I am glad to have found a new place to be able to service my clients with the best customer service I can give.  You will find that my hours are flexible and you will love my creativity.  I just got back from the Chicago Hair show and have purchased and learned many new and fun and exciting things! 
 
Up close and personal with Mary

AHA Moment

When I was growing up, I always envisioned myself as a CEO of a big company.  My mother gave me the idea to go to beauty school when I was in high school.  Little did I know that I would become so passionate about the beauty industry and have the opportunity to touch so many lives.

In Training

I will always be a lifelong learner in every aspect of education or what life has to offer.  It is one thing to learn but another to be able to give back.  I have always been eager to learn and train.  I want to take every experience I have and enthusiastically pass it on to someone else.

Style Preference

I love to see movement and texture in all the styles I customize and create.  I want all of my guests or clients to feel good about themselves and their hair to be healthy.

Beauty must have

Professional salon shampoos and conditioners are a must.  Every client has a testimony of these items.  They do make a difference in how the hair looks and feels.  Also I cannot live without lip balm.  I must have that!

My mentor

Through many years of working in the industry many of the salon owners have mentored me.  Also many of the Cosmetology teachers I have had the privilege to teach with have positively impacted my life in many ways.  Many artistic directors in the beauty industry inspire me through hair classes, shows, seminars, webinars, and online learning. 

Biggest Challenge

Perfectionism.  I am always wondering how I can better something.  Many people tell me that I am too hard on myself.  I am always striving for the best.

Best advice I ever got

“It is none of your business what people think of you.”  Enough said.

Greatest Accomplishment

So far it would be my past 16 years of a successful career as a Hair Designer.  Also graduating with a 3.9 GPA in Technical and Vocational Education thru Ferris State University.

Next step

Continuing my salon education and working towards my Masters degree in Educational Leadership.  I also would like to start a teaching career in Cosmetology.  
 
GLOSSARY FOR CLIENTS

 

Brassiness: Brassiness is used to refer to hair that is overly warm or yellow in tone. This can be the result of color buildup, color that is not processed properly or improperly formulated color. Brassiness is generally corrected by applying a toner or a color glaze to counteract the yellow.

C

Condition: Your hair's condition can affect the final color result. Your stylist will evaluate your hair's condition in order to determine if you need special pre- or post-color conditioning services so they can create a color formulation that is best for you.

Colorist: See Stylist.

Consultation: Before every color service, you should expect an in-depth consultation with your stylist. This conversation is where you will exchange information and ideas about your hair and the look you want to achieve in order to get your color recommendation. During the consultation your colorist will assess the condition of your hair to help determine what kind of color product is most appropriate for your hair's needs. 

Contrast: Contrast is a value applied to highlights. High-contrast highlights are much lighter than the surrounding hair and provide a dramatic look. Lower contrast highlights result in a more natural look.

Cool: Cool is a tonal value that can apply to blonde, brunette, and red shades. A color is said to have "cool tones" if it tends toward blue or violet. Cool colors include platinum blondes, ash browns, and plum reds. See also warm.

Coverage: Coverage is a measure of a haircolor's ability to cover gray. Some haircolor formulations are too transparent to effectively cover gray hair. Covering gray also requires a special color formulation in order to avoid flat or unnatural results.

D

Decolorizing: Removing natural or artificial haircolor with a lightener (bleach). This is the first step in a double-process hair service. There are on-scalp decolorizers and off-scalp decolorizers.

Demi-permanent haircolor: Demi-permanent haircolors deliver incredible color, shine, and condition to hair with little or no lightening of the natural pigment. They do not remove or lift color. They are ideal if you want to enrich your natural color, brighten dullness, or refresh previously colored hair.

Depth: The depth of a haircolor shade is determined by the amount of darkness in the color. Deeper shades contain more pigment and absorb more light, while lighter shades are more transparent and reflect more light.

Dimension: Dimension is a function of the range of tones in your hair. A head of hair that is all one color is said to be "flat" or lacking dimension. Your stylist can add dimension to your hair with highlights or lowlights.

Double-process: A double-process hair color technique is used to achieve dramatic color changes, such as going from very dark to very light hair. First, the hair is lightened with a decolorizer. Then the new color is deposited on the hair. Your stylist will determine if a double-process is right for you.

