This June, purchase any Smooth Infusion duo at Haven and receive a complimentary Blow Out service.

The Smooth Infusion products are complete with shampoo and conditioner. Check out why the style products are the solution to your daily hair struggle.

Smooth Infusion Style Prep:

• Preps hair for ultimate smoothness
• Makes smooth styling faster and easier
• Defends against humidity for up to 12 hours

Smooth Infusion Glossing Straightener

• Protects hair during heat styling
• Delivers lasting hold and shine
• Defends against humidity for up to 12 hours

Choose the finishing product that compliments the Smooth Infusion line the best, Control Force Hairspray.

• Locks out frizz with a 24 hour humidity defense
• Provides all day brushable hold with memory
• Has a net-zero impact on Earth’s climate

You don’t have to go at frizzy hair alone, use the Smooth Infusion style products and the Control Force hairspray to keep the humidity out and keep the smooth days ahead.

In last weeks blog we introduced you to Megan, Professional Skin Therapist at Haven and resident vegan extraordinaire.  At Diana’s request, Megan helped this self-proclaimed meat lover adopt a completely vegan lifestyle for just one week to give her a better understanding of it.  Here is a summary of Diana’s experience:

This journey was an amazing learning experience.  I learned a great deal about nutrition in general, but I also learned a few things about myself in the process.  Change is always hard, but I found that keeping the refrigerator stocked with the proper foods made it so much easier to make good choices.  I work a lot of hours and rarely feel like cooking at the end of day – I am usually very hungry and look for a quick and easy choice.  Before this experiment I often defaulted to microwaving some frozen chicken nuggets or a pizza at the end of the day, but I found that by making a large pot of vegan chili at the beginning of the week, I had a healthy quick meal that I could pop in the microwave and enjoy for a quick and easy dinner.  I also found that having a few great resources and cookbooks on hand made it easier as well. 

I realized I could get protein from other sources such as beans and lentils and that I actually enjoyed eating them.  I added more whole vegetables and fruits to my diet and I was surprised to learn that I felt full and more energized then I have in quite some time.  While I didn’t go into this looking to achieve weight loss, I did lose 6 pounds which was an added benefit that has encouraged me to stay focused on eating more healthy whole foods and reaching less for microwaved chicken nuggets. 

The only negative effect that I can report at all was feeling a bit gassy, especially in the first part of the week, but it did improve as my body adjusted to the change and I felt great by the end of the week. 

Will I stick with it long term?  Well, I won’t give up meat completely, but I like to say that I am now a carnivore with vegan tendencies.  What I will stick with is continuing to make positive lifestyle changes.  Eating healthier inspired me to begin exercising again and I am already feeling stronger than I was just a week ago. 

I want to thank Megan for all of her help and support, and for the encouragement to make a change.  Sometimes the very act of just making a small change, any change, can have a ripple effect that brings more positive energy into your life than you thought possible.  So I encourage you to make changes of your own, it doesn’t have to be vegan, perhaps just a desire to get more unprocessed real whole foods into your daily diet.  I challenge you to give it a try.  I promise you will be glad you did! 

This week at Haven, Megan is helping our Spa Manager, Diana, sample the vegan lifestyle for the next seven days.  We will also share Diana’s journey into the vegan world and what she discovers along the way.

Megan:  

I grew up just like everyone else, you eat everything that is put on your
plate and you don’t complain! Of course that meant your plate had a
variation of meat, potato and some sort of vegetable. Now I was not the
kid to know any different, I just ate what my parents told me to eat.. I
did however suffer from a lot of stomach pains, body aches, and migraines
that only increased the older I got. At the time I never connected the
two together, many people were unaware of the affects your food can have
on your body.

When I graduated high school in 2005, my body really started telling me
something was wrong. My stomach pains got to the point where I couldn’t
even get out of bed and I would sleep with a heating pad every night. I
went to the doctor to get tests done, and unfortunately in my situation,
the doctor couldn’t find anything except a little irritation in my
stomach. So for the next few years I dabbled in a few different diets,
seeing if I could figure out the best balance for me.

In 2009 my sister brought to my attention a book that changed my life,
Skinny Bitch. Now I know the title sounds a little harsh, but the content
of the book is completely fascinating! It talks about how eating meat and
other bi-products can affect your body and why. It also goes into detail
about the treatment of animals in bigger farms and how that treatment
affects your body. The day I finished that book, I cleaned out my
cupboard and fridge.

I know that the vegan lifestyle isn’t for everyone, and I also know that
there is a lot of controversy on if it is truly healthy. I do focus on
getting the main vitamins and minerals such as B12, calcium, iron and
protein, but I now can live a life of not being in pain, or with my new
knowledge, the guilt of what I eat. I also feel that being a vegan has
given me the opportunity to really spread the word on a healthy lifestyle.

