Indoor heat and dry outdoor air during winter can cause your hair to look dull, be more prone to breakage and feel like straw. Frequent chemical processing and excessive heat styling are two other causes. You can nourish over processed hair by applying a masque once a week, and reduce the impact of your heat appliance by turning down its temperature and applying a thermal protector. Similarly, you can protect your hair from winter blues with products that moisturize tired hair, like the Alterna Caviar Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner.

Cleanse hair with the Alterna Caviar Moisture Shampoo. You’ll restore and rebalance moisture and protect hair from colour fade, environmental stress and chemical treatments. Then, apply Alterna Caviar Moisture Conditioner to transform dry, brittle hair. Its rich blend of lipids and essential ingredients continually hydrate hair and gives your hair what it needs to become strong, healthy and younger looking. When used together, Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner are clinically proven improve shine, texture, softness and manageability of hair.

This system from Alterna is free of: sulfates, parabens, gluten, TEA, DEA, PABA, paraffin, phthalates, petrolatum and mineral oil.

If your hair is in need of deep, intensive nourishment, apply Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Hair Masque weekly. You’ll kick dry, coarse and damaged hair to the curb.

Last year, we introduced hair feather extensions in our stores. We initially offered semi-permanent feather extensions that required the bundle of feathers to be installed by one of our beauty professionals. If properly maintained, the feathers could last up to four months. Then, we introduced clip-in hair feather extensions that could be applied or removed from the hair at any time without the assistance of a beauty professional.

These tie-dye hair feather extensions are the latest in hair feather extensions. What’s cool about them is that they were dyed to glow under black light. Think of all the fun you will have at clubs/raves, cosmic bowling or indoor glow-in-the-dark mini putting!

Just like the first batch of hair feather extensions we offered, these tie-dyes must be installed into the hair by one of our beauty professionals. If properly maintained, they last up to four months.

The 12-inch long tie-dye hair feather extensions are made of all-natural feathers. Five individual feathers are bonded at the tip to create one extension. Hair feathers can be washed, blow-dried, curled and flat ironed as you would your natural hair.

Our new tie-dye hair feather extensions are available in five colours at select Trade Secrets / Glamour Secrets locations. Feathers and installation retail for $29.95.

On February 4, 2012, members of the Trade Secrets / Glamour Secrets community gathered at Premier Place Banquet Hall in Vaughan for the Annual Trade Secrets / Glamour Secrets Winter Gala. On this night, store owners, managers, and store and head office staff celebrated our passion for beauty and our accomplishments from the previous year.

We ate. We laughed. We danced. Most of all, we had fun. And we have photos to prove it.

A highlight for us was when members of our Trade Secrets Team from the Weekend to End Women’s Cancers benefiting the Princess Margaret Hospital were honoured. The two-day, 60 km walk is celebrating 10 years strong this year. We encourage you to walk with Team Trade Secrets on September 8-9, 2012 to end women’s cancers!

One day, we hope we can celebrate our Annual Winter Gala with our customers. What a party that would be.

Since its February 14, we’re featuring Amanda’s Valentine’s Day themed manicure on Eye Heart Beauty.  She used Misa Red Hot Mama, a hot red (as the name suggests) with a hint of shimmer, and Essie Fiji, an opaque creamy pale pink.

{Misa Red Hot Mama (left) and Essie Fiji (right)}

Here’s how she created these designs:

She used two stencils on her index and middle fingers. You could try to freehand the hearts, but the “Love” text would be hard to replicate without some sort of guide.

Amanda used small strips of tape to create the stripe design on her ring finger. First, she applied two coats of Essie Fiji and waited about two hours for the polish to be completely dried. Beginning near the nail bed, Amanda applied thin strips of tape across her nail and painted thin lines using Misa Red Hot Mama on the parts not covered by tape. She continued this process until reaching the top of the nail.

On her pinky finger, Amanda applied three coats of Essie Fiji and waited for the polish to dry. Then she dipped a toothpick into her bottle of Misa Red Hot Mama nail polish and created dots in the shape of a heart. Once she sketched the outline in dots, she filled the centre of the heart.

Show us your Valentine’s Day themed nail art and manicure by posting a picture on our Facebook page or mentioning us on Twitter @TradeSecretsCA.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Spring/Summer 2012 Collection from Essie celebrates the self-made woman who knows what she wants and exactly how to get it. If you’re a woman who dreams big, follows your instincts and always manages to put your best self forward, Navigate Her is for you.

The collection contains three pastels and three brights, and a combination of shimmers and crèmes.

Essie A Crewed Interest is a glossy, easy-to-wear peach. Sometimes a lighter shade says more than a brighter one.

Essie Navigate Her isn’t like Mint Candy Apple or Absolutely Shore. It’s more yellow-toned and looks to be more pistachio than green.

Essie Olé Caliente is a bright red-based coral. Although it’s bright, Olé Caliente has a soft finish. That’s why it’s not a neon.

Essie Orange, It’s Obvious! is a dark, tangerine orange crème. It’s a lot darker than Essie Brazilliant and more orange than Meet Me At Sunset. And like Olé Caliente, Orange, It’s Obvious! isn’t a neon.

Essie To Buy, Or Not To Buy? is a pastel lilac with tiny purple and blue duochrome shimmer. The shimmer isn’t very visible, but under the light the purple and blue particles really come to life.

This collection celebrates women in control of fashion and their finances. Essie Tour De Finance has a fuchsia base with pink and blue shimmer. Again, the shimmer is quite tiny.

Select Trade Secrets / Glamour Secrets locations have already received the Essie Navigate Her Collection. Contact your local store, or submit a comment below, to find out if your local store carries the collection.