#salon systems

[tabbycasto]

The Purge (Cruelty Free dupes for makeup artist and enthusiasts) Round 2

Continuing on from my previous thread about transitioning to a cruelty free kit, here are some more dupes of products that I have managed to swap over.

The Black Khol Pencil

[Photography @carlosbournphotography]

This was an easy swap to make. There are plenty of other black kohl pencils that are just as good but I like that this one is also organic. I’ve switched my Mac Smolder and Graphblack Liner for Inika’s Black Khol Pencil. 

Formulated with Certified Organic Coconut oil for added softness and nourishment.

Rich and creamy consistency is unparalleled in the world of natural liners.

Suitable for sensitive eyes.

Easy-glide formula makes achieving dramatic looks simple

 Lasts all day

Whats not to love?! 

The Coloured Brow Gel 

[Photography John Cubillan / Model Rebecca @ Premier]

Moving out are my Mac Pro Longwear Water Proof Brow Gels and moving in are these Eylure Brow Magician Duo Crayon and Tinted Gel. One end gives subtle colour and the lid unscrews on the other end to give a more intense gel tint. You can easily find these at Superdrug and Boots and they have a huge range of colours. 

The Brow Bone Highlighter Stick

[Photography Fabiana Delcanton]

I love highlights of every kind. Dewy, matte... on the brow bone, on the cheek bone, on the upper lip...I can’t get enough. Moving out are my Benefit High Brow and Eye Bright Pencils and some random limited edition Mac Technikhol in a nude colour and moving in is this FANTASTIC duo from Salon System. One end gives a nude shimmer and the other a matte finish. This makes it a versatile product that saves space and I’m loving it. 

The Brow Pomade 

[Photography Matuesz Sitek / Retouching Stefka Pavlova]

Speaking of brow bones, brows and all things of that nature, moving out is my coloured Nars Brow Wax and moving in these Eylure Brow Pomades. The colour range is great, they’re long wearing and a little goes along way. 

The Liquid Eye Makeup Remover

Goodbye Mac Eye & Lip Makeup Remover and hello 3ina Eyes & Lip Makeup Remover. Another easy swap over. I’m also loving the Inika Makeup Removers as well which have a really pleasant smell. If you’re not keen on the large packaging its fairly easy to find decantable travel size bottles at places like Muji. 

More cruelty free dupes coming soon in Round 3 of my kit purge! If you have any successful experiences switching up your kit or trying new cruelty free makeup I’d love to hear about them! Feel free to leave a comment :) 

[tabbycasto]

Gellux Multi-Chrome & Chrome Mirror Kit Review

Having been introduced to Salon Systems recently I have been getting familiar with the Gellux range! Chrome nails have been trending for at least two years now and I don’t see this trend going away anytime soon. Every Gel System offers something different and Salon System don’t disappoint with their Multi-Chrome and Chrome Mirror Kit. 

*Please note these products are for qualified nail professionals only 

As well as the 3 chrome powders that come in each box,  you also receive a little packet of eyeshadow applicators to rub the chrome into the nail (these are particularly adorable) : 

Chrome Mirror Kit  

Prep the nails as per usual for a gel manicure by filing the nail into shape, sanitising the nail plate, gently buffing the surface of the nail, removing any dead skin on the surface of the nail, wiping with Gellux Prep & Wipe and then using the Gellux Bond

Apply base coat and two colour coats curing after each

Apply top coat and cure and wipe off the sticky layer with a lint free wipe which allows the chrome to adhere more easily

Buff the chrome into the nail with the eyeshadow applicator / dust away excess powder with a lint free wipe

Apply topcoat over the chrome to seal it in paying particular attention to the cuticle area/free edges so as to encase the chrome fully

After having a proper play with these products I felt the Silver was my favourite. It gave a really high shine mirror finish that looks very chic. The Gold comes out as more of a soft sparkly sheen as does the Mermaid finish (seen above) which do look very pretty over pale shades like Cherry Blossom. 

Tips 

Chrome isn’t the easiest of nail art products to work with. To make it easier here are a few tips ! 

1. I find curing the topcoat twice helps remove more solvents and makes it better for chrome to stick to the nail plate once the sticky residue has been removed

2. Once a layer of chrome has been applied, I lightly go over the nail with a lint free wipe to remove any excess dust so it doesn’t end up contaminating my base/top coat. 