F

Fading: Hair color fades for a variety of reasons, including exposure to water, air, sun, and harsh shampoos. To counteract fading, use color maintenance products such as Color Care Shampoos.

Finish: The appearance of the hair's surface, the polish or texture. Different haircolor products result in a different finish.

Formulation: The formulation is the mixture of hair colors your stylist applies to your hair. Your unique formulation will be created by taking into account your hair's condition and your desired results.

G

Gloss: A color gloss, delivers shiny color with no ammonia. It is a demi-permanent color.

Gray coverage: See coverage.

H

Highlights: Highlighting hair means isolating select strands in the hair and treating them with a haircolor, lightener or toner. Highlights can add dimension by contrasting with the rest of the head of hair and are created with foils, a cap or special combs or brushes used for "painting."

I

Integrity: The overall strength and condition of the hair. Hair with poor integrity may require pre-treatment before a color service.

L

Lift: Lift is the chemical process of lightening the color of the hair. Different hair color formulations have different lifting abilities

Lightener: A lightener is a lifting agent—it lightens the color of the hair. Bleaching, decolorizing, and lightening are all terms used interchangeably by stylists to describe the lifting process.

Lowlights: Adding darker strands to the hair to balance a too light look. Lowlights are typically created with foils, caps, or combs. The effect complements the natural color and can add dimension to your hair.

M

Maintenance: Color "maintenance" includes periodic salon visits for color touchups and refreshing and regular at-home support with post-color care products. Be sure to ask your stylist how to best maintain your color.

O

Off-scalp decolorizer : An off-scalp decolorizer works quickly and is stronger than many other decolorizers. It's typically used in highlighting.

On-scalp decolorizer: An on-scalp decolorizer is a lightening agent typically used for double-process hair services and for some types of highlights.

Overprocessed: Hair that has been overprocessed via bleaching, straightening, or other services can be porous and challenging to color. If your hair is overprocessed, your stylist may suggest that you choose pre-treatments and a gentle color product.

P

Permanent haircolor: Permanent hair color does not wash out. It can be used to achieve subtle or dramatic color changes, to lighten hair, and to color hair that is up to 100% gray.

Porosity: Your hair's porosity determines how it will absorb color. Hair that is very porous, due to overprocessing or other chemical exposures such as swimming, will absorb color more readily.

Protein: Hair is 70-80% protein. Proteins provide strength and resilience.

S

Single-process: Single-process haircolor will permanently transform your hair in one application—there is no separate decolorizing step, versus double-process hair color. Single-process haircolor is generally used to boost or lighten natural color and to cover gray.

Stylist: Your salon stylist is your partner in achieving your haircolor goals. In order to best benefit from his or her expertise, give your stylist as much information as you can about your hair and the haircolor look you want to achieve during your consultation. A stylist who specializes in color services is a "colorist."

Semi-permanent haircolor: Haircolor that is designed to last through five to seven shampoos, depending on the processing time selected and the porosity of the hair. Semi-permanent colors do not lighten hair.

T

Texture: Texture, as defined by the diameter of an individual hair strand, is generally described as fine, medium, or coarse. Your stylist will factor in your hair's texture when determining your best color formulation.

Tone: Tone, in hair coloring, is the term used to describe a specific color—"golden" blonde, "coppery" red, "ash" brown. Colors are divided into warm tones and cool tones. See also warm and cool.

Transparency: Transparency is a value used to describe the amount of pigment a haircolor formulation will deposit on the hair. Highly transparent colors will provide subtle changes.

W

Warm: Warm is a tonal value that can apply to blonde, brunette, and red shades. A color is said to have "warm tones" if it tends toward yellow or red. Warm colors include golden blondes, auburn brunettes, and coppery reds. See also cool.

 
Good communication with your stylist is essential for getting the color you want. A few minutes of pre-salon prep can help you explain your goals, and ensure that your stylist understands your desired result.

Things to know before you go: 1.    Try to walk into the salon with your everyday "look," so your stylist can get a feel for what you're comfortable with.

2.    If you have the time, do a little research into color science. Knowing the difference between terms like demi-permanent and permanent color can help you and your stylist communicate more efficiently.

  1. Your stylist is there to work with you to achieve beautiful color. The more you can explain what you want, the better the collaboration will be.
  2. If you are going in for "corrective color"—to correct color results you are unhappy with from a prior coloring experience—be prepared for a longer visit, as your stylist may need to remove old color and then recolor your hair.
 

Salon Prep Check ListBring your inspiration: Photographs and examples of haircolor you love will help you and your stylist explore your color options—and ensure that you both mean the same thing when you say, "honey blonde," or "scarlet red." 

Know your history:
Be prepared to tell your stylist about any prior color services, whether it was highlights last year or a color gloss last month. 

Trust Your Stylist:
Listen to your stylist's expert opinion. During your color consultation, he or she will consider your desired result, then evaluate your hair's condition and look at your skin tone and coloring in order to create your custom color formulation. 

Ask questions
: If you hear a color term you don't understand, don't hesitate to ask your stylist for an explanation. Remember to inquire about maintenance—how often you'll need to return to the salon for touchups, and how to best maintain your color at home between visits with recommended haircare products. 

 
At The Cutting Edge Salon we offer an array of hair products. There are many shampoos, conditioners, and styling aids for the hair.  If the consumer is not educated on what products they should use for their hair type they might as well throw their money out the door and flush their products down the toilet.  We like to customize our clients take home care to meet their everyday needs.  Not only is the shampoo we choose for our clients make a difference in their hair maintenance but conditioners as well help keep the hair full of shine and body.  If the hair is colored we highly recommend products for color treated hair to keep the color looking vibrant all the way thru till their next visit.  If you use drug store brands the Ph of the product is so strong that it can actually strip the hair color right out of the hair.  A lesson learned some time ago was the cheaper the product the cheaper the ingredients in the shampoo or conditioner.  Salon products make a huge difference on how the hair feels and acts.   Many people have different types of hair.  Hair stylists are educated to know how you can get the best products for your hair type.  We teach you the proper application process as well.

 

 I will give you an example, during the winter months some clients may feel they have dry or itchy scalp, that does not mean they have a bad case of dandruff, it just means they are lacking moisture and need a different shampoo or conditioner for the colder months. We would recommend products to help keep the scalp healthy and add a moisturizing shampoo or conditioner to their daily regimen.  And also drink plenty of water that helps too!  Another example is a client that has fine, limp hair.  We would recommend a volumizing shampoo and apply the conditioner from mid shaft to the ends not on the scalp.  We also have volumizing styling products and root boosters to get the maximum fullness fine hair needs. 

 

 
Gift Certificates

Everyone sometimes gets stumped on what to purchase for special Holidays or Birthdays for friends and family.  Do not disappoint them with a boring gift card.  They will know how much you care with a gift of beauty.  We will guarantee they will be satisfied with all their services and treatments you purchase for them.

 
Texture Waves

Most women complain they want more body or fuller thicker hair without the maintenance.  At the Cutting Edge we offer our unique texture waves that leave the hair full of curl, wave or just body depending on the overall desired result.  Our added blend of special conditioners and reconstructors to the texture wave keeps the hair healthy and in good condition.  This is a great way to have multiple styling ability to long or short hair and you can wash and go if you please without any fuss at all.  We also recommend Curls Rock product line for the texture waves or clients that already have naturally wavy or curly hair. 

 
Color Acceleration

When women come into the salon every 4-6 weeks to get their color touched up we have an added service to speed up the process called color acceleration.  We know that most clients lead a very busy life so we like to do this process for them.  They can come in and be done within an hour for their color and style service.  We would like to be able to accommodate them in their lunch hour so they can use that time to receive this treatment instead of coming in after work or on their day off.  The benefits of this service is less time at the salon, excellent condition and shine of the hair,  and a relaxing 10-15 minute rest under a tepid dryer.

 
Men’s hair color

We are seeing more and more men now than ever.  Most of our male clients we see every 4-6 weeks are receiving color that was made for men.  The average business man we see has grey hair that they do not want noticed.  Our camouflaging hair color helps blend and cover grey naturally without any warmth or unnatural appearance of a demarcation line.  This service takes less than 10 minutes. Most of our men clientele that receive this service like it very much and feel more confident and youthful in their work and personal lives. 

 

 
Keratin Express Smoother – “Less time, less money, less hassle”

The fastest, simplest and most affordable way to have smoother, shinier and better-conditioned hair - at a price significantly less than most keratin treatments.

 

Keratin Express can give you unbelievable hair in as little as 30 minutes*. Eliminate frizz, reduce volume, increase shine, strengthen hair and cut blow-dry or straightening time by 50% or more for 4-6 weeks!

