Guest Educator: Cindy Moser

Our students were lucky enough to spend a morning learning more about the beauty industry from chemist Cindy Moser. Cindy and her team specialize in creating hair products – namely shampoo, conditioner, and styling products – for retail consumers and professional use. She educated our students on the process of creating a hair product: the chemicals used, the types of testing procedures, and even the product’s shelf life.

Cindy also dissected the product lines we use, BennieFactor and GAGE FOR MEN, and explained to the students what makes them work so well. BennieFactor and GAGE FOR MEN contain two standout ingredients, according to Cindy - jojoba oil and amino acids. Jojoba oil is the closest oil to what our scalp and hair produces naturally, and amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, help to protect and repair the hair from the inside out. When we use these products, we’re doing the 100,000 hairs on our scalp a huge favor!

We loved to share this wonderful opportunity with our students. Thank you for joining us, Cindy!

Client Perspective: Jeanne Greenly

Weekly appointments with loyal client Jeanne Greenly are never disappointing. One of the most energetic, high-spirited, and joyous 90 year old ladies you will ever meet, you can usually find Jeanne laughing and dancing down our hallways. 

Jeanne Greenly pictured with her regular student & stylist, Elizabeth Lennartz.

Jeanne's first trip to Amber's was over 30 years ago - at our old location on Washington Street. Not soon after, she and her husband, Woody, became regulars - visiting Amber's every week!
Since then, Jeanne has not missed her weekly appointment of a shampoo and set. She loves coming in to see the students and chat with the "lovely young girls".

We want to thank you, Jeanne, for your loyalty over the years and for the happiness that you bring into Amber's. Your smile is infectious and your spirit is inspirational. We love being able to work with such a beautiful woman, and we are proud to be able to call you one of our regular clients. 

Social Media Tools for Cosmetology Students

This post is written by Kimberly Holmes, Social Media Director at Amber's Beauty School.

In my last post, I discussed why cosmetology students should use social media. If you're ready to get started with a social media plan, or you've already started, I'll share with you some great tools you can use to show your credibility, passion, and make connections in our industry.

Facebook

Most everyone has personal Facebook profile, but if you want one strictly for your business, you can create a Facebook Page. I would suggest using your name for the title of the page, and categorizing it under "Local Business" and "Spa/Beauty/Personal Care". Here, you can share your work, post about openings you have, events going on in your school/salon, and invite your clients to like your page. This is a great solution for those who want a division between their professional and personal profiles.

Twitter

Twitter is one of the best social media tools to use to connect with brands you love. For example, you are able to follow the companies that make the products you use in your salon (BennieFactor and Davines here at Amber's!). Following them allows you to keep up with the latest news and developments, promote their company by replying and retweeting to them, and tagging the company in your own tweet. 

Instagram

Instagram is a no brainer for showing off your skills! Pictures give people a deeper connection into your brand (watch the first minute or so of this video from Magnet Media, Inc explaining why) and Instagram is the perfect platform to do so. Plus, Instagram now has video as well as the ability to tag people (like clients!) It's is a fun and creative way to market yourself, and it connects seamlessly with your Facebook and Twitter profiles, so that means less work for you to post on multiple sites.

Online Communities

Connect with something bigger than yourself by joining online communities. Behind the Chair is a great resource that allows you to become a member and create a profile (check out ours here) and connect exclusively with individuals and companies in our industry - score!

If you choose to use all of these or even just one, the most important part is staying active. Keep posting and tagging - even if you get discouraged! At the very least, it will show your audience (even if it is small) that you care. I encourage you to try it out for yourself - experiment, find what works best for you and stick with it!

If you liked this post, please share.

July Newsletter

Hot off the press - our July newsletter! You can download a version for yourself here.