Grow Your Salon FAST- Kat Smith

There’s not many people that would call themselves a “Queen Bitch” (although all very tongue in cheek) but then again there aren't many people who have had salon success like Kat Smith, author of Grow Your Salon FAST released in September this year. Here is an opportunity for an insight into how the dynamic Kat gained this level of success in the hair salon business, after being the co-owner of our client Hair Organics. So as you can imagine, we at The Amazing Blog knew that we just had to have a quick read…

With a warning that the content inside is “not for the faint hearted or easily offended” in the blurb, from the offset this book is a straight-to-the-point, a commanding read, really making you sit back and reflect on your business model. A short foreword from Jon McCulloch (The Evil Bald Genius) brings the book to the first chapter; a summary of how Kat has come to be the successful businesswoman, that she is today. Topics covered for salon owners include marketing strategies, ideal clients, pricing, online and offline advertising and much more. If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut with your salon business or need something to kick start a change for your salon then this is book for it. We’re sure that you can’t read this direct, demanding book without feeling confused or surprised that you haven’t thought of these ideas and suggestions before. However, we’re even more sure that you will jump out of your seat to implement them.

Jon McColloch suggests only 5% of the readers will follow Kat’s advice, will you be one of those? You can order Grow Your Salon FAST by Kat Smith here for £24.97.

Crystal Clear Sculpting Wax - Kitoko Arte

UK is known for its uncontrollable weather, you never know what the weather is going to be and it can change within minutes. Here at The Amazing Blog understand the struggle it can be to keep a decent hairstyle in position all day without your hair looking like it has been through a jungle and it is definitely hard to maintain shorter hairstylesall day.

The brand Kitoko arte launched the Crystal Clear Sculpting Wax; which is a chemical free wax from the styling range: the perfect wax to control and eliminates frizzy hair. This wax is the secret for short or choppy haircuts to keep your hairstyle lasting throughout the day. If you want to give your hair a nice texture and definition with a natural gloss finish, we highly recommend to try this product for an amazing control. It reminds us of a gel form and has a fresh fragrance that will keep your hair smelling healthy. The bonus of this Wax is the blend of Fire Tulip, Karite, Green Tea and Vitamins A & E, all good for you hair.

We recommend using this wax for short length hair or if you want to shape your hair into a particular hairstyle and need to keep hair in a hold position.

The Crystal Clear Sculpting Wax from Kitoko Arte is available to purchase here for £9.95.

Volcanic Ash Wax- Windle & Moodie

We at the Amazing Blog know how hair can change a face and most of the time it’s impossible to keep the morning’s hairstyle all day long. The next product that arrived in our office was awarded winner of “Best Grooming Essentials” at Wallpaper Magazine Design Awards for 2015, you can imagine how excited we were when we received Windle & Moodie’s Volcanic Ash Wax.

This Wax is a blend of volcanic ash and three naturally derived waxes perfectly mixed to give a strong gritty, matte, textured finish perfect for short, choppy haircuts. The wax adds an extra edge and volume especially if you are going for a cool edgy look, or any kind of look you wish to achieve without it being too shiny.

The product gives your hair the extra boost to pump up flat, limp or fine hair leaving it with a natural lift instead of a backcombed mess. The wax comes in a sleek black tub of 50ml. We suggest you rub a small amount of the product in your hands to warm the product before applying it throughout dry hair.

Why not grab this wax now; you won’t be disappointed and it’s time to give your hair the lift it needs, the Volcanic Ash Wax from Windle & Moodie is available to purchase here for £22.00.

Cookbook Feature - Friday Favourites

At The Amazing Blog we enjoy a variety off delicious food all year round! It can become a routine in the kitchen to cook similar dishes each week when you have a hectic lifestyle that’s why we decided to do a cookbook guide for you. So when you’re at home you can mix it up in the kitchen and refer back to innovative recipes. Here are several essential cookbooks we recommend: Nina Capri, Miso Tasty, Dinner Tonight, Fish and Vegetable Perfection.

