It’s no secret that the Poconos has an amazing destination spa tucked away in the hills of Hawley, PA: The Lodge at Woodloch. I’ve been to The Lodge at Woodloch several times and have had the pleasure of experiencing a facial, massage, pedicure, enjoying a weekend getaway with my boyfriend golfing and kayaking, makeup consultation with Christopher Drummond in their boutique and last week for the launch of their renovated Lotus Salon, along with the newest addition of Master Stylist Christine Lafferty, I headed up for a much needed hair color and cut.

First of all, while the spa may tend to be on the pricey side (it is a luxury spa after all) the Lotus Salon’s prices fall in line with what most hair salons in the area charge. So if you’ve been hesitant to try them out, put your wallet woes to rest. Lotus Salon uses Wella hair care products for color, which I have had a very good experience with in the past when I previously went to Salon L’Etoile in Jenkintown, PA. Christine used a demi-permanent color on me with a color lock. They also use Alterna (the LOVE of my life) and Moroccanoil (love their anti-frizz and hairspray) hair products.

Christine is amazing. She listens to what you want, skillfully cuts your hair all while engaging with you like you’ve been lifelong friends. And there’s nothing fake about it–Christine is super personable and it makes you want to hang out with her. But I’ve found that of most of the staff at The Lodge; just real, down to earth people (which essentially is what the Poconos is about–a truly hometown feel.) Christine previously had an upscale salon in Boston, but came back to Northeast PA when a family member was dying from ovarian cancer.  Since then, she decided to remain in the area and landed at The Lodge at Woodloch (they are lucky to have her!)

Loved the outcome of my hair! Have you experienced the Lotus Salon, or any of the spa treatments, at The Lodge at Woodloch? To view all of their offerings see their website at www.thelodgeatwoodloch.com.

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Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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We’re heading into the colder months, which typically means making the switch from highlighted hair to warmer tones. My natural hair color is dark brown, but typically I lighten or highlight it in the summer months. Being that it is only 6 weeks until Christmas, getting my hair colored at the salon was not in my wallet’s vocabulary, so I opted to color my hair at home. I made my way to CVS and decided upon John Frieda’s Precision Foam Colour. I went with 4BG  (Dark Chocolate Brown.)

My highlighted hair before, colored immediately after and results 1 week later.

I have to say, I don’t typically read the warnings on home hair coloring kits because I have been coloring my hair since I was 13 and they typically all say the same thing. However, I noticed John Frieda’s included some things I have never seen before like you need to remove all accessories you are wearing and cannot use metal tools. Since there seems to be an issue with metal, I assumed that the accessories they meant were jewelry.  So I removed my earrings. It also says you shouldn’t use this product if you have a temporary black Henna tattoo, as it is likely to increase an allergy risk. If you wear contacts, you need to remove them also…however I’m not sure how you could put on your glasses since you can’t have metal around. If you’ve colored your hair previously with compound hennas, metallic dyes or color restorers you have to wait until your hair has grown out and then cut.

And don’t try to put the foam on your eyelashes or eyebrows because it may cause blindness.

So, basically, by the time I was done reading that I was freaked out. Then I went on to read how to mix the product. It says you cannot shake the mix (you need to gently tilt it 5 times,) you cannot use the pump but instead have to squeeze the bottle to make the foam come out of the pump…which is psychologically confusing because you are holding a bottle with a pump…that you cannot pump. The bottle needs to remain upright at all times and you can only apply the foam to your hands first (in gloves of course) and not directly onto your hair.

So basically I felt I was going to mess this up big time.

Application was tricky because the instructions state that you cannot get the foam on your face or ears at all. My hair is shoulder length, so good luck with that Shannon! Trying to prevent the foam from touching my skin, while trying to keep the bottle upright and not pump it was like playing a game of Twister.  Additionally your hair needs to be “frothy” with foam in order to be “done.” Ok, guess what? Foam evaporates or absorbs into your hair. Especially if you have long-ish hair and are trying to make sure you get each section equally. Wait time from this point is 30 minutes.

