From the tumultuous year that I had back in 2017 (see sidebar if you’re new here), I’m incredibly grateful to say that 2018 is proving to be much more relaxed, carefree, and positive.  Of course, not every day is peachy keen, but most days feel brighter and overall much lighter than I remember feeling in the recent past.

While there are several elements that have played into the “why” behind why this year has been awesome, a big piece of that is because my community – brands, friends, family – has been so supportive and caring.  One such local business was Clementine’s Salon, where I frequent on my own regularly.  As soon as I was ready to move on along this new path, the team at Clementine’s was ready and willing to step in with a little mini makeover to celebrate the new me!

Clementine’s Salon Denver

Beyond being one of the most adorable salons I’ve ever visited in terms of aesthetics, what really stands out to me, and one of the many reasons why I’ve made Clementine’s my salon “home,” is how their team feels like family.  Not only does everyone get along well within their team, but I, as a customer, always feel like I’m surrounded by close friends once I walk in the door.  I can tell you how my esthetician’s little babe is doing with his new sleep schedule, or what my hair stylist’s favorite part of Denver is since moving here from South Florida.  Sara at the front desk took time out of her day to teach me how to properly curl my hair with a straightener, while Dani, the powerhouse owner of both Clementine’s locations (I go to the Stanley Marketplace location), inspires confidence and strength to everyone she meets.

The space itself is open and airy, but Dani had enough experience to think of everything.  From a delicious tea being offered when you walk in the door, to a parlor room for private events (complete with a selfie wall!)  It has an overall beautiful feel that makes you relaxed and comfortable, all in one.

My Services

I selected three services… dermaplaning, hair cut/color, and microblading.  I’ll dive into the skincare first.

(To be honest, I also get my waxing and everything done here, but I decided not to dive into too much detail there, ha.)

Skincare

Click here to see my dermaplaning in action.

Dermaplaning

I have several friends that have been raving about dermaplaning, but I never really knew what the whole fuss was about. I’m newly hooked!

What is dermaplaning?

In the most basic of terms, dermaplaning is when your esthetician uses a surgical scalpel to scrape off any dead skin cells on your face, including any peach fuzz.  This outer layer of skin and fuzz is what makes your skin appear dull, flaky, and can even cause breakouts on the surface of your skin.

It’s essentially a more intense exfoliation, but less intense than microdermabrasion.  You’ll feel like you look a little bit red afterwards, but not to the point that other people would likely notice.  The after picture above was taken immediately following the treatment.

Dermaplaning also triggers the cell regeneration process, while also making your skin immediately more silky smooth.  It’s not a procedure that would be immediately obvious to others, but, if you look at the above pictures, you’ll notice that my skin was much smoother and had a dewy glow that I adored afterwards.

What is the process?

I’m very glad that I went to Clementine’s for this process, because Seabron was incredible to work with for this process and simplified my entire experience.  From using a fantastic sensitive skin cleanser (that I ended up purchasing, because I loved it so much), to describing each step as it was being completed, I knew I was in safe hands the entire time.

After cleaning my face, Seabron covered my eyes to protect them from the intense light that she shined on my skin to expose areas in need of attention.  She then used a very tiny scalpel to go over every inch of my skin, except for my eye area, being sure to describe what was going on the entire time.  (Note: I included a link to a video of my dermaplaning being completed above.  But only click on it if you want to see gross skin scraped off my face, because that’s literally what’s happening in the clip.)

Following the dermaplaning process, Seabron gave my skin a little TLC and provided me with some suggestions on ways to revamp my skincare process without adding too many steps.  I highly recommend giving your skin a little more attention than usual if you’re considering getting dermaplaning, as well – specifically adding vitamin C or E, as well as being extra vigilant with you SPF if you aren’t normally.

Would I do it again?

YES! Abso-frickin-lutely.

I typically like to do some sort of professional skincare regimen every six-to-eight weeks and this will absolutely be added into the rotation.  My skin was absolutely glowing afterwards, but not in a way that made it obvious that there was something different.

I’ll definitely be back to see Seabron again in the near future.

Microblading

I decided to go with microblading because my eyebrows are probably my biggest nemesis.  While I’ve never been one to wear much makeup, mascara and shading my eyebrows immediately when I wake up make me feel like I look more awake and alive.  So, I figured, why not try out a process that might make my mornings just a wee bit easier!

What is microblading?

Microblading is a semi-permanent tattoo where an esthetician uses a tiny tool to create hairline strokes.  It’s primarily used to fill in thin spots or areas of sparse eyebrows. (I see you, overpluckers from the early 2000s!)

Very different from a tattoo, microblading is not permanent, instead lasting six months to a year, depending on what you get done specifically.  But, similar to a tattoo, there is a little bit of pain, as the little, super fine blade is actually putting ink under the surface of your skin.

