Beauty isn’t just about fabulous hair or great makeup. It’s about health and wellness too. That’s why Amber Woodall decided to incorporate medical-grade skincare services into her salon. Having healthy, beautiful skin (and hair) goes far beyond just appearances, though.
It affects your mental well-being too, and more than you may realize.
Part of Amber’s mission for Alkali is to support all aspects of wellness at her salons. After all, when you look good, you feel good—and vice versa. In this interview, Amber talks about her decision to introduce skincare services to Alkali and opens up about her own personal struggles with her skin.
Why did you decide to add skincare to your salon?
One of my goals when first opening my own salon focused on what I wouldn’t do—and that was to be like every other hair salon out there. So, when the opportunity for expansion presented itself, I knew right away that bringing skin care to Alkali was the way to go. It aligned perfectly with my overarching vision for beauty and wellness.
Just like with quality hair care, I found the Piedmont-Triad area lacking when it came to healthy, performance-driven skincare products. This stemmed from my own frustrations after being sold series after series of services, and not seeing good results—especially with products for-home regimes. I knew a lot of people who experienced the same lackluster results, so I decided to do something about it.
How did you go about choosing your skincare lines?
It was actually a client of mine that led me to Environ. During her visits, we both lamented about the distinct “looks” other skincare lines give people’s skin. Over time, I could (almost always) tell what a person was using on their skin just by looking at them due to their skin’s appearance and barrier issues. After the client started using Environ, her skin was visibly healthier every time I saw her. It was a no-brainer to try it myself, and once I did, I knew it would be a game-changer for anyone who tried it.
What makes your skincare line special?
Before I dive into what makes the line special, I think it’s important to acknowledge that our estheticians are just as passionate about skin as our stylists are about hair. Both have been in the industry for many years and have a passion for learning—truly masters of their craft and always seeking out new and exciting ways to deliver results.
Okay, back to the question. Dr. Des, creator of Environ, invented a complex of Vitamin A, peptides, and other vitamins and minerals that nourished the skin back to health—with no flaking, peeling, or redness. In my line of work, I can’t afford to let my skin peel like a snake while I’m waiting on my skin to get to the “good stage.” I mean, who does want to wait for that? Deep down, I had always questioned if what I was using on my skin was doing more harm than good. When I learned how other skincare lines work compared to Environ, I felt completely justified in my decision to use Environ for my personal use and for the salon.
Are there any skincare services you don’t offer?
Even though we have a medical director, we do not offer injectables or med spa services as those can only be administered by licensed PA or Doctor. Also, we currently don’t offer full body services (except waxing and back treatments) at this time due to space constraints. But we have expansion plans for our skincare facilities, which we hope to complete in 2023.
Lots of exciting things coming!
Are your services solely beauty-focused or can they also help overall skin health?
The thing is, healthy skin is beautiful skin! We treat issues that affect overall skin health—and then your skin takes it from there. When the skin’s needs are met, it transforms and heals itself. It’s pretty amazing, really.
Can your services help common skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, etc?
Absolutely! All of these things conditions can be treated with vitamins and minerals. Collectively, our estheticians have over 40 years of experience. They’ve treated everything and know what works—and just as importantly—what doesn’t.
What are your most popular services and why?
Right now, our most popular service is a combo of the HydraFacial with an Environ Cool Peel. This winning combination gives you instant gratification and longer-lasting results than a typical HydraFacial. These services diminish the appearance of pores, giving you the deepest clean you can imagine. The Environ Cool Peels are specially formulated to not peel or burn your skin. Rather, they assist in cell turnover, which allows your skin to uncover those fresh new layers—but without the downtime that comes with other skin treatments.
Our second most popular is our Triawave facial. Word is just now getting out about the benefits of microcurrents and how they assist in firming and plumping your skin. Triawave uses sonophoresis and iontophoresis ion delivery to drive our already amazing products deeper into the skin, maximizing results. This is a great way to take your facial from zero to 100. The microcurrent features work to increase muscle tone, reduce puffiness, increase cellular activity, and tighten pores. There’s a reason it’s nicknamed the “natural facelift!” And this happens to be my personal favorite treatment!
Are all your skincare services gender-inclusive?
Of course! Alkali prides itself in being a gender-neutral salon. Everyone deserves healthy skin (and hair) and to look their best. Many people have issues with their skin when undergoing hormone or medical treatments. We’re happy to help tackle those issues if they arise.
Any special or unique use cases for any of your skincare services?
Our salon offers a unique HydraFacial service called Keravive. Keravive is a scalp treatment aimed at slowing hair loss and stimulating dormant hair follicles. This is a relaxing treatment designed to cleanse, exfoliate, nourish, and hydrate the scalp for healthier and fuller-looking hair and works for all skin and hair types. This in-salon treatment is paired with at-home care to ensure the scalp gets what it needs. A healthy scalp produces healthy hair.
Why is skincare so important?
Confidence! I have dealt with horrible skin for most of my life. I was made fun of terribly in middle school and high school due to cystic acne. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I was able to start improving this issue. Not only is your skin one of the first things others see, but it’s also what you notice most when looking in the mirror. And I know firsthand that if you’re having a severe issue with your skin—especially on your face—you don’t feel confident. You just don’t “walk as tall.”
I want to help others have healthy skin so they don’t have to go through some of the things I did!
How do you go about choosing your estheticians?
First off, any Alkali employee must have good character and support the overall vision of the salon. I look for emphatic, caring, and passionate people. Next are experience, knowledge, and technique. All of these things are vital to Alkali’s mission and overall success.
Anything else you want to share about skincare?
I think most people don’t realize the benefits that regular facials provide. Getting regular facials will drastically change your makeup routine. You simply don’t need to cover up healthy skin! Instead of hiding it, you can enhance your skin’s natural beauty—all you need is the help of the right professional.
Healthy Skin Can Change Your Life
If you’re dealing with a skin issue, we can help! You don’t have to just “live with it.” There are options and our estheticians are highly knowledgeable and passionate about skincare and are dedicated to providing you with life-changing results.
Ready for healthy, gorgeous skin? Call us or book online and you’ll be “glowing” before you know it.