I rinsed my hair, applied the conditioner, rinsed that out after 3 minutes and then blew it dry. I was pleasantly surprised with the color. I loved it. Tweeted about it. My 7 year old snapped my pic for me and I was happy I was still alive with great looking hair.

Fast forward 1 week and while my hair is still brown, as you can see from the picture…the color has significantly faded. Ugh. I do not wash my hair everyday, in fact I usually only wash it every other day. I also used sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner, so I know it wouldn’t have been the culprit to strip my hair color. I also hadn’t washed my hair 24 hours before applying the foam as the instructions stated and I did not have any product build-up to prevent the color from adhering.

So was it worth it to save myself the $60-$75 of coloring my hair at the salon? Not really.

Have you used John Frieda’s Precision Foam? I’d like to hear about your experience (good or bad.)

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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As someone who has a tried-and-true hairstyle that doesn’t quite come naturally (in other words, plenty of products, irons, and time spent in front of the mirror are often required,) I’ve definitely become a lover of quick hair fixes. Dry shampoo for greasy bangs, root-lifting spray for limp second-day washes, etc. — if it’s a shortcut that will preserve my ‘do and save me some precious time, consider me a fan.

You can also add Rita Hazen Root Concealer to the list of convenient hair-savers — with a quick spray to your grays or pesky growing-in roots, this handy color-reviver disguises your discolored ‘do while you wait to pencil in your next touch-up, and stays put until you wash it out. While I have yet to try it myself, I’m fascinated by the advanced color technology that it boasts — with only 4 broad shades to choose from (blonde, red/auburn, light brown, and dark brown/black), this product claims to have any shade covered and blended seamlessly so well that even you might forget that you’re in dire need of a touch-up!

- Alex Gambardella

*Guest beauty post for A Girl’s Gotta Spa! from my friends at TheFind.com.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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After getting my summer hair coloring at Salon L’etoile, those pesky UV rays had their way with me over the weeks that followed bringing out more of my highlights and lightening my hair considerably. When I went to NYC to attend Cocktails & Couture during fashion week 2 weeks ago, I decided it was time for the hair color switch to fall. I was looking to get back to my dark brown hair color and visited Salon A.K.S. on 5th Avenue to help me with my transformation. With the capable hands of hair colorist, Selma Aktas, and co-owner Alain Pinon working the scissors, I walked away a very happy customer.

I explained to Selma that I wanted my hair darker and she flipped my hair over looking right at the roots. She explained that she didn’t want to go darker than my original hair color and I agreed. I have to mention the sink for washing and conditioning because typically this is the most uncomfortable part of getting my hair done. You know when you lay uncomfortably into the sink? Well the lip of the sink somehow conforms to your neck, so there is no awkward arching or pressure on the back of your neck. I could simply do the one thing I like to do most—relax. 

In Selma’s words…”For fall, my goal was to give Shannon a rich, shiny look. I filled in Shannon’s hair so the blonde wouldn’t pop out. I also made the color deeper so it doesn’t fade out and looks shinier, more healthy. I used L’oreal Power Dose protein treatment to hydrate and make her hair stronger. This is a great post-summer product that helps restore hair from the damages of the sun.”

My hair color was definitely dark and I was happy with the shine. Selma is a pro at her job and I highly recommend her! Now onto the cut with Alain..who is so super nice by the way.

I explained to Alain that I was tired of my hair doing a flip at the bottom as it touched my shoulders. I said I wanted to look youthful but necessarily young (there’s a big difference!) To solve my dilemma he suggested that I cut my hair shorter than it currently was. I don’t care who you are, when you hear someone saying to cut your hair shortER, you kind of freak out. He explained that as my hair looked now, I was hiding my neck and that a shorter style would suit me better. My response was, “You can do what you want, just don’t make me look like a boy.” Looking at this picture, you can see on the white cover just how much length was taken off.

