Yaffa Beauty by Rica
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y'alla yaffa! OFFICIAL BLOG OF YAFFA BEAUTY BY RICA

August Promotion: Save 10% on Regularly priced paul mitchell product* with any color service

8/1/2017

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Color Your World at Yaffa Beauty by Rica - Save 10% on Regularly Priced Paul Mitchell Take Home with Color Services!


Schedule & hold a color service during the month of August and save 10% off all regularly priced Paul Mitchell take home products! Be sure to mention this promotion when you book your appointment.


Book an appointment today at 203-842-8388 or online at www.yaffabeautybyrica.com

* Does not include Duos or pre-packaged/limited edition sets


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Save the Planet (and $) One Pump at a Time: Yaffa Beauty by Rica Introduces a Product Refill Program that is Eco-Friendly and Cost-Saving

8/1/2017

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Purchase Select Paul Mitchell Shampoos or Conditioners from Yaffa Beauty by Rica.
when you run out, bring your empty bottles and we’ll refill your product at a discount!
​

Starting in August, when customers purchase select Paul Mitchell Shampoos or Conditioners from Yaffa Beauty by Rica, they can now bring in their empty bottles and refill with Paul Mitchell product at a discounted rate.

“I had heard of another Paul Mitchell Focus salon running this program, in keeping with the company’s eco-conscious efforts, and I fell in love with the idea,” Rica Mendes, owner of Yaffa Beauty by Rica, explains. “In a time when climate change and other factors are so clearly impacting our planet, I feel an obligation to do whatever I can to help protect the environment, and this is such a fantastic way to accomplish that goal as well as providing a unique service for my clients. The fact that it saves them some money is an added bonus!”

The following Paul Mitchell products will be available for refill:

Color Protect Shampoo & Conditioner
  • Shampoo Two
  • Shampoo Three
  • Awapuhi Original Shampoo
  • The Detangler
  • Tea Tree Lavender Mint Shampoo
  • Tea Tree Special Shampoo
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To learn more, or to book an appointment, please go to http://www.yaffabeautybyrica.com, or call 203-842-8388. Yaffa Beauty by Rica is open Tuesdays from 9-12, Wednesdays 9-5, Thursdays 9-7, Fridays 9-4 and Saturdays 9-5
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Freshen up your color with Paul Mitchell's color craft

7/28/2017

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This past week, we hosted a color education class with Salvatore from John Paul Mitchell Systems who formally introduced us to Paul Mitchell's latest - Color Craft. What is it? It's pretty awesome, that's what it is.

In a nutshell, Color Craft is a conditioner that you take home, or as a treatment at Yaffa Beauty by Rica, that can refresh your color, and give your permanent, demi-permanent, semi-permanent, and fashion colors some additional longevity and longer-lasting vibrancy. It's not going to completely alter your color, but what it will do is buy you some time in between color services, and keep your regrowth blended from shampoo to shampoo. It can also enhance your color, keeping warm tones cool, and giving cooler tones added warmth - whatever you like. And it is completely customized by me, your trusty hairstylist.


KEY BENEFITS & FEATURES
  • A customizable color treatment that is only available from Yaffa Beauty by Rica.
  • Rica can craft and match a hair color treatment for you to use at home and help keep hair color looking fresh in between salon visits.
  • I can offer a 5-minute service to remedy tonality or introduce color to color shy guests.
  • Rich treatment delivers customized color with conditioned, healthy-looking results.

The in-salon treatment will cost $35 per session. Take home a container of custom-mixed Color Craft treatment, which will provide at least 3 applications, for $25.
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Tea Tree - Tick, Lice &  Bug Repellant, Hair & Skin Treatment Summer’s Magic Ingredient for Skin & Hair Solutions

6/15/2017

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Isn’t it amazing how one thing that have so many essential functions? As the days get longer, and we bask in the summer days, we enter the days of summer camp, hiking, and yardwork. While that means fun in the sun, it also means the “Superbug” lice, deer ticks and the threat of Lyme Disease, and gnats and mosquitos swarming. It also means beach hair, which, while sexy, will wreak havoc on your hair’s texture and strength!

If only there were a magic wand that could be waved to remedy all of those summer woes! But wait! There is! Paul Mitchell has harnessed the power of Tea Tree Oil, and as part of their Tea Tree Line, has just launched one of my favorite new products: LAVENDER MINT CONDITIONING LEAVE-IN SPRAY.

