Meet our top talent!  Q&A with Noëlle Esthetician Bailey Peters

How long have you been doing Skin Care?
I have been an esthetician at Noëlle for almost 8 years and in the skin care industry for over 12 years.

What are a few of your tips for having beautiful, healthy skin?
My feeling is that beauty isn’t skin deep. It is very important to take good care of our faces using the right products topically, but our faces show a lot about how we take care of the rest of us. Things like proper sleep and a good diet play a key role on how healthy your skin looks. And most importantly, our happiness and self confidence. A woman who has these qualities radiates beauty.

Your ‘must-have’ products while performing a facial for a guest at Noëlle:
My favorite products to use in the treatment room are Decléor’s night balms. The balms are a 100% natural cocktail of essentials oils that smell delicious and melt right into the skin. There is one perfectly designed for every skin type and they can be used at home for your daily night treatment.

You have a unique offering at Noëlle, tell us about it:
Yes, I have recently become a Massage Therapist (and Reiki Master). Anyone can see me now for either a facial or massage. A lot of my clients like to spend 2 hours doing back to back services with me. Very relaxing!

I’ve heard some buzz that Noëlle is adding an exciting new spa service?
Noëlle is currently putting together a new service that incorporates Reiki into a full body relaxation massage. This service will not only give healing to the physical body but also to our mind and spirit. Keep an eye on the website, it’s coming soon!

To schedule an appointment with Bailey, call 203.322.3445.
 

Meet our top talent!  Q&A with Noëlle Hair Stylist Michelle Sloditski

What inspired you to become a hair stylist?
My sister was my inspiration to become a hair stylist. I went to college for fashion and my job just wasn’t doing it for me. I didn’t feel like I was able to be creative and I just wasn’t satisfied. My sister was my support group and my inspiration to start a career in hair. She motivated me to start my second career and has kept supporting me through school, assisting, and now being behind the chair! I love what I do!

How important is continuing education to a stylist?
Continuing education is very important to me. It keeps me up-to-date in knowing what the latest trends are! It also challenges me to be the best stylist I can be. I chose to work at Noëlle because of the new talent education program. The salon really helps new stylists learn not only how to do a great hair cut or blow dry but how to make each client have a special experience. I’m proud that I work at Noëlle and that I went through the new talent program! Jason and Renae are amazing educators!

Your a liaison to one of our favorite product lines ‘Shu Uemura’. What is your involvement with them & how does that benefit the guest at Noëlle?
I am a haigo artist for Shu Uemura! What this means is that I work with Shu each year to learn the collection, and new products and help educate through demonstrations and teaching in salons that carry the Shu Uemura product line. This years collection is Calligraphy Uprising. I sent pictures of an updo I did that represented the collection to me. I used calligraphy in the sense of looping and spiraling and uprising as rebellion and hard lines. We also learned at this years training the new products that will be coming out. There is a product for volume. A product for the scalp. A continuation of our favorite oil and a new color conditioning line. They will be unveiled this year and are super exciting and are must haves for everyone! Keep checking in at the salon for more information.

Who is your style Icon?
I’m not sure if I can name one style icon that I really have. I loved Alexander McQueen when I was in school at F.I.T. I am more inspired by fabric. I love to see the movement and draping of fabric. The colors and shapes. I look at hair as a canvas and use it to create movement just like I would with fabric.

What trends do you see for Spring/Summer 2012?
I am really excited to see natural beauty this Spring/Summer. I like the idea of using your natural texture and really amping that up. I love curls and think that the bounce and movement of them is really sexy. At the other end of the spectrum I love the look of bold colors. A block of pink or a dash of blue is a really bold way to get noticed!

Favorite way to spend a lazy day?
My favorite way to spend a lazy day is to have fun! I really enjoy being goofy while hanging out with friends. Having a dance party in my living room. Going to play mini golf. Or even just watching old movies

To schedule an appointment with Michelle, call 203.322.3445.
 

Meet our top talent!  Q&A with Noëlle Colorist Albert Bachleda

How long have you had the pleasure to be a Colorist at Noëlle?
17 years

Summer Forecast for Hair Color? Shades? New techniques?
Light buttery blondes for Summer…warmer tones in darker hair 1 or 2 levels up from base levels.

What Shampoo & Conditioner do you believe to be the best to maintain healthy, beautiful hair color?
I love L’Oreal Absolut Repair for very dry hair and L’Oreal Vitamino Color Potective for others. It’s based on the clients type of hair and what will work best for them. All of our shampoo and conditioners are high quality so I recommend based on the clients hair type and what their hair needs are.

What inspires the shades of color you suggest for clients?
I look at their eye color, skin tone, level of present hair color, and what the client is looking for. Then I give my personal opinion where they should be with their color to maximize the result and minimize the maintenance.

We know you have a deep love for Cher. What is it about her that makes you such a fan?
Cher is an iconic star! She has changed her music with each decade and is going on 50 years!!!!!! with incredible success. She tells it like it is and what she believes in. She stays true to herself…plus you can dance the night away to her music!!!