To style my hair, Alain’s assistant used Phyto Professional Glossing Cream and Phyto Professional Strong Sculpting Gel. And voila! A richer hair color, with a shorter style that suits both my age and face shape. I shouldn’t have stood in front of a window for the after shot–however if you go to the A Girl’s Gotta Spa! fan page and look in the Cocktails & Couture photo album there are some super pics of my hair.

Phyto products can be purchased directly on the Salon A.K.S. website and when you register, you can get product discounts and 10% off any service. They also have a spot on their blog where you can pose questions to Alain or Selma (or any of their experts), just click Ask AKS.

So what do you think? If you’ve been to Salon A.K.S. please share your experience in the comments!

Don’t forget that you can get 40% off on spa and salon gift certificates at for a participating place near you using discount code AGGS40 on www.icitycerts.com.

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Shannon Nelson

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When temperatures drop this Fall/Winter, haircolor will stay warm with dark chocolate brunettes, deep mahogany redheads and golden blondes. Tracey Cunningham, Redken Creative Consultant for Color has the latest in Fall haircolor trends and professional haircolor products to achieve these trends and get the hottest looks of the season.

“It’s easy to update your look from summer to fall,” explains Cunningham. “I warm my clients’ shades up in the Fall/Winter season with brilliant copper-red shades which is why I love Redken’s new Color Fusion Rubilane Collection. It creates the perfect sophisticated and modern copper-red shades.

Fall/Winter 2010 Trend #1: Brunettes
”For my brunette clients, I plan to keep their base a dark chocolate truffle hue but you’ll see a lot of thick golden highlights starting from the mid-section of their hair. Let it be fun and flirty in the winter months to spice up your look, think Lily Aldridge for this look!” – Tracey Cunningham

Fall/Winter 2010 Trend #2: Redheads
“Va va voom color! Redheads this Fall/Winter will lean towards a single process tone, with no highlights just vibrant deep mahogany tones. For this must-have look of the season, think Julianne Moore. She has the most luscious shade of red that’s full of intense shine.” – Tracey Cunningham

Fall/Winter 2010 Trend #3: Blondes
“The Fall/Winter blonde will be a California blonde with the base a shade darker to give some dimension to the look. The blonde locks will be light and golden to compliment your client’s look of the season. This look is so fun and can be worn from season to season! Think Kate Bosworth for this blonde shade, it pops on her and looks great with a red lip.” – Tracey Cunningham

“To complete the Fall/Winter haircolor story, Redken is launching the new Color Fusion Rubilane Collection creating warm and modern brunettes and redheads,” states Cunningham. “The six new easy-to-use, versatile shades provide gorgeous copper-red results for women looking for a range of perfect copper colors that are more vibrant and last longer.”

Redken’s new Color Fusion Rubilane Collection features Colorbond Technology:
• High Tenacity Dyes that lock together inside the hair
• Ceramide that repairs the surface and seals the hair to protect the beauty of the color
• Cationic Conditioners that nourish and smooth the hair
• Coconut Oil that helps form a protective barrier against water

People looking for these shades should ask their colorist about the following shades:

Brunette:
Ask for NEW Color Fusion 4Cb for the base and Blonde Icing Power Lift for soft golden highlights.

Redhead:
Ask for NEW Color Fusion 4C and 5Cc for beautiful, vibrant copper-red tones.

Blonde:
Ask for Color Fusion 8Gg and Color Fusion for the base and Blonde Icing Power Lift for beach blonde highlights.

Learn more about hairstyle trends, how-to’s from hair care experts and more at www.Redken.com.

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*Content submitted by Redken.

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• Which Redken Permanent Color Should I Use? Redken Creative Consultant, David Stanko Answers (agirlsgottaspa.com)
• Hair Color Makeover at Salon L’Etoile (agirlsgottaspa.com)
• Hair Color Tips from Wella Professionals (agirlsgottaspa.com)

Shannon Nelson

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Do you remember back in February when Davide Torchio gave me that amazing makeover? Unfortunately, unable to get back to NYC left me with asking a local salon to touch up my highlights. Even more unfortunately, the 5 highlights they gave me weren’t in line with the originals (not even the same color) which made my all over hair color look like I was trying to fake blonde it.

