Congratulations to the Kettering 2010 Holiday at Home Queen Morgan Sandstrom! Morgan is the daughter of Kevin and Debbie Sandstrom - Debbie happens to be a makeup artist and floor manager here at Michael's Salon! You may recognize Morgan from our Spray Tan information or makeup videos; she has graciously been a model for us on several occasions.

Have you tried the Axxium manicure by OPI yet? Michael's first introduced this non-chip manicure to the Dayton area about a year ago. Through the month of September, we are offering a special price so you can try this revolutionary manicure!

Cherice, Alana, Samantha and Jenny have all been trained on the Axxium process.

Have you tried Axxium yet? How did you like this manicure?

This is nothing new for our avid Today Show fans, but in case you missed yesterday's show, Hoda got a Keratin Treatment and talked about the process.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Hoda: I can't wait to go to the beach! Now I don't have to worry, I planned so much of my life around...
Kathy Lee: This could CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Michael's has had many clients schedule Keratin treatments before heading on vacation to humid destinations - the Keratin smooths the hair's cuticle to take away frizz and leave hair soft, shiny and manageable. You can still wear your hair curly after a Keratin treatment, but it will be frizz-free. This is why the treatment is called a smoothing treatment, it is more than a traditional straightening treatment.

Have you had a keratin treatment? Were you as impressed as Hoda was?

Yes, Salon City Magazine selected Dayton's premiere salon and spa number 9 on their HOT 100 Salons in America!

Michael's Salon and Spa is working to raise funds for the Dayton Ohio chapter of the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign. We are excited to work with the dynamic team at Go Red to raise funds and awareness of heart disease in women. Did you know that heart disease is the number 1 cause of death for women in the US?


Free haircuts with donation
In the month of September, any new client can donate $25 to Go Red for Women and receive a Michael's design cut and style, up to a $50 value. The entire $25 is donated to Go Red for Women, and you get a great new look! Sounds like a win-win, right?

How to donate to Go Red for Women:
If you are interested in donating to the Heart Association, all you have to do is email info@michaelssalon.com, and we will call you to schedule your appointment. All of our designers are participating to raise money, but there are limited appointments available with each stylist. Email us now to schedule your appointment in the month of September.

About heart disease in women:
The partnership between Michael's Salon and Go Red for Women was an easy one to make. Most of our clients are women. Most of Michael's hair stylists are women. It's obvious that we want to keep our clients and staff healthy. I would be willing to bet that every person reading this blog has been affected by heart disease in one form or another. Maybe your mother has high cholesterol, or your boss survived a heart attack. We can all work together to raise awareness and learn how to lead heart healthy lives.

The fine print:
Please include your phone number in your email. Print this page and present at checkout (this will help us keep track of the donation appointments). Payment must be made with cash or check, credit cards cannot be accepted for your donation. Valid for new clients only. Appointments must be made between Sept 1 and Sept 30, 2010.

Any questions? Leave a comment on this post or include them in your email to info@michaelssalon.com. Let's work together to raise funds and Go Red for Women!

Michael's is excited to support Generation Dayton, and to kick it off, we're tying in our next photo shoot to this theme! We are looking for young professionals in the Dayton area to take part in our upcoming makeover photo shoot. We're asking you to nominate yourself, or a young professional you know who would be willing to make a major change. Selected winners will receive a free makeover from Michael's Salon including haircut & color, Jane Iredale makeover, and photo shoot with the Media Group @ Michael's. The winners will each receive digital copies of their photographs (professional profile picture!), and will be featured here on our blog. Photographs will also be submitted to industry publications.

How to enter:
To nominate yourself or someone you know, send an email to cindy@mediagrouponline.com with the following information:

1. A recent photograph of nominee
   
2. Nominee's name and daytime contact information
3. A paragraph about why this young professional needs/deserves a makeover
   

Rules and Details:

1. Nominations must be received by Monday, August 9, 2010.
2. Winners will be notified by Thursday, August 12.
3. The consultation and makeover will be scheduled with each winner and his/her designer prior to the photo shoot (we've allowed 2 weeks to accommodate busy schedules).
4. The photo shoot will take place on Thursday, August 26, 2010.
   
5. Winners must be willing to allow their pictures to be used on our blog and for submission to industry publications.

If you have any questions, please email cindy@mediagrouponline.com. Or check out the results of our last Looking for Faces makeovers. We're looking forward to seeing nominations of yourself, your employees, your recent college grads and more!

Update: Nominations have been closed. Check back at the end of the month for pictures of our winner, Shana!

We absolutely LOVE it when clients take time to offer us feedback on their experiences at Michael's. Good or bad, we want to know what you think (of course we love the good, but if we can make your experience better in some way, please let us know). On the left side of Michael's website is a 'Share your experience' box that goes to our general manager. It's like having her direct phone extension.

We recently received a comment from one of our Over 40 Makeover winners, Digma, about her experience:

I started to go to Michael's Salon in 2007. I won a facial at a fundraiser from church. My first experience at Michael's was awesome. I love the massages a lot and like all the beauty products.

