​Breakouts. Those stubborn things we want to go as fast as they appear. When dealing with these pesky guys, there are specific dos & don’ts we need to follow to make sure they heal properly!

I hope these 5 steps can help you manage future breakouts! If acne is something you struggle with, check out my Acne Bootcamp. Plus if you have any other breakout or skin questions please shoot me a DM, leave a comment, or book a free consultation. 

False! Acne can be caused by a variety of factors including hormones, environmental stressors, medications, stress, skin type, and lifestyle. Some people never have acne as a teen but struggle with it in adulthood. Hormones are complex systems that can fluctuate throughout a person's lifetime for a wide range of reasons. ​

There are definitely a ton of myths floating around about how to treat your skin, prevent acne, and treat acne - these are just some of the ones I hear the most often! If I missed one that you’ve heard and you aren’t sure if it’s true, I would be happy to help you break it down! Send me a DM on Instagram, post in the comments below, or book a free skin consultation and we can chat in person. I can answer your questions about acne and give you tips on how to treat your skin’s unique concerns.

Hey there! Hope here from Salon Society! Today I am so excited to talk about a new membership program we have developed at Salon Society that is near and dear to my heart: The SASO Acne Bootcamp. 

Acne and breakouts have always been a sensitive topic for me. At the age of 12 I started dealing with cystic, hormonal acne. Cystic acne is painful, inflamed acne that forms deep under the skin. It is incredibly painful, visually noticeable, often causes scarring, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and a whole host of other issues.​ I tried all the trending products from Clean & Clear, the infamous St. Ives Apricot scrub, and all the home remedies - but nothing helped and lots made it worse. I visited a dermatologist multiple times but unfortunately I didn’t receive the treatment or advice I needed to heal my skin. Instead I was given high-percentage products that sensitized my already sensitive skin and added to the pain and struggle. These experiences left me feeling hopeless, frustrated, and feeling completely left in the dark. For a long time I was insecure and bullied for the appearance of my skin. Acne is something I struggled with then and something I continue to deal with today. 
I needed someone to be supportive, understanding, and knowledgeable in a judgment-free atmosphere - and that’s what I hope to bring to others with this new program!


Introducing the SASO Acne Bootcamp: a fully customizable treatment plan to help reach skin goals at-home and in the treatment room. The Acne Bootcamp is characterized by 4 elements:

1. Professional Facials 
   
   Biweekly scheduled facials for 8 weeks targeting individual needs offered at a discounted package price. These facial treatments will kickstart skin healing and introduce clients to professional products, ingredients, and techniques. 
   
   
   
2. Setting you up for Success
   
   A major component of skin care is of course home care! That is why we are offering 20% off Dermalogica recommended products to Acne Bootcamp members for the 8-week membership duration. The goal is to set our clients up for success and ensure they have the tools they need to achieve their goals! 
   
   
   
3. Coaching and Support 
   
   Struggling with acne is truly just that, A Struggle. I personally understand this and will be available for support, coaching, guidance, and questions along the way! I want to be the person who is there for you, the person that I always wished I was there for me. 
   
   
   
4. Looking to the Future 
   
   Following the Acne Bootcamp we offer special discounted membership pricing for follow-up treatments for 6 months! The follow-up treatments include custom facials, with the goal to continue to treat remaining acne and improve skin health. As well as treatments such as dermaplaning and microneedling which require the skin to be free of active acne before they can be done. 

The program can be purchased on our online boutique or in-store! Still have questions? Send me a DM at @hopeatsalonsociety on Instagram + Facebook or book in to see me for a Complimentary Skincare Consultation & let’s chat! 

I firmly believe that facials are a top-tier service. The treatment includes healing and soothing and relaxing – and you leave feeling more beautiful and recharged than ever. Have you been seeing our recent posts and wondering what all the hype about these Salon Society Custom Facials is about? What is a custom facial? What is custom about it? Is a custom facial worth it?

Wonder no longer!! I went and got one so I could spill all the deets in this blog – and let me tell you, a Custom Facial is everything.

Let's break it down: What happens during one of these custom facial treatments?

I think the Pinterest quotes have it right: “beauty is on the inside”, “being yourself is beautiful”,  “confidence is sexy”. 

That sounds lame, but I think they are on to something because I believe being comfortable allows us to shine and be beautiful! When we feel uncomfortable - in a situation, in our clothes, in our own skin - we dim ourselves and our beauty. 

In an uncomfortable situation or when we feel judged it is hard to show our true self and come into our own. When we feel self conscious in our clothes we try to blend into the wallpaper, we change how we hold ourselves, we tug and fidget - but when we feel like a smoke show we show how fire we really are! I think that feeling  confident in owning our look, our self, our bodies makes us beautiful. 

Now let’s talk feeling comfortable in your own skin - your literal skin. Skin is the largest organ on our bodies and I think it comes with the largest range of conflicting ‘right kind of beautiful’ prescriptions. You can’t be too light or too dark. You can’t be too pale or too rosy. You can’t have too much of it. You can’t age. You should be smooth and flawless at all times - if you’re not you should wear makeup. But if you wear makeup you should wear less… 

And to combat all those conflicting issues we are bombarded with skin care tips and tricks, medications and supplements and crystals, treatments and peels. Now, I’m not going to say I don’t love skin care or that I don’t love getting treatments done (I’m dying for a dermaplaning treatment + jelly mask as I write this) but I do think the shame that is put on us for not being perfect or not being makeup free is ridiculous. So :

Do you want microneedling and all the best masks to clear your skin for a makeup free future? Great! I know the sweetest people who can help you get there! 