So while I was at the Wella Color Discovery Tour in Philadelphia last weekend, Salon L’Etoile offered me the opportunity to go back to the brunette I enjoy being. Did you know that Wella recently did a survey that found that a whopping 72% of women felt more attractive after they dyed their hair; 69% felt more confident; 49% felt more sexy; and 42% felt more youthful? With that kind of satisfaction, it’s no wonder 92% of women have colored their hair at some point in their lives. (My mom will attest to the fact that I have been coloring mine since I was 13, I will show you that bouf of a hairdo some other time.)

While at the Color Discovery Tour, Cait Kinslow gave me my consultation (see Hair Color Tips from Wella Professionals) then set me up to see Sadie Pino at the salon. Salon L’Etoile has two locations, one in Jenkintown and one in Manayunk (I went to the one in Jenkintown.) I was greeted immediately by the salon Manager and brought over to Sadie’s station (this salon has 52 stations–it’s pretty darn big!) It was like meeting my long lost sister, as Sadie and I hit it off right away. She is just the way you hope your hair stylist will be, personable, warm and friendly. Also, she has worked there for 12 years (and her mom works there too.) 

I showed her pictures of what my hair looked like back in February and we decided that I should go back to a rich, shiny brunette base color with a few caramel highlights. The highlights were done with Blondor lightener and the rest of my hair was color balanced with Color Touch shine-enhancing color in the shade 5/03. My hair processed for 25 minutes then was washed and a glaze was applied after shampooing to seal the color and add shine. The color used was a 7/73 warm caramel.

Before

After

All of the staff was super nice and overall it was a really great experience. If I lived down near Jenkintown you can bet this would become my salon of choice.

In the end I was very happy with how my hair turned out. And after everything I learned from the stylists at the event earlier in the day, I don’t think I will go back to home hair coloring kits ever again. Check them out at www.salonletoile.com

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Shannon Nelson

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This past Saturday I was given the opportunity to go to the Wella Color Discovery Tour in Philadelphia. Despite the crazy humidity and 92 degree weather, there was a great turn out. But better yet I was able to get hair color tips direct from the Wella Professional stylists who were there to bring them straight to you.

But first, pictured here is Rose from Philadelphia. She came out to the Wella Color Discovery Tour because she’s never been to a salon for professional hair color before. She’s only used home coloring kits that were vegetable-based. Cait from Salon L’Etoile gave her some great recommendations.  

Cait Kinslow, Salon L’Etoile

Question: How long will my color last?
Answer: I always tell my clients to come in for a touch up when it starts to bother them. For some, they come in within two weeks while others will wait up until 2 months. Koleston Perfect, which is Wella Professionals’ permanent hair color, can last anywhere from 4-6 weeks and Color Touch, which is demi-permanent hair color, will last up to 24 washes.

Question: How do I know which hair color is right for my skin tone?
Answer: There is a simple trick you can do to figure this out; look at the veins in your wrists. If your veins are green then you would look good with warm tones (like chestnut and reds.) If your veins are blue, then you would look best with cool tones (like ash or pearl blonde.)

Michael Antinore, East End Salon

Question: How can I make my hair color last longer?
Answer: Don’t shampoo everyday! You need the oils and dirt in your hair for it to stay healthy. Always stick with color-safe shampoo, otherwise you will be stripping the color from your hair. In the summer, a UV protectant spray is also beneficial as it will seal the cuticle to help you retain your color.

Question: Why choose a salon versus doing it yourself? Isn’t home hair color more affordable?
Answer: The directions on DIY box hair color are very easy to mess up. For example, if it is your first time coloring your hair, then your 1st application should always be root to tip. However, for future applications, you only need to color your roots–not your whole head! Many people will just disregard this because it’s easier to just apply it to your entire head. However, what happens is that only the roots give you the color you see on the box, but the rest of your hair will be a different color. For Grey hair, which is more pourous, this will be the most noticeable. When you choose home hair coloring kits, essentially you are spending less to spend more (to have a professional fix it.)