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Tea tree oil rids hair of impurities and leave hair full of vitality and luster. It’s a natural antiseptic, is refreshing as it tingles, and it’s also a natural bug repellant! Ticks, live and other nuisances hate it. Natural tea tree oil, peppermint and lavender invigorate the scalp and leave hair smelling great. That means that not only are you protecting yourself against insects and vermin, but you are actually protecting your hair against dryness and damage.

I love the entire line, but this product can also be sprayed on the feet and ankles before putting on socks to leave a smell to deter ticks. Kids that use Paul Mitchell’s Tea Tree Shampoos & Conditioners tend to be the kids that don’t get lice at summer camp. And when I use the Lavender Mint Conditioning Leave-In Spray, the bugs stay away.

To try out the LAVENDER MINT CONDITIONING LEAVE-IN SPRAY, the Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioners, or to schedule a consultation, call Yaffa Beauty by Rica at 203-842-8388.

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Cancer Survivor Beauty & Support Day at Yaffa Beauty by Rica

6/6/2017

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The day started with a trip to Danbury, CT to Rica's alma mater, The Paul Mitchell School of Danbury. Ashli Albert, one of Rica's instructors, was aware of her efforts to provide support, care and services to the cancer community, and invited her to speak at Tuesday's "Pow Wow," or morning gathering, in advance of their participation in Cancer Survivor Beauty & Support Day on campus (taking place on Thursday, 6/8). All the Future Professionals gathered as Rica told them her story - from a corporate project manager, with no real health concerns, to a cancer-fighting bad-ass to her current status as a salon owner. Moved and inspired, Future Professionals took time after the morning meeting to let Rica know that her words motivated them further to take extra time and care on Thursday, and hopefully, for the rest of their career.

After, Rica jumped back into the swing of things, providing complimentary makeup, hair and nail services to cancer warriors. In between, Rica had a returning customer, this time bringing her lovely daughter, for a haircut. At the end of the appointment, her customer handed Rica a box - a wig. She had purchased the wig for her own use, but decided she wouldn't use it, but she remembered Rica's own fight with cancer, and that she provided support to others in the fight. One lucky recipient will get a beautiful, human hair wig, that will be custom fitted for them, thanks to Rica's generous client.

Supporting the cancer community doesn't end today. It continues. Through Rica's program, Beauty Through Cancer, she hopes to train dozens, if not hundreds, salon professionals to be able to give care and support to clients and fighters across the country. If you know of anyone who might be interested in training, please let us know. Fight on and LIVESTRONG.

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Prep Your Hair For Summer

5/13/2017

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Finally! The winter that never ended is over! I know, it's been spring for a couple of months, but it's starting to feel like spring, isn't it? And, with Memorial Day only a couple of weeks away, we can finally come out of hibernation and enjoy the sun.

So how do we keep our hair healthy and beautiful during summer?
  1. Come in and get a haircut! This winter and early spring, I found a lot of my clients just didn't want to go outside. As a result, they skipped a trim or two. Because the weather was so dry and cold, and changed in temperature so drastically, many of my clients have been complaining that they are experienced more breaking than usual. Remember: Split and broken ends are like a run in a stocking. If you leave it alone, the more damage. In the case of broken ends, the split will continue up the hair shaft, and even though you think the damage is isolated to the ends, the split will run further and further up your hair strands. By trimming it regularly, especially during dry weather, you can eliminate the danger of a broken end to split more and more hair.

    Sun, salt water, chlorine and wind will cause damage to your hair, so your best combat damage from summer threats is to start summer off with the healthiest ends you can.
  2. Paul Mitchell Tea Tree products. That's all that there is to say. Paul Mitchell Tea Tree products. First, Tea Tree is a natural antiseptic, so some of those little cuts and scratches you may experience will be kept clean. Second, insects tend not to like the smell of Tea Tree - including insects like ticks, a real hazard this summer per recent reports, and lice, a nuisance that can plague a family during camp season. Clients who have kids report that their kids tend to be the ones at sleep away camp and day care who do not get lice when they use one of Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree shampoos and conditioners. I often advice my clients who work outdoors, and participate in outdoor sports, to use Tea Tree Body and Hair treatment. Rub your feet with it, massage it into your ankles and calves before you put on socks or sandals before going outside, and you'll find you'll be bitten less than your friends. And if you want to cool yourself down in the shower without subjecting yourself to icy water, Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Body Soap exfoliates your skin with dried parsley (biodegradable and fine for going down the drain) and the Tea Tree oil in the bar tingles.
  3. Condition your hair. Even shorter hair needs some moisture. Make sure that you are using a good conditioner, and one that is appropriate for your hair needs. If you are going to spend time outside, I strongly recommend, particularly for longer hair, is a leave-in conditioner. Paul Mitchell just launched a new family member to the Tea Tree Lavender Mint collection - an amazing leave-in spray. I love it, and per note 2, Tea Tree is amazing for summer and outdoor activities. So you get 2-in-1. For my color clients, Paul Mitchell also launched an incredible conditioning treatment, Color Craft, in which I can custom blend your color, so not only will your hair be properly conditioned and treated, but your color will be refreshed in between your color services!
  4. Get your color on! Now is the perfect time to add some sunshine to your hair with some highlights or balayage, or to add some bright color to your follicular wardrobe!

