All posts by Alexandria Professional

Williamsville, New York and Canada’s Welland Native, Alexandria Professional Named 1 of 10 Finalists in National Beauty Pitch Competition

WILLIAMSVILLE, NY (May 18) – Last week, Alexandria Professional, LLC, the pioneers of professional body sugaring hair removal into the beauty industry worldwide and headquartered on Lawrence Bell Drive in Williamsville, was named one of 10 finalists in the Professional Beauty Association’s national Beauty Pitch Competition, to be held in Las Vegas on July 12. This national pitch competition is part of the Professional Beauty Association’s (PBA) annual Beauty Week, hosted by Cosmoprof North America (CPNA), and features a panel of renowned judges including billionaire Mark Cuban and John Paul Mitchell Systems’ CEO John Paul DeJoria.

“Being recognized as a Top 10 finalist for this national competition is a tremendous honor, and acknowledgement of 25 years of dedication to our sweet cause,” said Lina Kennedy, president and founder of Alexandria Professional. “I look forward to the next rounds of the Beauty Pitch competition, and am working hard to reach the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in the live, in-person pitch in Las Vegas in July.”

Alexandria Professional’s innovative products, manufactured in WNY for the past 25 years, are sold in 32 countries by thousands of practitioners and over 60 distributors. Lina’s mantra of “It’s not the color of your skin… It’s about the condition of it,” has touched the lives of tens of thousands of women around the world.

“From day one, the essential piece of Alexandria Professional’s core mission has been making a positive change in people’s lives,” Kennedy said. “The stories I have, with feedback from people across the globe, about how our products have changed their skin, even their outlook on life, are incredibly inspiring… I am extremely blessed, and the recognition that we are getting through this competition I believe will enable us to help even more people.”

On Friday, Kennedy participated in the second round of judging for the contest via a Skype interview with Cuban and others. The field of finalists will be narrowed to 5 on May 21, with those finalists participating in the final pitch during Beauty Week in Las Vegas on July 12. The competition’s winner will receive a one (1) year mentorship with Beauty Pitch judge and billionaire entrepreneur, Mark Cuban, as well as broad exposure to potential investment opportunities.
More information on the Beauty Pitch event can be found at www.beautypitch.com

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For interview requests with Lina Kennedy, please contact Craig Turner at 716.713.7686 or craig@momentumbuffalo.com.

More information on Alexandria Professional, LLC can be found at www.alexandriapro.com.

Alexandria Professional® Featured Article in Dermascope

Dermascope Article

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Community Cohesion: Bringing People Together!

An article by Lina Kennedy featured in this months Dermascope magazine. Read the full article here or download the pdf.

Summer Trends

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Summer, Summer Summer! Everyone I know is excited for this fast approaching season. Sunshine, dresses, possibly the beach… It’s the time of year where we all think “finally…vacation.” Now, I don’t know about you guys, but I LOVE looking at trends in makeup, fashion and go-to vacations spots (even if I don’t get the chance to visit them!) It’s just fun! It’s as though fashion and beauty understand us. My mood changes every season, along with the trends of that time. I love getting into more layers and darker earthy tones during autumn and change into more pastels and bright colors in spring. Bright eyes, orange lips, glowing skin, and the “natural” look are all making an appearance for this upcoming season.

But whatever fits your fancy, you have to remove it at the end of the day. It’s really important to get rid of all excess makeup and residue. Not properly removing the makeup can build up bacteria…which leads to breakouts. It’s not easy to pull of that pretty natural look with red dots on your face. Trust me! I’ve been there! You will just end up piling more layers onto your skin, ultimately defeating reason you wanted light makeup in summer.

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Presept Skin Cleanser™ is great for removing makeup. I like to use this first to gently remove some of the makeup, then I follow with my usual cleanser or cleansing scrub to fit my skin’s need. After washing your face, if you have any stubborn eye makeup that didn’t fully wash off, you can use the Presept Skin Cleanser™ on a cotton pad to remove the makeup more efficiently.

 

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Following the cleanser, using Essential Tonic™ as a toner is great to reduce the chances of breaking out.

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Finish up your routine with our Restore Hydrating Lotion™ for full hydration and voila! You’re good to go!