When I came to Haven it was the usual, people being curious and, slightly
afraid of my ideas on healthy living. The last year and a half has been
exciting and challenging, not wanting to step on toes of fellow coworkers
AND guests, but also wanting to spread my passion for wellness. Diana
approached me about this idea in December about taking her vegan for a
week, and my first reaction was thinking it was a joke. After long
discussions and her excitement on the idea, my excitement grew as well!

I hope that reading Diana’s blog not only gets you excited to follow her
journey, but also gets your excited to start your own. It doesn’t have to
necessarily be vegan, maybe just Meatless Monday’s or trying out new types
of dairy-free milk or new fruits and veggies. Any little change that can
bring wellness
to your home means that we as a community are on the right path.

Diana:

I should start by telling you that I am a carnivore and have always been.
I also love to cook with all the traditional staples: butter, eggs, cheese
and so on. Another fact about me: my kids raise beef and pork! One of my
great pleasures is to cook for family and friends. I occasionally like to
bring treats into work for all the girls at Haven Salon and Spa, cookies
and cakes have always been the biggest hits.

About a year and a half ago a bright and wonderful young women named Megan
joined our team. Her life choices are very different then my traditional
way of thinking; Megan is a vegan.
Now I nearly had a nervous break down trying to make something that she
could eat, which is nothing with a face or came from a face, so pretty
much everything I know!  After several cooking attempts I just brought her
a juice!

What’s been great about having Megan on our team is she only brought a new
passion to the spa, but also her wonderful ideas to help Haven promote
health and wellness. This has been awesome because that is one of our
missions at Haven, inspiring our community through beauty and wellness.
Megan tries to do little things to inspire the team such as posting fun
facts in the break room.

So curiosity has won me over and I’ve asked Megan to help me go vegan for a
week. Talk about out of my comfort zone! She has taken me grocery shopping with a few recipes
for me to cook myself, with a lot of ingredients I’ve never heard of or
attempted to use.

Stay tuned for the updates of Diana’s adventure into the vegan world.

After you watch the video, leave a comment below and tell us what you think – or join the convo on Facebook.  What was your favorite of the 7 styles?

Before we talk about the treatments, let’s take a brief look at the causes.  Hormones and genetics are believed to be the two most common causes of thinning hair and hair loss, although hair loss can also be caused by certain medical conditions such as a thyroid disorder, lupus, chemotherapy and even chronic stress.  It’s always wise to consult your doctor if you suspect that an underlying medial issue may be the cause.

Aveda recently launched Invati, 97% naturally derived and proven to reduce hair loss by 33%.  Invati is powered by a unique blend of herbs, known for their effectiveness in Ayurevda, a 5000 year old healing tradition from India.  Tumeric and ginseng help energize and rehabilitate the scalp around the follicles, creating the optimum environment for healthy hair.

Here’s how it works:

Invati Exfoliating Shampoo cleanses and exfoliates the scalp, creating the optimum environment for hair growth by removing the buildup of sebum that can clog pores. ($24)

Invati Thickening Conditioner is clinically proven to restore strength, improve hair elasticity, and reduce breakage.  It is also clinically proven to thicken the hair with a blend of guar, palm and rapeseed derived ingredients.  ($24)

Invati Scalp Revitalizer contains Densiplex™ with ginseng and turmeric to energize and rehabilitate the scalp.  It creates the optimum environment for healthy hair, clinically proven to accelerate microcirculation with therapeutic massage.  ($60)

We’ve received rave reviews from our customers since launching this product and we’d love to have you to try it for yourself.   We invite you to schedule a complimentary in-salon Botanical Scalp Therapy Treatment ($50 value) with the purchase of your new Invati system.  This treatment features a deep therapeutic massage with essential oils designed to bring the healthiest balance to your scalp.

As always, we’d love to hear from you.  Leave your questions and comments below or hop on over to our facebook page and join the conversation there.

Did you know that all this stress could be affecting your health in ways you may have never even thought of? Experts estimate that up to 90% of disease is stress related.  (source: massage therapy.com), which becomes dangerous causing health concerns such as increased blood pressure, suppressed immune system, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, infertility, and it can accelerate the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

Studies show that 43% of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress and that 75 to 90% of doctor visits are for stress related ailments and complaints (source: http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/effects-of-stress-on-your-body)

Here are a few possible symptoms of stress overload:

• Memory problems
• Inability to concentrate
• Moodiness/short temper
• Inability to relax
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Using alcohol or drugs to relax
• Aches and pains
• Frequent colds
• Constant worrying/anxious thoughts
• Digestive problems
• Nail biting/jaw clenching

*source: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm

Long term exposure to stress is serious and left unchecked, it can affect almost every major system in your body.  If you feel that stress may be taking a toll in your own life, consider making some changes or finding ways to incorporate moments of wellness to help take care of you!