​Come in, have a consultation, and let's get your hair summer-ready!
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Prom 2k17!

2/25/2017

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This year, prom looks run the gamut from polished and poised, to glamorous and Hollywood, to edgy and avant garde, with a pop of 80's iconography.
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As we move deeper into the 21st century, freedom of expression is ringing loud and clear in the way fashion moves.

​Classic and beautiful standards, like shiny curls, lovely updos with a Grecian twist, are still here to stay. But there is a certain freedom and wistfulness in what we are seeing on runways. Overly-done braids are making way to letting the braids and twists accent longer hair. Marissa loved the way her gorgeous brown hair cascaded down, with delicate twists intertwined with one another. And note her makeup - it's fresh, it's young, it's not overly done, but there is still quite a bit of sparkle with a gleam of iridescent glitter on her lids.

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On the flip side, braids are evolving, and techniques like Kevin Murphy's hair-sewing, which replaces the need for bobby pins and, in this stylist's humble opinion, beats hair pins and bobby pins when it comes to security and comfort, takes on a new twist. Paul Mitchell introduced as part of it's Electric Youth launch this spring a look that exposes the threads in the hair-sewing. It's clear topstitching is not only something to look for in our clothing and accessories, but now it's in our hair! And Yaffa Beauty by Rica is loving it! Andreya's look is a play on both techniques - with a French braid starting in the front, winding it's way to the back, and held together with topstitching. We understand it's not a look for everyone, but if you want to take a walk on the wild side, or add a little edge, it's a fun look to pull off!​

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With movies like "La La Land," vintage and old Hollywood glamour take on a very contemporary feel. Vibrant colors mixed with waves and curls and rich, thick hair are going to be seen on dance floors all over the country. Ariella epitomizes the perfect movie star feel. A Femme Fatale in the making, her sultry eyes are offset by a near-nude lip stick and a touch of gloss. Her smoky blonde and burgundy lob was set in red-carpet waves, and she is ready to take the town.

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The 80s are back - thank goodness! And, thanks to first generation 80s kids now in the sites of merchandisers, it's authentic and fun! Through our daughters, we get to achieve looks and trends our mothers wouldn't let us pull off! So, for Grace, who already rocked purple hair, we gave her a slightly more lavender tone, and crimped that hair! (Editor's note: Rica swore in 2014 that she was going to bring crimping back into fashion. She's working hard at it, but the other models were fascinated by the technique.) Because we weren't going to shave her side, Grace was given three simple cornrows, which was just enough asymmetry to the heights met with some teasing up top that she rocks this Cyndi Lauper-inspired look. To complete the totally gnarly look, Rica dug deep into the depths of her nostalgia and whipped up some neon green and purple eyeliners, used another lime green eye pencil as lower eye mascara and popped those eyes open with eye shadow that matched both the lipstick and the dress. Though clearly a strong nod to an era when Duran Duran ruled the airwaves, it still suits today's fun loving, throw caution to the wind fashion sensibility.

Each look has its own sense of fashion and fun, but none in a way that would make chaperones cringe or fathers want to chase down their daughter's dates with threats of, "Don't you lay a hand on her!" Yaffa Beauty by Rica aims to please all parties concerned - first and foremost, her client, but we are always mindful that when dealing with teens, there are parents not too far behind.

Love these looks? Want Rica to invent a new look based on your gown and passion? Awesome! We have a couple of packages to help you along with that!
  • Makeup Application, Hair Styling & Hair Dressing - $125 (usually $150)
  • Makeup Application, Hair Styling & Dressing and a CND Shellac Manicure (which can be done within 3-4 days of Prom Night) - $150 (usually $185)

Both of these packages are now available to choose when you schedule your appointment!

Need someone to come to your house to prep? For a small fee, Rica can come to you the day of prom. Have friends that want to get ready with you? Call us at 203-842-8388 and a group appointment can be arranged!