*These products are all included in our I Love My Skin Kit™

 

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However, if you find that you have a little breakout and want it to disappear quickly, the Mud Puddle® is perfect to draw out and eliminate breakouts. Mix the mud with a little water and Essential Tonic™ and just dab on a dot to your troubled area, or simply apply to the whole face. If you want a more hydrating mask, combine the Mud Puddle® with our Restore Lotion™ and apply to the whole face.

These tips will help you wear your summer trends with full confidence!

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Ethnic Skin

 

ApriljpegSkin. We hear that word and what comes to mind? The organ that covers and protects our beautiful bodies. Now think the words “skin care.”

 

Skin care is thought of in different ways. Some may think about the products they use to fight pimples or the thousands of creams they’ve tried on their face to fight signs of aging. But what about the skin everywhere else? Are you taking care of it? Giving it the nutrition and attention it needs and deserves? Skin is what covers us and we tend to abuse it, take advantage of it, and often times overestimate how much it can handle. Your body’s skin needs attention too. It needs to be nurtured from the inside out to look healthy!

 

Speaking of healthy skin, everyone has different types of skin, or ethnic skin. A beauty product that may work wonders on someone with Asian skin, may not work so well on someone with African American skin. For example, certain methods of hair removal. Perhaps African American hair is too coarse to be removed by one method, while the same method removes the hair of a different ethnicity’s perfectly fine. Sugaring body hair removal is great because it works on ALL skin types and ethnicities. Sugaring removes the hair from the root, gets rid of and prevents ingrown hairs, plus it conditions the skin to be smooth and radiant!

 

A common occurrence in darker skin is becoming dull and greyish, or as many call it, “ashy.” Sugaring can help prevent this by removing the top layer of dead skin to reveal the beautiful radiant skin underneath. Then, massage in a little Phenomen-all® with the Restore® lotion to leave your skin super hydrated and feeling great! Also, you don’t need to only get sugared when you have hair. Go for the feeling of smooth, exfoliated and conditioned skin.  It will thank you for taking care it!

Darker skin is also more susceptible to acne or inflammation due to the sensitive skin. To rid your skin of acne, use the Presept® skin cleanser daily to cleanse the skin of makeup and bacterial buildup. Then, follow with a spritz of Essential Tonic® to the face and spot check affected areas with the Mud Puddle®. Let the mud dry then wash off gently with warm water. Finish with Restore® hydrating lotion and massage affected areas with a very tiny dab of Phenomen-all® to help prevent scarring!

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On a side note, all skin types or ethnicities, are susceptible to getting sunburnt. Never leave home without your Mud Puddle®! It can heal your sunburn in 1-2 applications. Going on vacation this summer? Don’t forget to add it into your suitcase!

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Get Sun Minus the Burn

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March is here! Time to move towards spring so mark your calendars because March 20th is the official first day of the new season! Many of you have had to endure quite the troublesome winter so the change of seasons is welcomed with open arms. Blue skies, sunlight and the blooming of flowers…there is something incredible refreshing about springtime!

Last month we discussed some of the harmful effects the sun can have. Basking in the sun may be wonderfully relaxing but without proper protection you’re risking damage to your skin. Sunlight doesn’t discriminate, so no matter what age or gender you are, it’s important to incorporate some type of sun protection into your daily routine.

As a follow up to last month, we’ll be discussing post-sun care treatments and tips. When thinking about the sun and over-exposure, what’s the first thing to come to mind…? SUNBURNS!! Everyone experiences a sunburn or two (or more!) in their lifetime and no degree of sunburn is fun to deal with. Sometimes, a person can tell when they get burnt almost immediately but there are those sunburns that seem to appear out of nowhere hours after you’ve gotten out of the sun. Depending on the severity—and how active you are outdoors—properly healing sunburns can take a couple of days to a couple of weeks.

Here are a couple of tips for healing sunburns AP style!

 

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Mud, Mud and more Mud!

At the first sign of a sunburn it’s time to head straight for the mud. Mud Puddle® comes with a wealth of benefits and various different uses but its anti-inflammatory properties come in great handy when treating sunburns. Red, hot-to-the-touch skin is characteristic of sunburns and one of the hardest side effects to deal with other than the pain associated with them. The Mud Puddle®’s ability to penetrate the skin coupled with its anti-inflammatory properties allows it to reduce the redness and heat of sunburns.

Cool that Burn!!

After using the mud to help with heat and inflammation, keep applying cooling products such as aloe.  Regularly applying aloe to a burn will help continue to reduce inflammation and soothe the affected area.