Do you want to brush on some powder or 7 layers of curated perfection? ROCK THOSE SKILLS!!! 

Do what is right for you and what is going to make you feel good; there is no right or wrong way to feel comfortable in your own skin. If you want some skin care with no judgement hit up our girl Hope - you can swing by for a free consultation and just chat or get down to business with an amazing treatment! 

Amazing news SASO babes. We are now carrying Maui Babe sun products!! If you have ever travelled to Hawaii, you have probably seen these magic lotions for sale in the shops (and if you are anything like me brought 5 home in your suitcase!). The Maui Babe Browning Lotions and After Browning Lotion are truly an island secret combo for getting you that gorgeous golden brown fast. We have added four of their amazing products to our Regina, SK Salon Society boutique: Maui Babe Sunscreen (SPF 50 & Reef Safe), Maui Babe Original Browning Lotion, Maui Babe Coconut Oil Browning Lotion, and Maui Babe After Browning Lotion. 

Protect your babe skin and our coral reefs with the Amazing Maui Babe Reef Safe Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen! This sunscreen is a water-based sunscreen lotion with a soft, tropical scent and a light, non-greasy feel. Maui Babe Sunscreen protects from both the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.
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A new and improved formula. FDA approved and coral reef friendly (because we love our planet and the fishies!).

Amazing Maui Babe Browning Lotion is a tanning accelerant that will naturally give you a deep, dark, and rich tan - eliminating long and endless hours in the sun! The lotion’s formula is safe for a wide range of skin types and derived from a secret family recipe that uses a mix of natural Hawaiian ingredients. Enjoy sunbathing with “A Local Secret.”
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Something that we love about the Maui Babe products is that they are designed to work in combination with sunscreen so you can get the tan you want while still protecting your skin with SPF! 

The Maui Babe Browning Lotion with Coconut Oil is an all-natural alternative to their Original Browning Lotion for those of you SASO babes who love a softer coconut scent. It is made from 100% natural ingredients and can be used both outdoors and in tanning beds. 

The Browning Lotion with Coconut Oil is highly recommended for those with fair skin and those without a base tan as the formula acts more gradually to slowly build up to a dark, deep, and golden tan. As with their original formula, the Browning Lotion with Coconut Oil is compatible with sunscreen and SPF use is recommended! 

Seal in your deep, dark tan and prevent peeling and flaking by using the After Browning Lotion. This amazing after sun lotion aids in healing skin damaged by the sun, salt, and wind. Personally, I believe it is the BEST sunburn remedy around! It is made with all-natural ingredients like macadamia nut oil and aloe vera. It has a lightweight consistency and is great to use all year round to keep your skin smooth, hydrated, and rejuvenated. Enjoy enhancing and healing your tan with this amazing product! ​

First things first, micro-needling is a medical procedure that should be done by a qualified Medical Aesthetician. That being said, Salon Society has several certified Medical Aestheticians specializing in many areas including microneedling. 

Now, let’s talk about microneedling and why you should consider investing. Microneedling, also known as Collagen Induction Therapy, is a minimally invasive procedure to stimulate the body’s natural healing process and healthy cell turn over.

What the heck does this mean? Here’s some examples:

• Stimulates the collagen and elastin production
• Evens out skin tone and blemishes
• Reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots, age spots, brown spots, scars, stretch marks and the size of your pores.
• Over all visibly younger looking skin and total skin rejuvenation.

Did you know that our collagen starts to deplete around the age of 25? I know, read that again, cry a little and then come back. But trust me, look at kids with their perfect skin and no remaining lines after they laugh or glare or frown leaves us with serious envy. They really don’t know how lucky they are!

As mentioned earlier, microneedling is a minimally invasive procedure that involves a specialized pen with a disposable needle tip (we use one needle head per client treatment since we don’t want to be spreading any blood-borne diseases). The needle speed and depth are 100% controlled by your aesthetician. Depending on your treatment plan and treatment area, they will determine the settings for both. The Health Canada licensed needle pen works in a stamping motion which is visible to the naked eye as a vibration. This method prevents any cutting or tearing of the skin which would be damaging. (Circle back to the top about why you should research your aesthetician and their products/suppliers. There are cheap pens out there and you and your skin deserve the highest and safest quality!).

It should be noted that the skin is COMPLETELY NUMB with medical-grade numbing cream. You
don’t feel anything! It’s literally like a vibration massage. We have had many clients come in who are nervous and then are surprised at how relaxed they are during and after the treatment.

What to expect for your session:

1. A deep cleanse of the skin
2. Disinfection of the treatment area
3. Numbing cream. The numbing cream needs to sit on the area for 20-30 minutes before we start. This is a great opportunity to relax before your treatment. (Our specialists usually leave the room and let you have a snooze).
4. Then it’s go time! Your aesthetician will go over the area with specific passes and then concentrate more directly on your concerning areas to ensure the best results possible.
5. Micronized medical grade hyaluronic acid  will be applied to the area and needled into your skin. Hyaluronic acid has many benefits, and when used with microneedling it helps with healthy cell turnover and recovery, adding moisture, reducing inflammation and redness, creates a fullness/plump appearance of the skin. (If you have any questions about hyaluronic acid, see our previous blog post about the hyaluronic hype train you should jump on).

Now of course with everything, there are some contraindications that need to be considered. Not everyone can be a candidate for this procedure, and a free consultation/intake form is required for any new clients. Please contact us with any questions! Our specialists would love to help you on your skin healing journey.