AND... we are so excited to announce this... A Step Ahead in Stamford, CT is partnering with us! If you buy a prom gown, or any occasion gown, from A Step Ahead, and you bring your receipt to Yaffa Beauty by Rica for your hair & makeup appointment, you will get 10% off of your service total of $50 or more!

​Have a fantastic night at prom!
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Want to loosen those curls and rid yourself of frizz? You may be a candidate for Cezanne’s Smoothing Treatments!

2/11/2017

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This week, we hosted an educational class on the Cezanne line of Keratin Smoothing Treatments. With an Express and a Classic Smoothing Treatment option, you can test the waters before taking the plunge. Expect the Cezanne Express Keratin Smoothing Treatment to last in the hair for about 4 weeks, 6 weeks maximum, and the Cezanne Classic Keratin Smoothing Treatment to last for 6-8 weeks or longer. It is recommended that, if you are having color services performed, to have them done after the Smoothing Treatment, however, the great news is that color services can be executed the same day as the Cezanne Smoothing Treatment. (If your color service involves highlighting or lifting, it is suggested that the lightening process take place prior to the smoothing treatment).

Kim Berney, educator with Cezanne, explains, “When people hear ‘straightening,’ people think they want their hair bone straight, or that a smoothing treatment will make a hair bone straight.  Cezanne is a smoothing treatment, but what sets us apart is putting the hair into the optimal condition, and then what comes is a softer curl, frizz free. It’s all about reconditioning the hair… Cezanne creates the perfect canvas, in keeping with the origin of the name.” This refers to Paul Cezanne, the French painter who paved the way for modern art. As Kim explains, the greatest artwork will fail if the foundation, the canvas, is compromised. “Most (treatments) are about making the hair straight. We are all about making the hair healthy and shiny, which results in the hair being smooth.”

“People hear smoothing treatment or keratin treatment, they assume pin-straight,” Erin Golas of Evolve Salon Systems points out.

Is this going to give you perfectly straight hair? There is absolutely no guarantee. But it will provide a smoother surface to the hair, reduce your dry time significantly (I personally saw a 50% reduction in time and effort on my own hair!) and shine.

Should everyone get this treatment? Not necessarily.* There are always risks involved with processing the hair with heat. But, if after consultation with your stylist, you are both confident this is an option for you, give the Express a shot! And if that works for you, go for the Classic.

To kick off the Cezanne Smoothing Treatments at Yaffa Beauty by Rica, we are offering a One-Year Subscription, which includes 4 treatments, for $750! That’s one treatment free! If you aren’t ready to commit to the full year, try a one-time Cezanne Classic or Express Smoothing Treatment for $290, which includes your Cezanne Perfect Moisture Shampoo & Perfect Moisture Conditioner to maintain your Cezanne Keratin Smoothing Treatment! Book now at Yaffa Beauty by Rica!

Stylists in the Fairfield County area interested in learning more about Cezanne, please reach out to Erin for distribution ering@evolvesalonsystems.com

* Word of caution: If your hair is overprocessed, overly dry, or otherwise compromised as determined by your stylist, it is not advisable to subject your hair to any smoothing treatment that involves chemicals and heat. There are high risk factors that can cause irreversible damage. Your stylist does have the right to refuse service, or request that you sign a disclaimer, if they feel your hair is too compromised.
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The Reality Check of “Unicorn” Hair

1/31/2017

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2016 brought “Unicorn” hair, or “Rainbow” hair, into the forefront. More and more fashionistas wanted it, and not many got the results they wanted.
 