To schedule an appointment with Albert, call 203.322.3445.
 

Our keynote speaker, Brad Stackhouse, showed how we could increase our personal fulfillment even as we become more focused on our personal success. He demonstrated how those two goals relate to one another and how that relationship actually holds the key to how we relate to one another and our guests.
His definition of a business’ purpose…to develop and maintain clients…stated a simple fact that often gets lost in the shuffle of everyday occurrences.
His program of ABC…Activating events carry Consequences that follow Beliefs…helped us to clarify our own reactions to situations that sometimes defy reason.
His Success/Fulfillment continuum’s gave us a way to view our development that amplified our Education Day’s theme of “Beyond the Paycheck”.

One Word…Brilliant.

Our Own Donna Scannapieco then led us on a journey thru the process she follows in bringing her brand of accommodation and desire fulfillment to so many of our guests. The heart of her approach is her interest in developing relationships. The rewards of her approach are felt by the guests she touches, the staff who benefit from her boundless energy, and our company as she proclaims our virtues to one and all.

One Word…Brilliant.

Our dear friend Buddy Feldshon regaled us with stories and “buddyisms” that pointed out ways to be a point of connection to every one of our guests. The Noëlle Experience is central to our differentiation in this environment so loaded with competition vying for attention in a tenuous economy. He helped define what our Experience is and what we could do to improve it.

One Word…Brilliant.

The great team from Emiliani Distributors/Logics, Kathy Serra, April Cavender, Kim Amendola and Lasha Keller, presented a forecast for the coming season. What colours, what styles, what looks will be the dominating forces as the spring turns to summer. The theme was “Graffiti” which explored the street ethic and how that ethic has shaped today’s fashions, design, and political expression. Historically, we have always been at the forefront of style and our future will amplify and build on that tradition. The “Graffiti Presentation” defined that future for us.

One Word…Brilliant.

Our local & nationally famous dermatologist, Dr Drugge presented a class on identifying skin conditions that might be advance notices of more serious problems. It was education with purpose. Dr Drugge’s generous nature and informative manner added to our store of knowledge benefiting ourselves and our guests.

One Word…Brilliant.

The staff of Noëlle Spa acknowledges all our speakers & contributors. Our hearts are yours for believing so deeply in us and spending time to further our lives and improve our company. Thank you.

One Word…Brilliant.

And One More…Onward.

Whenever we are struck with a sentiment, we are fond of saying in jest, “…it’s a good thing that we are not emotional…” The truth is that the slightest nod sets us off and indeed our emotions are on high alert at this time of the year.

A dear friend of mine goes to stores that have Lay-A-Way programs and offers to pay the balances on gifts for people she will never know. She does it un-announced and un-heralded. She does it for the sheer joy of doing something that grows her heart. She stirs my emotions and inspires my thoughts.

As we cozy into our eves and brighten into our days, remember and hold dear these emotional rises. They hold lessons that are as undeniable as a child’s trust…

To give is better than to receive.
No matter how tough we think we have it, we are the lucky ones.
Our abundance comes with a responsibility to share.

Remember especially that feelings can’t be bought nor can they be sold. But they are there for the taking and they do mean a “…great deal more…”.

Whatever your holiday, hold the idea of it sacred and share it’s meaning with your family and friends.

…merry all…jingle and joy…peter

As such, every season has its centerpiece dishes. Winter is a perfect time for hot, robust meals in varied combinations…and a favorite for years, has been escarole and pepperoni soup, an odd combination that has an ability to ward off advancing chills and calm feverish thoughts. Simple preparation is key and ingredients are substitutable with others only at the peril of sacrificing the rich and abundant taste that the original recipe will deliver. I do not know how or when pepperoni got into this basic Italian chicken soup. Speculation points towards “…it was there, so i threw it in…”. Whatever the circumstances, the results are terrific. This is fast food at its best.

A word about chicken broth…For this, I use College Inn, full strength, sodium loaded. Yes, I know about the dire consequences of salt intake and I understand the benefits of healthy eating and mostly I follow those tenants. However, when I need what this particular brand of canned liquid delivers, that’s what I need. Feel free to substitute your home-made broth or reduced sodium brand or any other choice that feels right to you.

A word about pasta…it’s spelled de Cecco…period. Yes, I will use others when a particular shape is needed and not available. But I know exactly what I am sacrificing when I do that. de Cecco cooks right, can be dialed into exactly the al dente I so prize, and, to my taste is the best boxed pasta available. The choice of pastas is yours as well, but always use a small type, the larger pastas will totally dominate this soup and the resultant loss of presentation isn’t acceptable in polite company.

A word about pepperoni…use Margarita Brand. There are a gazillion brands out there. In many cases there might be better eating pepperoni sticks than this. However, in this soup, use this brand the first time, understand what flavors it adds to the mix, then experiment in subsequent outings.

A word about garlic…it’s a matter of taste. But don’t be afraid to use copious amounts here as it mellows in the process.

That’s it. Could it be simpler? Let me know how it works for you.

Peter de Caprio