Nina Parker dazzled us with her first book exploring St.Tropez after wich; she had her sights sets on the beautiful location of Capri in Italy. Her new cookbook explores the magical part of Italy; through this book you experience the intimate journey Nina went on, exploring the old and the new parts of the city. This book is a representation of Nina’s love and passion for Italian cuisine presenting to us with over 100 original recipes. This is Italian food at its finest this book offers a lighter, healthier approach to cooking also they are gluten free and dairy-free options to choose from in this book including dishes such as breakfast, lunch, appetizers, starters, mains and desserts. Unlike some other cookbooks, this is shot on location of the stunning Amalfi Coast of Carpi alongside the deep blue sea which make the book full of beauty and colour. 

Explore the finest Italian dishes from Nina Parker's book here for £25.00.

The second cookbook we recommend trying is Miso Tasty, for adventurous cooks who would like to explore and expand their repertoire of Japanese dishes. With over 60 recipes to explore there are flavorsome dishes to try from other than just soup. This book shows of versatility of miso, including dips, dressing, marinades and exceptional desserts to discover. This book is an introduction into the history of eating miso regularly and how you take this lifestyle and recipes into your own life, it introduces the heritage and health benefits of Japanese food and focuses on wholesome and nutritious ingredients. The miso expert Bonnie Chung shares his tips and tricks and his expertise's into this book.

If you want to explore the best of Japanese traditional dishes, grab yourself this book here for £14.99.

Dinner can always be a struggle when you’re not sure what you want to eat or bored of eating the same thing. Why not try the book Dinner Tonight by the British food author Lindsey Bareham, this book is a collection of mouth-watering recipes, easy and accessible quick dishes that you can make after a look day at work or a busy day out with the family. This book will become your go to for delicious foods. It is packed with exciting recipes including main dishes and desserts such as polenta with lemon mushrooms, pulled chicken, or a strawberry almond crumble. The book offers a good combination of tasty and imaginative recipes that will be great dishes for your family or your friends to enjoy.

Grab Dinner Tonight for delicious dinners, available here for £20.00.

The last two books have been written by the same author Mat Follas and are exceptional. Mat Follas, winner of UK Masterched show in 2009 wrote Fish which has over 80 inspired dishes sharing his love for fresh fish and seafood. This book is ideal for people who want to explore their cooking skills and learn uncomplicated dishes but taste delicious. Mat touches upon his wealth of experience in cooking down to the basics of preparation whilst enjoying fresh healthy food.

Vegetable Perfection, has over 100 inspired vegetable dishes; Mat shows his passion for vegetarian and vegan recipes. Mat approaches new cooking techniques that modern chefs are embracing adding ingredients to boost texture and flavor, usingvegetables options like kale, cauliflower, humble carrots to cook up a storm.

If you look for sea food and fish made dishes then the book Fish is the one for you, available to purchase here for £16.58. You can also get the Vegetable Perfection here for £14.88.

Rose Oil Shampoo and Conditioner - Pimps and Pinups

A product that smells dreamy and leaves you hair looking dreamy too? We at The Amazing Blog have found a new shampoo and conditioner combination, which you’ll want to wash your hair with, in the form of Pimps & Pinups Rose Oil range.

These bottles are bold in black, lime green and bright pink, sure to stand out on the bath-top making them a great idea for a last minute present. They are born from the hair experts from Pimps & Pinups salon based in London and New York. The Rose Oil Shampoo is a gel-like substance, thick enough not to make your hair oily after and gives a gentle cleanse ideal for all hair types. The main ingredient for both products is the rose oil. Its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties help promote a healthy scalp, whilst hydrating the hair and being packed with anti-oxidants.  

It works to strengthen hair at the root, protecting against frizz and adds shine. The Rose Oil Conditioner is a thicker version of the shampoo with the signature rose scent. The difference is that the conditioner also includes Shea butter and hydrolysed silk meaning your hair is silky smooth and weightless once dried.

Shake up your hair routine with Pimps and Pinups products available here from £11.99 for the Rose Oil Conditioner or you can get them in Pimps and Pinups London Salon.