More women are pampering themselves by heading to salons

Dec. 16--Holiday party coming up? You've got the dress, the shoes, the accessories. But do you have the hair? It's not just wedding parties and girls getting ready for proms who are paying stylists to put together their look. Stylists at some local salons say more clients are coming in for a full holiday package, engaging them to blow dry and style their hair and do their makeup in preparation for holiday parties. "A lot more people are coming in to get their makeup done," said Angela Sciumbata, a stylist with Tina's Salon and Day Spa in West Reading. At Bell Tower Salon and Spa, Wyomissing, clients can opt for a Glam To Go package, a 45-minute to hour-long service that includes blow dry, style and makeup. Jenn Alexander, a stylist and lead network educator at the salon, said she thinks TV shows like "Sex and the City" have influenced more women to pamper themselves, which may be fueling the trend. "People have been indulging more lately," she said. And both she and Sciumbata said time may be a factor, especially during the hectic holiday season. Having a stylist put together your evening look ensures you'll get what you want -- and a style that will last -- without a lot of fuss or do-overs at home, Sciumbata said. In and out over lunch And with Bell Tower's package, Alexander said, you can be in and out during your lunch break, leaving you one less thing to do in the evening. "The main thing, I think, though, is product," Sciumbata said, explaining that although many of the blow-dry styles achieved at a salon could be replicated at home, having the proper hair care products is important in creating the look and having it last throughout the night. So what are the women asking for? When it comes to makeup, women are embracing the holidays with golds, glitter, reds and pinks. Shimmery powders are a popular accent for the face and chest, according to Boscov's East, Exeter Township, Beauty Center aesthetician and makeup artist Angela Witmoyer. And while smoky evening eye makeup is still popular, Witmoyer said, women are achieving a more subtle, natural look through techniques such as using shadow to line their eyes. Browns and pale pinks are popular shadow colors; lips are being kept natural with pale pinks and beiges, or by using stains with gloss, Witmoyer said, although Cookie Ganter, director of Boscov's Beauty Centers, said to expect some red lips to pop up during the holiday season. Red eyeshadow Red also is a new eyeshadow option for the holidays at Tina's, Sciumbata said. And at Bell Tower, mauve and plum are popular lip colors, Alexander said. As for hair, stylists agreed that loose, natural-looking curls and a lot of shine are the most popular options for party hair styles. "Winter's great for curls, because you don't have frizzy curls," Sciumbata said. Women are keeping the curls down, or pulling them back in loose up-dos. "Things are much looser," Ganter said. "A lot more casual, and softer. Curls are softer. "They want it to look like they did it themselves." Said Alexander: "Holiday up-dos are usually pretty simple -- people don't go all-out like they would for a wedding." But she and Ganter both said they see the trend toward simple, natural-looking up-dos continuing into more formal events, even weddings. Ganter said she's even done wedding parties where the women chose simple, sleek ponytails. And Alexander said she's seen wedding parties wearing their hair down in waves, or choosing a deep side part with the hair swept across the top of the face. Both also said hair accessories are popular this holiday season. Feathers, pins and even clipon colored hair extensions that add a highlight-like splash of color to a do all are popular, Ganter said. And Alexander said jeweled headbands and barrettes are popular accessories at Bell Tower.

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