One of the most effective ways to de-stress is to have a massage. Massage therapy is no longer considered a luxury or pampering treatment, it is recognized by the medical community as a resource for combating stress and its related symptoms.

While nothing can help you reduce stress and tension altogether, massage will help you manage the level to which it affects you by providing pain relief, enhanced sleep quality, decreased anxiety levels and increased concentration.

Mayo Clinic reports that studies have even shown massage to be helpful for pain, stiffness, blood pressure control, infant growth, sports-related injuries, and can also help boost your immune system.

Have you experienced great results from massage therapy in the past?  Leave a comment below and tell us how it helped you or visit us on the web for more information by clicking here.

There’s an old adage that says you are what you eat, and in today’s grab and go culture we’ve become accustomed to opting for processed foods instead of nutrient rich fresh choices.  If you want to up your levels of B2 and B5 consider adding the following foods to your diet:

Brewer’s yeast, almonds, wheat germ, wild rice, egg yolks, legumes, liver, fish, and poultry provide the highest levels of B2. (source:  iwantmyvitamins.com)

To increase your B5 intake consider the following: liver, wheat or rice bran, sunflower seeds, whey powder, mushrooms, caviar, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, fish and avocados.  (source: healthaliciousness.com)

For optimal health benefits and clearer skin, be sure to also drink 8 glasses of water a day, avoid sugar, deep-fried foods and choose fresh natural products over processed foods as often as possible.

Megan White, Skin Care Specialist at Haven Salon & Spa, advises oily skin sufferers to choose your skin care products wisely.  Be sure to use products that are effective for controlling oil, such as Dermalogica Dermal Clay cleanser and Oil Control Lotion.  While it may be tempting to wash your oily skin several times a day, use caution, over cleansing can actually stimulate your oil glands to produce more oil.

Instead cleanse morning and evening, and be sure to follow with an appropriate moisturizer as this will balance the pH levels of the skin which will help to calm oil production over time.

While oily skin can be frustrating and embarrassing, taking steps to control it can make a difference.  We are always here to help.  Feel free to come in for a completely complimentary, no obligation skin analysis to find out more about your individual skin concerns.

Click here to request an appointment:  http://havensalonspa.com/appt_reqst.html

If you have fine lines or wrinkles in your eye area, you want to use a concealer that is moisturizing and nourishing.  If you use a concealer that is too drying or chalky it will enhance those fine lines and make you look older or tired.  Similarly, if you use a concealer that is too moisturizing over a blemish, you will make it worse.

Jane Iredale just reformulated the Zap&Hide Blemish Concealer.  I absolutely love this product – it’s so easy to use.  Zap&Hide is a double-ended blemish treatment stick that will conceal while it heals and leave skin looking radiant. Zap is a clear stick containing beneficial antiseptic and anti-inflammatory botanicals, while Hide is a highly pigmented, creamy concealer to cover the blemish.

Simply apply Blemish Balm, the clear side, to the blemish, then apply Blemish Concealer and feather the edges.  That’s it!  Zap&Hide is powerful and effective, but gentle enough to be used as often as needed. Keep your skin looking fresh and clean all day long!

What are your greatest challenges with concealer and foundation?  I would love to hear from you!  Join the conversation by leaving a comment below and be sure to pick up your perfectly matched shade of Zap&Hide from Haven.

You can maximize the way your favorite product amps up your hair by using the entire family instead of just an individual product.

Most Aveda products are created in families, or lines of product, that work best when they are used together.

These products have been designed to give you perfect hair after product collaboration. Here are a few of our favorite Aveda families:

For smooth, shiny hair try the Smooth Infusion Family.

• Cleanse/Condition: Smooth infusion shampoo and conditioner
• Foundation: Smooth infusion style-prep smoother
• Structure: Smooth infusion glossing straightener

For curly, frizz-free hair try the Be Curly Family.

• Cleanse/Condition: Be curly shampoo and conditioner
• Foundation: Be curly style prep
• Structure: Be curly curl enhancer

For hair with body and volume try the Pure Abundance Family.

• Cleanse/Condition: Pure abundance volumizing shampoo and conditioner
• Foundation: Pure Abundance style prep (new!)
• Texture: Pure abundance hair potion

To protect and preserve your hair color try the Color Conserve Family.

• Cleanse/Condition: Color conserve shampoo and conditioner
• Weekly treatment: Color conserve strengthening treatment
• Foundation: Color conserve daily color protect

To restore moisture and repair damaged hair try the Damage Remedy Family.

• Cleanse/Condition: Damage remedy restructuring shampoo and conditioner
• Weekly treatment: Damage remedy intensive restructuring treatment
• Foundation: Damage remedy daily hair repair

Ask your Haven stylist to recommend the Aveda family that will work best for your hair or stop in and pick up the rest of the pieces you need to make a happy family!