Rebecca Haig, Richard Nicholas Hair Studio

Question: Can you make my hair color like (insert name of celebrity here)?
Answer: People bring in pictures of celebrities all of the time asking me to duplicate their hair color. However, they are basing their choice on the celebrity, not the actual hair color. I always tell them to cover the face on the picture, then look at it again to see if they truly want the color. Most times the answer is no.

Question: Is blonde the easiest color to change your hair to?
Answer: It may be the most popular, but it is not a color you want to try to do on your own. Home hair coloring kits tends to produce more brassy colored and over processed blondes. Also, depending on the color your hair is currently, it may be something you want to fade into gradually. A salon professional can color your hair blonde in a way that leaves it looking more natural, in better condition and with results that will last longer.

(Get 40% off gift certificates for Richard Nicholas at iCityCerts.com using code AGGS40)

Liz Wright, Panyc Salon

Liz offered some fantastic tips to help you alter your daily routine in order to achieve a longer and healthier shelf life to your hair color.

• Like Michael said, don’t shampoo everyday. The more you shampoo you make your sebaceous glands go into overdrive producing more oil. Simply, wet your hair, but rub your fingers along your scalp as if you are shampooing. This will help disperse the oils in your hair more evenly.
• On the days you don’t shampoo, it’s OK to use conditioner only. However, apply from your tips at the bottom up midshaft, don’t apply conditioner to the top of your head.
• Detangle hair in the shower with your fingers. Hair is most fragile when it’s wet. You know that squeaky clean sound when you brush your hair when it’s wet? That’s the sound of your hair breaking.
• Water temperature makes a big difference in the health of your hair. My advice, even in the winter, is to turn down the water temperature when shampooing or conditioning. Wash your hair in a temperature you would wash a baby in.

I honestly learned so much from attending this event by Wella. “Like” their fan page to get updates on when their Color Discovery Tour is coming to a city near you!

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Shannon Nelson

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Wella Professionals is celebrating 130 years of hair color innovation, and this weekend, June 26th and 27th, participating Philadelphia-area Wella salons will be providing women inside access to professional colorists who will demystify salon color brands and educate and inspire women to discover their best hair color. Recognizing the importance of hair color to women, on-site experts will offer free, personal recommendations as well as a 25% discount coupon toward a Wella color service at a participating salon. Guests are also able to enter the Wella Facebook sweepstakes online for a chance to win a VIP beauty makeover in NYC. I’m happy to say I’ll be at this event all day on Saturday the 26th! 

The Wella Color Discovery Tour will be from 11am-6pm at Chestnut Hill on the Golden Block (8434 Germantown Avenue.) Participating salons include: Blue Hair Studio, Citrus Salon & Spa, Salon Thalia, Salon L’Etoile (locations Manayunk and Jenkintown), Jolie Salon and Day Spa, East End Salon, Richard Nicholas Hair Studio and Lakshmi Hair Studio.

So if you are in Philly or the surrounding suburbs, I would love for you to come down and see us!

Follow me on Twitter while I tweet from the event: @agirlsgottaspa or @ShannonNelson; hashtag #wella

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Shannon Nelson

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I don’t know about you, but I color and highlight my hair. And trying to stretch my dollar as much as I can, maintaining the color for as long as possible is super important to me. Michael Angelo, certified haircolorist and owner of The Michael Angelo Hair Studio and The Michael Angelo Masterpiece Haircare product line, is an expert in advanced haircoloring techniques and fashion forward hairstyles. Known by many within the professional beauty industry as “The Haircolor Guru”, Michael Angelo has pioneered the art of turning haircolor into visual works of art. Michael Angelo knows the importance of properly handling your color-treated hair in between salon visits.