But before you point your finger at your stylists, here are some realities…


  1. This is a time commitment. Expect to spend a long time in the salon while your hair lightens, sometimes twice, you get treatments, the color processes, and then some possible tweaking afterwards. No joke, I tell my clients to bring a snack, or a meal, a book, and block the rest of the day.
  2. This is a financial commitment. I cannot tell you how many clients I have coming into my chair, or messaging me from all over, reporting horrific results from salons, or, worse, their bathrooms. Instead of taking my advice, coming to me for a consultation, they choose to bid it out, find the least expensive salon with someone willing to do it, or, resorting to the dreaded box color. And then what happens is, instead of spending the money once and walking away, they spend almost the same amount of money I quoted, maybe a tad less, and either immediately or within the first shampoo or two, disaster strikes. Color bleeds, washes out, is patchy, hair is breaking or broken, feels like straw, uneven… you name it. And then, guess what? They end up in my chair, anyway, and have to pay just as much as they did the first time, only this time it is so that I can fix the damage, and, if they are lucky, give them the color they wanted. But there is a greater chance that the result will still not be what it could have been.
  3. This is a commitment outside of the salon. You cannot escape the need for amazingly high quality, professional hair care and styling products. There is not a single product that you can buy outside of a salon that will be able to successfully maintain fashion color. I know, I know, we all have a friend who swears by whatever is on sale at your corner drug store. Here’s what you need to know - it’s a fluke. And that’s just for now. Your hair has been through the ringer, chemically. It is now “special needs.” Shampoo, conditioner and styling products that are made for the masses will not suffice. It may work at first, but the long term damage to the color is just a matter of time. You’ll have premature fading, your hair will dry out… it’s a ticking time bomb.
  4. Don’t expect to wash your hair everyday. Not unless you literally want to wash your financial investment down the drain. Plus, it’s bad for your hair, even under the best of circumstances. Learn to wash your hair 1-3 times a week, maximum. It’s ok - your hair will adjust faster than your psyche to this. And it will thank you.
  5. You must be embarrassingly honest with your hairdresser. Period. That includes the time you tried to go blonde by using Clorox liquid bleach on your head (and, yes, I had someone who lied about doing that and they paid the consequences), to using box color to mask that really bad idea you and your former hairstylist came up with to tie dye your hair. We won’t care. We will have heard it all. Or just about. (Ok. I’m not going to lie. We will judge you and laugh at you when you aren’t looking. But, let’s be real. You judged yourself and laughed at yourself, too.) And we might tease you now and again, or ask if we can use your exploits as cautionary tales to other wannabe unicorns, but we will still love and nurture you.

    BUT… if you are NOT painfully honest about EVERYTHING you have done to those little strands on top of your head, here is what can happen:
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  • Your hair will break off. And exactly at the line where your worst hair transgression took place. You will be left with stumps. I’ve seen it happen, and after spending hours of careful work, weeks of coaching and consulting. It was devastating.
  • Your hair will melt. This is terrifying. I once had someone come into my chair who, just misting her hair with water, caused melting. This will almost always, unless one is stupidly lucky and careful, lead to breaking as soon as the hair dries.
  • Your hair will look like a sad, mottled, patchy blob of color. I’ve seen hair look like lichen on a rock. I’ve seen hair that looks blonde and mouldy. I’ve seen weird, pink splotches.
  • You will look like Tammy Faye Baker’s eyelashes where a rainbow used to be. All the colors will melt into horrifying streams of muddy color.

So, the good news is this is what can go wrong. Here’s what can go right, especially when you work with me:

  1. You are prepared. If we have the chance before your appointment, we will have an in-person, if not telephone, consultation. You will share your deepest, darkest hair secrets, and give me some history on your hair. I may even give you some homework, as in treatments you can do in advance of your appointment, how to take care of your hair, etc. You will also know to bring food. (This is not a joke.)
  2. You won’t be surprised or shocked at the amount of time it requires. I work really hard to set expectations that are based in reality. I don’t want you upset because you were here 3x what you expected. That’s also one of the reasons I went independent - I can control my time a little bit better.
  3. Sticker shock will wear off, especially since I explain what every charge is. And I will not take you by surprise.
  4. If you are honest with me, then we shouldn’t have any surprises along the way. And, if I see something happening that wasn’t expected, I am honest with you. I will tell you when we need to stop a process, or if your color dreams aren’t achievable in one sitting, or until your hair recovers more. And I give you a backup plan.
  5. You will go home with product that works for your hair. You won’t have to worry about what you need to get for yourself, or remember to write anything down. And if I don’t have it in stock, if you pay for it in advance, I can have it here to pick up within a day or two.
  6. When it comes time to refresh, things will go smoother. Why? Because I will know what was in your hair, how it responds, and what my canvas is made of as we create more hair art.

Let's hope that 2017 brings healthy, happy, bouncy "Unicorn" hair into vogue. 


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    Rica

    Salon owner. Unicorn. Baller.

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Mon: App't Only
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Wed: 9am - 5pm
Thurs: 9am - 7pm
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115 Main Street, Unit B
Norwalk, CT 06851

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    • Events & Media >
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  • Gallery
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    • Color: Natural, Highlights, Balayage, Ecaille
    • My Unicorns
    • Weddings, Updos and Special Styling
    • Makeup
    • Face Painting & Other Services
  • BeautyThroughCancer©
    • Services for Cancer Survivors