3. I also discovered that, with these chromes, I felt two coats worked best. Below you can see the Silver Chrome on top of a cured base coat, and two cured coats of Cherry Blossom. The first image is with one layer of Silver chrome. The second is with topcoat cured and wiped of its tacky layer and a second layer of Silver Chrome on top : 

The finished result is gorgeous : 

Multi Chrome Kit 

The Multi Chrome Kit works a little differently than the Mirror Chrome Kit. Firstly it’s less like a powder consistancey and is more “flake-like”. With a patting motion you can crate a speckled effect with the powders, but if you want an all over finished look I would suggest really rubbing the flakes into the nail surface after removing the sticky layer. Below is Rose Gold which I used to create a pretty burnished look over the top of the Gellux Black Tulip Gel Polish : 

All these products are available at local distributors through salonsystems.com and throughout the spring I’ll be posting more chrome inspired nails with these products on my instagram @tabbyfa ! 

[tabbycasto]

Product Review : Salon System Natural Lash + Marvel Brow

New week new review! I’ve been trying out some new Salon System products. I never realised this company had such a huge rang of professional makeup products, which you’ll be pleased to are cruelty free! Later this week I’ll be reviewing their famous Gellux Gel Polish but for now, it’s all about the eyes! 

Salon System Natural Lash 

Salon System have a huge range of natural eyelashes which are fantastic for any fellow makeup artists. As you can see, there is a great range of diverse styles, lengths, and textures which are great quality. I  would 100% recommend this brand to fellow makeup artists as well as anyone looking for a  natural lash range, especially as the hairs are natural and not synthetic which make for a more realistic finish. 

On a recent job for  Head Hunters I experimented with the new lashes. I was asked to create a a striking classic look which would be seen from a stage, so I needed a pair of lashes that had volume but still looked believable, I opted for  Salon System Natural Lash Volume 100 (see below). I found these easy to apply, the base/spine of the lashes are just the right size to fit comfortably and secretly around the lash line. Each pack comes with a little latex eyelash glue which also works very well and stays in place. All in all these did the job perfectly and I’m excited to impliment this range into my kit. 

Natural Lash Volume 100 Lashes  

Marvel Brow Contour Palette 

Upon discovering this brand, I was also introduced to a rather exciting Brow Palette with 12 varying shades and tones. (Another product ideal for makeup artists!) The packaging is smart and easy to carry around with a decent protective lid. As well as the brow colours, you will also receive a small dual ended brow brush with a comb and brush which is handy : 

I have to say this will be a kit staple - I have a little pouch full of random eyebrow creams / waxes and colours and this palette just makes life so much easier. From redheads and strawberry blonde to deeper brown shades the palette is full of options and even comes with a little highlighter for the brow bone. I can’t fault it :  

Below I used the Mid Brown shade on Holly’s eyebrows. She’d recently dyed her hair auburn red and you can see a before/after finish below. You don’t need to apply much product when using this palette as the colours are very pigmented (which is fantastic) : 

On myself I found the Blonde shade to be just perfect (below is before/after) : 

Marvel Brow Matte & Shimmer Highlighter 

Another really exciting brow product available at Salon System is their stick highlighter. Similar to Benefit’s High Brow this is a really easy to use cream stick highlighter, but with the added perk of having the option of a matte or shimmer finish - genius! This is such a simple idea, but I haven’t seen it done before. This will also be going straight into my makeup kit! 

Swatched below are the matte/shimmer shades.  You can see the matte side on top which does have a subtle sheen which picks up in the light nicely. The shimmer side is very frosted and makes for a really gorgeous cheek/inner-eye highlighter too : 

I’m really pleased with all of the products I’ve tried so far. I’d definitely recommend the brand. Products do what they say, are nicely packaged and are available in several locations which you can find here : http://www.salonsystem.com/storelocator/index/index/

More to come later this week - stay posted ! 

[barberasoftware]

Why Multi-Location Growth is the Next Big Step

For many salon owners, opening a second or third branch is the natural next step after initial success. But scaling a salon business is not just about opening new locations — it’s about maintaining consistency, control, and profitability across all branches.

Without the right systems, expansion can quickly turn into chaos.

Barbera is salon management software designed to enhance customer experiences and drive business growth. Features include online booking, au