I was sooo excited when I won the 40+ make over. Jodi did an excellent job with me. Paula did the perfect job in my makeup. I really look like a model. My friends at work are really impressed.

I recommend all personnel from the salon. They are all good. I love you girls! Thanks,
Digma

Thank YOU Digma for taking the time to send us a message! Check out Digma's before and after photos here - she was a great model. Another interesting fact, our makeovers - including Digma's - have already been featured on Modern Salon! After the success of our first Looking for Faces call for submissions, we will be doing another call for submissions soon! Keep an eye here on our blog for more details as they are available.

In the meantime, don't be shy and let us know how we are doing at Michael's!

www.michaelssalon.com

We all want long thick eyelashes, but unfortunately, some of us aren't blessed to look like we could be in a mascara commercial (FYI: the women in the commercials are probably wearing fake lashes). So what's a girl to do? You could stick to the time-tested regimen of eyelash curler + loads of mascara, but if you're not getting the results you desire, check out these options Michael's is offering women in the Dayton area.

NovaLash® Eyelash Extensions
For celebrity-approved lashes, check out NovaLash eyelash extensions. You've probably read about NovaLash in popular magazines (O, the Oprah magazine, Lucky, OK! Magazine, In Touch Weekly, Modern Salon and more) but did you know you can get NovaLash extensions here at Michael's Salon?

The physician and cosmetic chemist formulated lash extension system developed for your health and safety... the educated choice.

NovaLash is one of the safest options for women looking to boost their lashes. There's no need to worry about adhesives tearing your lashes out or damaging them. At Michael's, a licensed esthetician will apply NovaLash lashes on your natural lashes. You won't have an adhesive line to cover up, because they attach to your lashes, not your eyelid. You won't have to worry about a line of lashes separating at the end of your wedding day or night out! NovaLash starts at $202 and will last for the growth cycle of the individual eyelashes - approximately 1-2 months. Touch-ups are recommended as your lashes have a natural life cycle.


To keep your extensions healthy and looking great, here are some tips:

• Avoid rubbing your eyes and lashes - this causes you to lose lashes!
• If you wear mascara, DO NOT USE WATERPROOF MASCARA. Waterproof formulas will dissolve the adhesive on your NovaLash lashes
• Avoid eye makeup cleansers containing glycol or carbonates - they can loosen the bond of your NovaLash extensions
• When using eye creams, try to avoid your lashes and eyelids. And again, don't use creams containing glycol or carbonates.

Revitalash® Eyelash Conditioner
If you're not crazy about the thought of extensions, we also offer Revitalash Eyelash Conditioner. Again, you've probably seen Revitalash in the press (In Style, Elle, O, the Oprah magazine, and many more). Revitalash is a unique eyelash conditioner that will help you achieve the natural beauty of longer, thicker, fuller looking eyelashes.


A very small amount of Revitalash is applied once a day. No matter how brittle, short, fragile, thin or sparse your eyelashes are, Revitalash can help you achieve your very own long, beautiful, healthy looking lashes. You can purchase Revitalash at Michael's for $135.


Jane Iredale False Lashes
Jane Iredale just released their new Professional Faux Lashes. These lashes are great because instead of strips that you have to cut to fit your eyelid, they are individual pieces you can apply where you want your lashes to be fuller. You can apply just to the outer lids, or across your entire lash line.


If you have a special event and want longer lashes just for one night, schedule a makeover with one of Michael's talented makeup artists. They will apply all of your makeup, and can add as many Jane Iredale faux lashes as you desire, for a minimal add-on.

Take care of your lashes
Whether you try false lashes or not, always always ALWAYS wash off your makeup at night. Sleeping in your makeup is not only bad for your skin, but also bad for your lashes. Wearing mascara overnight can cause your eyelashes to become fragile and break or fall out prematurely.

Have you tried eyelash extensions or conditioners? What was your experience?

As we prepared for our quarterly photo shoot, our team discussed what works and what doesn't. The fashion magazines all display images of young, beautiful models with hair that is NOT wearable for the average woman. Could you imagine getting ready to drop your kids off at school, or heading to the office - but first taking hours and hours to style your hair like this?

Image by Intercoiffure

This is a fantastic image, but it doesn't fit the lifestyles of most of our clientele. We want to inspire our guests to try new looks, but each person needs to be able to envision the look on him/herself.

For our May photo shoot, instead of having our designers or Michael select models, we asked our clientele. We sent out emails and asked for submissions on Facebook and Twitter:

Michael's is looking for real women over 40 to be a part of our upcoming makeover photo shoot. We're asking you to nominate yourself, or a woman you know who would be willing to make a major change.

We received more feedback from this online contest than any previous online contest. It was very difficult to select the winners, but we narrowed the field down to six. These brave women put their trust in Michael's talented staff to design their new look. 

Before and After Photos:

Our designers went above and beyond just cut and color to empower each woman to discover the best version of herself. Click the names below to see more pictures and to learn about each makeover: