A HEARTFELT FAREWELL

Dear Valued Clients and Friends,

After more than five decades of doing what I love…including the past 13 years here in North Carolina…I’ve made the decision to retire on my upcoming 78th birthday.  While my passion for hairstyling and connecting with all of you remains as strong as ever, I’m listening to my body’s wisdom that it’s time for a new chapter in my life.

Throughout the years, you’ve been so much more than clients; you’ve become dear friends who have shared your lives, families, joys, and challenges with me. I’ve had the privilege of being part of your special moments…from weddings and proms to new beginnings and celebrations. Each of you has contributed to making my career not just a profession, but a true calling.

The memories we’ve created; the laughter (and sometimes tears) we've shared, in this salon will forever hold a special place in my heart. Your trust in my skills, the wonderful conversations, and your loyal support have meant the world to me. While I’m not entirely sure what the future holds, I’m excited to embrace this new phase of life with the same enthusiasm I’ve brought to my work each day.

My lease says I must be out of the studio by May 31st, which means not only moved out, but the place put back as I found it 10 years ago. That means my last day of being your stylist must be on May 24th (10 more weeks)!!! Lots of work ahead...

I'm hoping you will allow me to introduce you to a stylist that I have checked out and am confident she can deliver for both my female and male clientele. Maybe this connection will take a little stress off of finding another who could deliver the standard you have become so accustomed to. She may even surpass it. ✨ 

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for allowing me to be your stylist and for enriching my life in countless ways. I will miss you all.

With deep gratitude and appreciation,

Mary

P.S.
Be watching for some deep savings on all retail…starting April 15th. I won’t be ordering any more retail, so grab what you currently use to stock up!

Busting the Hair Color Myth

It has recently came to my attention that a deception, of sorts, has been floating around the beauty business, that one can create lift (think highlights) without using a lifting product, such as bleach. Also, I really don’t like that word. It’s very name brings to ones mind things like “household bleach” that one uses on their tighty-whities. I prefer “lift” instead. It seems more natural and less invasive.

In order for one to create light in their hair, natural pigment must first be removed. Granted, there are a couple of ways to do this, and the way I prefer (but don’t always use) is through an oil based product. Still, when a salon claims it doesn’t use bleach, welllll…..that’s where the deception comes into play. There will always be a booster (powder or liquid) to encourage the pigment to release its grip inside the hair strand. Don’t even consider this can happen without muscle. Tis true, you CAN deposit (think low-lighting) without bleach, but it won’t stick around for long because it has no lasting strength. Even the lowlights need substance (and correct formulation) to last, and even then, can become brassy. The underlying pigment contribution must be considered when applying ANY chemical to the hair. And we haven’t even discussed the hairs condition, or type.

Ah. Color! It has sooooo many facets! It’s why, without knowing how color actually works, one should never try it at home. Nor should one believe a professional can lighten the hair without first using the strong man. Bleach. Whatever form it may come in. Whatever “base” is used.

If you are needing rescued from all the swirling information, just hit me up at Elements Salon in Cary, NC. Book a consultation (hit the “BOOK NOW” tab up top) if you’re needing straight up truth and careful formulation.

ONE YEAR BEYOND THE DECADE MILESTONE

Let’s Celebrate! 🥂

Wanna know a secret? Last Friday, September 1st, 2023, marked the 11 year anniversary of beginning my business known as Elements Salon. My husband and I had packed up our Oklahoma home of 37 years, closed the well established 34 year old business, known as South Side Salon & Day Spa, sold the business property, and our home, so we could move half way across the country to be near our daughters. I was 65 years old at the time. He was 60.

I don’t mind sharing my age, since age is only a marker of how many times we’ve actually made the trip around the sun, right? It’s only a number, anyway, that has nothing to do with our ability to inspire, to create, to maintain a dream. To be the solution to a problem, or to a desire. So, if you haven’t done the math, just yet, that puts me still tapping into life’s beauty (pun intended), at age 76. I work 4 days a week, that include 2 late nights, so as to be available for those who can’t pull away from their work during week days and have family to attend to during the week ends.

In many ways, it feels like just yesterday that I questioned the saneness of choosing to begin again where I wasn’t known. The market was, and still is, saturated in the city we chose to begin in. I clearly remember the day I opened the doors to Elements Salon. I had put my personal touch to the decorations inside the studio I rented in Apex. I had pounded the streets distributing flyers to those sitting outside eating establishments and promoted myself, as best I knew how, on social media. I knew it would take a year, at minimum, to see the fruits of my continued efforts. What I hadn’t counted on was the mind numbing wait, that time was producing. I fought the “You can’t make it, here” argument, for that first year, ready to call it a day on most slow days. Money was going out, just not coming in (I knew it would), as quickly as I’d hoped. It was my husbands encouragement that convinced me to wait it out. And then it happened! Right when I was ready to quit, the flood gates opened and what I had been working so hard for, came! I’m soooo thankful for those who prop us up when we feel like folding. Aren’t you?

I moved the business from Apex’s Peakway, to Cary’s Waverly Place, on June 2nd, 2015 (my birthday 😉), and have been there ever since. It’s my home away from home. And that is why one can feel the relaxing atmosphere as they step across the threshold and enter into a mini spa type business, where wine and FiJi water is offered. Stress levels always hit new low’s once you’re seated, just a few feet away from the soft sounds of the water fountain and the background easy listening music. Elements Salon has come a long way since September 1st, 2012!

To celebrate, I plan to finish out the month of September by offering 11% off any purchase that isn’t already touting a discounted price. For the loyal, 5 year + clients, that already receive a 20% discount on retail, a free add-on service will be honored for the month! Why not try the Hand Reflexology? Or the Stress Relieving Head Massage?

Acknowledging milestones in business and life is so important. What milestone will you be celebrating soon? And who helped you through the tough times? I would love to hear about it! And as always, if you need answers to any questions, please visit the FAQ on this site. If you’re not finding what you need, contact me!

CHASING THE DREAM

I have dreamed since my first introduction to the hair industry, of building a business that would prove to others that life doesn't have to be just a ho-hum existence. My desire from the beginning, was to help others find a sense of satisfaction that would increase their confidence just by seeing their reflection in a mirror. It's not as shallow as some would say it is. To see a smile etch itself across a face that came in with an otherwise indifferent attitude, is amazing, and quite frankly, very satisfying.

Being a hair-stylist does take constant work, however. Constant education, constant behind-the-scenes work, constant math equations, constant understanding of humanity, and a constant desire to better oneself, to name only a few.

Being a hair-stylist, is not a simple task. Just as there are spokes that support the structure of every wheel, there are "spokes" that support the structure of every education. Without those spokes being "trued", the wheel wouldn't turn properly and may cause damaged to the frame. The same is true with creating hair styles. Just as there are many components to creating a great wheel, there are also many components to creating great hair that will keep the hair the best it can be.

Every business plan needs a good wheel. A wheel that is constantly being tended to. And for me, that comes in many forms, with many avenues to explore. There is simply no way I can make a client understand the why behind my actions, in the scheduled time allotted for the service. That's why I'm paid to create from the knowledge I continue to expand upon. You bring the canvas, I’ll bring the design…

Do you have a dream? Who, or what, is pushing you toward that dream?