However, for many (your’s truly included) they’ll find microblading to be a truly worthwhile process to go through to wake up with almost perfect eyebrows everyday.

What is the process?

The detail queen at Clementine’s, Seabron, again helped me out with this one.  (Note: Not at all on the same day as dermaplaning.)  Prior to my microblading appointment, we met a few days in advance so that she could make sure that I had the right expectations, that I was a good candidate for microblading (as opposed to other, similar options), and so that she could walk me through the whole process.

In entirety, the full microblading process took around 90 minutes from start to finish.  This included cleansing my skin, walking through the outline of what I should expect to see (we literally drew an outline on my eyebrows to highlight where I would be seeing her strokes), numbing the skin on my eyebrows, Seabron using the tiny, scary-looking blade to actually complete the process, and cleaning the area once more.

Thanks to the numbing, the process didn’t hurt very much.  My eyebrows did feel a little irritated and sore for a couple of days following, but definitely nothing that was overwhelmingly worthy of mention.

Following the process was very similar to getting my tattoo, but much less intense.  Before bed, for around three days, I put Vaseline on my eyebrows to protect them and very carefully washed them with a sensitive skin face wash, and patted them dry with  paper towel.

Over those few days, the coloring changed slightly, finally landing on the final color around 10 days after the “procedure.”

While most websites or prior research I saw suggested that you should get the a touch up about four weeks later, I decided against it.  I loved that microblading filled in my eyebrows with a bit more color, but that I didn’t look or feel overly manicured.  While I’m certain that there are a few spots Seabron and I could have filled in a bit, I feel very comfortable with how they turned out, and now I never have to fill in my eyebrows in the morning!

Would I do it again?

Yes, but with some changes.

While I love that the process filled in the coloring on my brows, giving my eyes a bit more definition and shape, I think that I would likely go a little bit darker in color.  This being my first time with microblading, I asked Seabron to go a little bit safe/lighter with the coloring.  I’m very happy with how it turned out, but I’d definitely be willing to add a darker tone to create a bit more definition.

Hair Cut/Color

Probably the first thing I decided to do when Clementine’s contacted me with the idea of a mini makeover was change up my hair cut and color a bit.  Other than the two times that I’ve donated my hair to Locks of Love to create more of a lob, my hair has been cut long in pretty much a fairly straight line.  So, a little bit of adjustment felt right to mark this new phase of my life.

Hair cut

Instead of the straight across, with slight layering that I’ve had for years, I decided to go with some chunky layers and a more angled cut to provide a bit more depth and dimension.

Not only was the trim BADLY needed, but this new cut felt fresh and new, while still being long enough to fit into a ponytail when I workout.  It wasn’t too much of a difference to be dramatic and change my overall look, but it immediately felt lighter.

Hair color

I’m a unicorn in only a few ways, but one of them is that I have never colored my hair.  (Wild, I know.)  So when Clementine’s offered to color my hair, I was immediately hesitant… before saying, “F it. May as well.”

So color my hair I did!  But I was incredibly nervous about this one and asked her to make very few changes.

Kelly and I stuck with more of a California blonde, accentuating some of the coloring that I naturally have in my hair and adding just a bit more dimension.

I LOVED how it turned out – natural and beachy.  Honestly, very similar to my normal Summer coloring, but in the darker months of Winter and very early Spring.

Additionally, I asked Kelly to add on a last minute toner while I was in the salon.  While it’s a small change, I felt like it made my hair shinier and helped my new hairdo look so much healthier.

Would I do them again?

Yes and maybe.

My new hair cut is a definite YES.  While it wasn’t a dramatic shift, I loved the look and really adore the way it turned out.  New haircut is a win!

Coloring my hair, for right now is a no.  But the only reason why is because I live the most low maintenance lifestyle of all time and don’t anticipate keeping on top of it as much as I would have to in order to keep the color maintained.  I really do think that it turned out great and very natural looking though, so I’ll never say never.

While it’s a simple shift, the toner is an absolute YES.  While it was a last minute add in and is a relatively low cost, I feel like it made a big difference to my hair.

Overall

After completing all of my services, I felt more confident and more fresh than I have in a long time.  While I definitely don’t believe in beauty being skin deep, I, personally, feel more beautiful and ready to take on the world when I take care of myself.

If you’re ever in a tough spot, take at least a day to take care of yourself.  Toss on a face mask at home, get a massage, or take a bath.  Self care doesn’t need to cost a fortune – but it should be a priority.

A HUGE, MASSIVE, GIGANTIC THANK YOU to the amazing team at Clementine’s Salon for offering my such amazing services.  The team is really incredible, and I can’t wait to see you all soon!

Create a great life!

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