He has provided ten essential tips to pamper your color treated hair, restoring shine and manageability: 

• Tip 1: Trim your hair every four to six weeks to remove split ends and to help make your hair more manageable. A great haircut is the best foundation for keeping your hair healthy and looking its best.
  
• Tip 2: Use a shampoo specifically formulated for haircolor treated hair. If you must wash your hair every day, shampoo only once. When you shampoo, avoid tugging your hair and wash gently. Rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of shampoo. Michael Angelo recommends products like Mane-Tain Shampoo by Michael Angelo Masterpiece Haircare. This professional haircolor safe shampoo gently cleanses, restoring your hairs essential nutrients and natural beauty.
  
• Tip 3: Use a conditioner formulated specifically for color-treated hair and apply it to your hair every time you shampoo. It is best to apply an additional amount to the ends of your hair and to rinse thoroughly to remove all traces and minimize any film that can hide your natural shine. Michael Angelo recommends Main-Tain Conditioner. The unique formula is infused with structurizing proteins and botanicals to penetrate into your hair shaft, producing benefits above and beyond any singular protein conditioner
  
• Tip 4: Invest in a special micro-fiber towel that removes excess moisture from your hair after you shampoo and condition. These towels absorb more moisture than regular bath towels and can cut down on drying time. Once your hair is towel dried, use a wide-tooth comb to detangle your hair. Wide tooth combs are less likely to cause split ends and breakage.
  
• Tip 5: After you towel dry your hair, allow your hair to minimally air dry prior to blow drying. The more heat you apply to your hair, the more damage you can inflict to the cuticle.
  
• Tip 6: Avoid curling irons, hot rollers and flat irons as much as possible. It is best to style your hair with a brush and a blow dryer. When you do opt for styling your hair with heat activated appliances, always apply a protective hairstyling aid directly on your hair to keep moisture locked in like Inner Fuel by Michael Angelo Masterpiece Haircare.
  
• Tip 7: If you do apply styling products like a mousse, styling gel or hair spray, apply them sparingly. Many of these hairstyling products contain drying chemicals that can dull the haircolor and shine.
  
• Tip 8: Avoid chlorine. If you do swim, thoroughly wash the chorine out of your hair immediately with a special haircolor safe clarifying shampoo.
  
• Tip 9: Try to avoid excessive sun exposure to your color-treated hair. UV and UVB rays from the sun and indoor tanning beds and booths can leave your hair looking look less vibrant and lacking shine. If you are a sunbather, it is best to help protect your haircolor with products that contain UV ray protection.
  
• Tip 10: Always take the time to consult with your professional haircolorist prior to receiving your haircolor treatments. Ask questions on the best way to maintain your haircolor in between salon visits and haircoloring services. Ask about future haircolor options.

Shannon Nelson

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I’m sure if you read other beauty blogs, you’ve seen by now that L’Oreal is launching a new formula of Feria that has 3x the highlights to create multi-faceted color. A group of beauty bloggers were selected to hold a party, color some hair and help with the re-launch. I feel honored to be one of those selected so check out some before and after pictures from the party below:

Above are Leigh, Barb and Sonya all patiently waiting while their hair soaked up the color. As we waited and rinsed and styled our hair we talked about what was different about L’Oreal Feria than the brands we typically use.

Here’s what we found:
-The dye is a thicker formula so it didn’t drip.
-There was no amonia smell–at all. The essential oil ampule actually made it smell great!
-One bottle actually had more than enough formula for my wicked long hair.
-Our hair looked brighter and more vibrant.
-We loved the shine and the highlights.
-It didn’t dry our hair out.

The only con we all agreed on is that for the 3 of us who did a brown tone, the formula was clear making it difficult to see if we were getting it on our clothes or skin. Once it processed for the 25 minutes, it also emerged as color on our skin. However, it was easily removed from our skin and the stain didn’t remain at all.

Leigh Before and After:

Sonya Before and After

Barb Before and After

Shannon Before and After:

So tell me what you think? Whose hair color looks best? Have you had a chance to try it out yourself?

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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