 

Keratin Express can be offered at the same time as a haircut, providing the ultimate in convenience to clients.

 

Keratin Express treatments are offered to ALL color clients, and can be done immediately after the color service, saving both time and money. The results of the treatment after a hair color service are nothing short of amazing! Color has more shine, vibrancy and durability, and the health and strength of the hair is greatly improved.

 

Keratin Express is for Everyone! Keratin Express is not just for curly hair, but anyone who wants to improve strength, eliminate frizz or speed up finishing time every morning! Clients also have the option to wear their hair curly, straight or somewhere in-between!

 

Keratin Express is the newest and fastest growing service in Professional Salons. The service is simpler, faster, safer and more versatile than most treatments on the market. The results of the treatment are smoother, shinier and better-conditioned hair for 4-6 weeks.

 

CYPROSIL COMPLEX~ Locks-in color, repairs damage, increases strength, heals, detangles all with a no-formaldehyde treatment that contains Cyprosil Complex that reduces processing and finishing time by up to 75%! Cyprosil Complex is a synergistic blend of cationically modified keratin and cystine peptides that produce immediate and noticeable shine and conditioning effects after just one treatment.

 

WHO IS KERATIN EXPRESS FOR? Anyone who wants to eliminate frizz, reduce volume, heal or repair, improve color retention or speed up blow-dry time. In short, Keratin Express is for anyone who wants better-conditioned, healthier, shinier hair**.

 

Typical clients: • Curly/frizzy unruly hair • Straight hair with frizz/porosity problems • Wavy hair that is dull or lifeless • Thick/course hair that takes forever to dry • All color clients seeking better shine, vibrancy & durability

 

BENEFITS FOR THE CLIENT Fast – 30 minutes processing on average length and density of hair Affordable – significantly lower cost than other treatments Safe - No Formaldehyde means no fumes/odor during application and processing Versatile – Wear hair straight or curly with no frizz or reaction to humidity Convenient – Shampoo hair, use products after 24 hours

 

Q. What is Keratin Express Brazilian Smoothing Treatment? A. Keratin Express is a revolutionary conditioning treatment that takes less time, less money and less hassles than traditional keratin treatments to achieve smooth, shiny, healthy hair.

 

Q. What’s in it, what’s not? A. First, Keratin Express contains NO FORMALDEHYDE. Keratin Express contains its exclusive Cyprosil Complex, which includes cationically modified hydrolyzed keratin and cystine peptides, producing immediate and noticeable smoothing, shining and conditioning.

 Q. How long does it take for a complete service and how long does it last? A. Approximately 35 minutes, based on average hair length and density. Results last an average of 4 to 6 weeks.

 

Q. Who is Keratin Express for? A. Anyone who wants shinier, smoother, healthier hair. Keratin Express works best on porous or chemically processed hair. Applications on virgin hair will show the best results after the 2nd or 3rd treatment.

Q. How frequently can a client get a treatment? A. Every 4 to 6 weeks as needed.

 Q. What about pregnant or breastfeeding clients? A. It is generally NOT recommended to perform services of this type on these clients as no clinical testing has been done to determine any potential hazards.

 Q. What is the result of the treatment? A. Wavy hair will be straight; curly/frizzy hair will be smoother with up to 100% less frizz. Subsequent blow-dry time will be cut 50% or more. Straightening is a breeze with a blow dryer & brush or flat iron and clients have the option to wear hair curly if they so choose.

Keratin Express can also be done immediately after a color service, sealing the color and creating vibrancy and shine like never before.

 

Q. Is Keratin Express safe for highlighted, bleached, relaxed, damaged hair? A. Keratin Express can be used on all hair types, and will actually improve the health, condition and shine of even the most damaged hair.

 

Q. What happens after 4-6 weeks? A. Hair will gradually return to its original state, but in better condition. The effect of consecutive and subsequent treatments is healthier, stronger hair.

 

Q. Can hair color be applied after a Keratin Express treatment? A. Yes, but it is recommended to wait 2 weeks?

 

Q. How soon can clients wash their hair or use hair products? A. 24 hours. It is recommended to use products that are sodium chloride and sulfate-free.

    Mary

    With 18 years of experience I have used almost every product line and every tool out there.  My job is to educate and update you on the latest trends in the industry.

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