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Hydrate via Restore™ and water…lots of it!

Not only are sunburns hot and painful but in the process of healing they lead to very dry skin and often times the tightness of a sunburn can cause a person pain. Keeping sun-exposed skin properly hydrated is key to helping the healing process. Apply Restore™ Hydrating lotion regularly to make sure the sunburn stays hydrated. And of course, drink lots and lots of water including water-rich foods such as cucumber and watermelon.

Shield against the sun

Unless absolutely necessary, try to keep the sunburned area covered from the sun during the healing process. Even commonly exposed areas such as the face and shoulders can be easily covered or shaded with hats and sleeved shirts. If covering up really isn’t your style, do not leave the house without applying a healthy dose of sunscreen!!

 

Sunburns can be hard to avoid in the warmer weather but knowing how to properly protect and heal your skin from sun damage will help make your outdoor life much easier. A little but of sun is a good thing—a necessary thing!—but the effects of over-exposure aren’t something you should really risk. So please, always protect your skin before leaving the house!

 

Happy New Year 2014!

Happy New Year 2014

 

When starting January, there’s really only one thing to say…Happy New Year! So here’s to wishing everyone a prosperous, healthy and wonderful 2014!

Along with celebrating a new year, January is also one of the best months to talk about exfoliation, seeing as it is almost right in the middle of winter. As the cold continues to progress (for those of us in snow country) exfoliation should be one of our main concerns when it comes to our beauty routines and the needs of our clients. And, of course, along with the importance of exfoliation is the need to properly hydrate our skin. No one wants to walk around looking like they have scales! The problem with the winter months is that not only is the cold air our enemy when it comes to dryness but our houses can be too! As temperatures drop and we kick on our heaters or fireplaces, not many of us realize the effect this has on our skin. The use of both heaters and fireplaces can decrease the humidity in your homes and thus increase dryness. Exfoliation and hydration, when done properly and consistently, can help fight against winter dryness. There are several different types of exfoliation methods out there and depending on the condition of your skin and/or that of your clients plays a big role in determining which method to use. For at home uses, however, here’s a simple routine:

  • Cleanse face and remove makeup (AP’s Presept™ Skin Cleanser is great for removing makeup)
  • Use a small amount of pre-made mixture containing Saltspring® and Restore™ Hydrating Lotion. Essential Tonic™ and Restore™ can be added to the already made mixture before using depending on the consistency preferred. This mixture of Saltspring® and Restore™ will both aid in gently exfoliating the skin and hydrating it. Be careful not to get the mixture onto any open wounds or cuts.
  • After washing off the mixture, mix a small amount of Phenomen’all™ into your Restore™ lotion to add some oomph! to your hydration.

When it comes to treating your clients and concerns they may have about whole body exfoliation, there is really one answer that comes to mind…Salt Glow! For combating winter body dryness, Salt Glows are super beneficial treatments. Not only will it exfoliate dry skin, but the treatment as a whole will leave clients with smooth, glowing skin.

With a whole New Year ahead, go out there and start 2014 out strong!

Here’s a little advice: Getting new clients is a great way to increase revenue, but always remember your current clientele. Proper servicing of current clients can be like a hidden gold mine for increasing revenue!

The holidays are around the corner

The Holidays are just around the corner which means it’s time to start making our lists! Holidays present a great opportunity for us to sell products and services. Anyone who’s a seasoned holiday shopper should know that body treatments are an easy and great gift to give to a friend. Who wouldn’t want a Salt Glow or sugaring treatment?!
Holiday season can get a little hectic but if you’re well prepared, avoiding chaos can be easy and stress free. Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind for the upcoming holidays:

  • Christmas is the season of giving but a lot of us tend to forget some pretty important people. We always shop for our close friends and family members, but what about our coworkers, employees and employers? It’s important to show your gratitude and appreciation for their hard work and even a little “Thank You” card can go a long way!
  • During the holidays, there are tons of different gift options out there so when trying to sell retail, it’s important to catch the buyer’s attention. AP has no shortage of potential beauty gifts and the benefits are amazing for every product, but sometimes, it’s not enough to just show a product. Use your creativity and make the presentation more “festive” by either tying a little ribbon around the product (think red, green and gold) or even placing them in holiday gift bags with other products. It’s amazing what putting a little thought into presentation can do!
  • Retail products are great holiday gifts, but don’t forget to include gift certificates. Gift certificates are great for holidays because not only are they easy to use but they can also help you bring in more clients. Whether it’s a client purchasing a gift for a friend, or a friend purchasing a gift for a client, it’s an opportunity to gain more clientele.
  • Marketing plays a big role in your success for the holidays. If you have any promotions, sales or gift ideas, get them out there! You can do this by either sending out an email to clients, using the power of social media or sending/handing out flyers. Whatever works for you! But remember to keep things to the point and add a little holiday flair!
  • STOCK UP!! This is such an important thing to remember as we approach the holidays. You could have all sorts of promotions and gift ideas but if you run out of product…Ouch! That’s going to hurt. Any holiday promotions or offers you implement means you’ll need to anticipate a larger volume of purchases. Plan ahead and stock up on products you expect to promote.

As part of the AP family, you know the retail. For the weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday, try focusing on up selling some of your holiday gift ideas and promotions instead of just add-on treatments. Maybe even try handing out some samples for clients to give to their friends and family. The more people you reach out to…the more you’ll be able to benefit from the holidays!
So, as we get closer and closer to Christmas, use your knowledge of AP retail (and treatments!) along with a little creativity and organization to really succeed this holiday season!

Prepare for Cold Weather with Phenomen’all

The seasons are changing and after a couple days of having the temperature in the low 60s, some of us are feeling the effects of the colder weather. As we delve more into the season of fall, our heaters turn on and our showers become hotter. All of these present some challenges for our skin. As if the cold, dry air isn’t problem enough, the heat from our heaters and the hot water from showers both lead to dry skin. This isn’t the most pleasant condition to deal with especially when it can make your skin scaly and cause makeup to look flaky.

The easiest way to deal with this pesky condition is hydration! Keeping skin well hydrated is the number one way to keep dryness at bay. Phenomen’all is a super hydrating lotion that works well for all skin types. A tiny drop of Phenomen’all added to body lotion or even a little to your facial moisturizer will ensure your skin receives the hydration it needs. And for those who need something stronger, just use Phenomen’all as a moisturizer all by itself. While this is ideal for combating dry skin, make sure to really massage it into the skin so that it’s absorbed well.

Marketing your Brand

In the business world, marketing plays a huge role in the success of a product or business. How you market and who you target are important factors to take into account. Is your product or service geared towards certain skin types? Can anyone use your product? Is it affordable for everyone? Once you have an answer to questions such as these, you can work on marketing your product properly.

There are several things to remember when trying to market a product or service. Three of these include location, content and branding. When all three work together, marketing becomes much easier.

When creating a poster, advertisement, flyer ect, always pay attention to your content and the most important thing to remember is that you want your business name and information (telephone #, address) to be clearly visible. Posters and ads shouldn’t have too much writing. You want to catch a person’s attention quick and give them an idea of what you’re offering. A poster with a ton of writing is more likely to be passed over than one with an eye catching picture. For flyer and handouts, you can add more information since it’s something you’re actually giving to people. Still, keep it short and sweet. A little intro to your business and what you provide are important and adding information such as benefits and promotions/deals can help further interest people.

Location: Determining the right location to market depends on who exactly you’re trying to get interested. You want to make sure that your ads, posters, flyers and handouts reach their intended targets therefore you need to get informed on where the people you’re trying to reach hang out.
Branding: You don’t have to be a big name to start utilizing branding for marketing. One way to use branding to your advantage includes using your business or product logo for all your marketing materials. No matter what it is—poster, flyer, postcard, handouts—always make sure to add your logo. Other factors such as style of writing, colors used and slogans also work well for trying to brand your business.

In this day and age, the Internet is one of your best marketing tools. Millions of people can access the internet on their cellphones, computers and tablets. When it comes to the internet, having a website is a must. Here, you can utilize all of your marketing materials in one place. Your website can also help increase your “brand” awareness. In addition, the internet also lets you reach a wide variety of people by means of internet advertising.

Lastly, there’s social media. With so many websites to choose from such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, your business is presented with several opportunities. By joining a social media, not only can you extend your reach but current customers can help market your business. Whenever a satisfied customer posts about your business on any one of the social media platforms, he or she is getting the word out to their friends about your services and product. It’s free advertising!