishing themselves there. They also offer customized bonds ranging from super small, small, medium, to normal size which makes for the most natural looking placement you could hope for from extensions.

Hairdreams color ring

Matching your color is limitless & effortless thanks to their wonderful color ring.

Just in time for all those holiday events and photos, you will look and feel absolutely ravishing everywhere you step foot! We would love it if The Grand is where you receive that fabulous feeling.

Please come see us at The Grand for your consult soon and prepare to be remarkable!

Yours truly,

Alexandra Victoria Ramirez
Beauty Stylist

The leaves will begin to fall, but girls go ahead and let your summer colors fall right into this season with you!

No need to totally ditch them for the darker more mysterious fall colors.

Tie in your beautiful rich colors with a pop of bright color.

Fall Hair Colors

For example, give your hair a little more depth for the season with more dimension from a deep chocolate or rich raspberry tone

Fall Nail Trends

Come in for a beautiful relaxing Grand Manicure with our nail techs and let them brush on the new OPI collection colors in a suede finish for the fall!

Pop of Color

When you are ready to leave the house, throw on a bright pop of color like a bright red pea coat or a smashing lip color.

Make your appt. today for the latest fall trends and get EXCITED! We are!

Logan Wilson

Associate Beauty Stylist

Notes from Carmen…

Carmen and Odile

Fashion week starts this month, and I am so excited to work again under talented celebrity stylist Odile Gilbert (pictured with me below) who is the lead stylist for Kerastase Paris in NYC for the Thakoon and Theory fashion shows.  I am excited to share my experience in next month’s note and our Grand Facebook page.

Do you ever feel like you have no time for yourself?  Sometimes it feels almost impossible to find the time to keep yourself feeling great!

I would like to share some ideas to help you feel renewed in 90 minutes.  This personal favorite treatment at my spa will make you look younger while calming your mind.  So here goes!

How To Feel Renewed in 90 Minutes – The Grand experience:

Start by taking a shower to remove any lotions or parfums. Our lockers rooms have luxurious amenities like Shu Uemura and Kerastase shampoos and conditioners and Thalgo shower gels and body lotions.

Next, relax for 15 minutes in the Infrared sauna.  “Enjoy the quiet.”  Then take a cold rinse in the shower.  The next 3 to 5 minutes, step into the steam room and take some deep breaths.  I try to keep my focus on the baby amethyst stone, known for radiating good energy. Grand Gentlemen can enjoy the Garnet stone, known for bringing good fortune!

Next, one of our expert skin therapists will choose the perfect customized facial just for your skin type.  I am hooked on The Grand’s Ageless Facial!   Plus all of our therapists have a blissful, beautiful touch that will totally take you away.  Trust me ladies and gents, we all need to find a little time to renew!  One more thing, if your toes need some TLC you can request one of our famed Grand Versailles bed treatment rooms where one of our nail care therapists will quietly take care of your feet during your facial.  Pure Bliss!

As we are continuing our efforts to make your each and every experience at the spa as rewarding as possible, this month we are unveiling our Automatic Rewards System.  From this point on you will be able to enjoy your reward as soon as the level is reached. No more waiting for your rewards card in the mail because all info is kept in-house.  Together we are making this world just  a little greener.

Tell us how we’re doing in the comment field below. We’d love to hear from you!

Best, Carmen

P.S……Please like us on Facebook

The summer beach parties are over and its time to get back to the daily routines and regimens of life.  Chances are, your hair has gone through a rough couple of months and now is the time for a revival.  Over-exposure to the sun, saltwater, and chlorine can take a toll on your hair color and its texture; leaving it dull, limp and lacking luster.

Luckily there are some tips that I am going to inform you of to renew your luscious locks.

Step #1 – Treat Your Locks Special:

The first tip in reviving your sun-bleached locks is to get an in-salon conditioning ritual.  My favorite ritual is Chronologiste from Kerastase. It volumizes, hydrates, strengthens, repairs, smooths, adds shine and offers UV protection.  It is a completely rejuvenating cure for hair and scalp that leaves hair incredibly soft, supple and shiny.  The hair fiber is renewed, deeply nourished and strengthened.

Step #2 – Shampoo Saviors:

If you have colored or keratin-treated hair, sulfate and parabens are the culprits that strip color and the treatment from your hair, so it’s important to pick a shampoo that says “sulfate free” on the bottle or mentions it is for colored treated hair.

My favorite product line, Kerastase, has a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner combo called “Chroma-Sensitive” that is 1 part shampoo and 3 parts conditioner.  It is perfect for long-lasting brilliant color and rescuing your locks.  If you need to regain strength, Bain de Force and Ciment Anti-Usure are the combo for you!  There’s an option for everyone from Kerastase with guaranteed fabulous regenerating results.

Step #3 – Get A Color Fix:

One of the simplest processes to give your hair healthy shine is turning to a glaze.  A glaze will fill in the gaps in every hair fiber; taking your frizzed out, Christmas tree locks and transforming them into smooth, silky strands.  A glaze can be used for shine alone, or you can even out the tone of your hair-color and add pigment to it.  I suggest a rich new color for fall!

Step #4 – Summer Pruning:

If all else fails, CUT if off!  Holding onto those ends like the last days of summer isn’t healthy.

I understand, CHANGE is tough!

Autumn is fast approaching and the season of reinvention is the perfect time to be rid of that laid back look and surprise everyone with a new modern cut to grace the holiday events with.

We have everything to revitalize your summer locks here at The Grand.  Please give us a call or visit us to revive your look.

Those are my 4 steps for summer hair rescue. Do you have summer hair rescue tips of your own?

Tell us about them in the comment field below.

Krysta Coggins
Beauty Stylist & Hair Extension Specialist