Great Lengths Cut-A-Thon for Sick Kids’ Hospital

Yes, it’s only March, but we are gearing up already for our third annual SickKids Cut-A-Thon!


Every June, the team at Great Lengths opens on a Sunday and offers regular-priced haircuts and mini-makeovers with proceeds going to the SickKids Hospital Foundation. But it’s not just haircuts—we make it a party! Last year guests enjoyed a BBQ and bake sale, and everyone got a goodie bag valued at over $40.

Watch our blog and our Facebook page for more information on this year’s Cut-A-Thon.

To learn more about the wonderful work that SickKids has done since its founding in 1875, we invite you to read its history. The hospital began in a rented 11-room house, but demand for its services quickly grew. Over the years, SickKids was involved in groundbreaking research and initiatives to improve public health, including the push for pasteurization of milk, the invention of Pablum, and new surgeries for children with heart defects and dislocated hips.

Great Lengths Hair Gallery is thrilled to support the vital work done at SickKids. We hope to see you at our Cut-A-Thon in June!

Argan Oil and Other Natural Beauty Products Getting Lots of Attention

Argan oil, the ingredient used in the Moroccan Oil line of hair care products sold at Great Lengths, is making a name for itself in other areas. A recent Montréal Gazette story noted that in addition to shampoos and other hair treatments, argan oil is being used in body lotions, facial exfoliants, and lip glosses. One Canadian company is even planning to incorporate the oil into mascara.


Argan oil is pressed from the kernels of the argan nut, shown here. It has more vitamin E than olive oil and contains lots of Omega 3, 6, and 9. Its unique properties make it a powerful hydrator and anti-aging product.

There are some concerns about the sustainability of harvesting argan oil. Awareness of the care needed to harvest the oil is high, with major cosmetics firm L’Oréal issuing a statement about its responsible sourcing practices and others highlighting their organic, eco-certified argan oil. Co-ops have also been established to ensure responsible harvesting and to give workers a fair wage for extracting the oil from the tree’s seeds.

Argan oil also figured prominently in February’s Vivaness show, Europe’s leading trade fair for natural personal care and wellness. Along with argan oil, some other natural products also made headlines: sage, grape, lavender, juniper berry, cypress, rose, sallow thorn, ginger, lime, donkey’s milk, and seed oils of black cumin, pumpkin, raspberry, red grape and cranberry.

Sounds like some fascinating formulations await us at the cosmetics counter!

March is Nutrition Month!

We’ve talked about nutrition on our blog before, not just because it’s important for your physical health, but also because a balanced diet ensures that your hair and skin look their best.

March is Nutrition Month in Canada and, as pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis once said, “We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are.” With that quote in mind, we have pulled together some tips for improving your diet from dietitians across Canada.

The Vancouver Sun consulted various dietitians to get their best nutrition advice. You can read the whole article on the Sun’s website, but here are a few samples of the tips offered. To add more fruit to your diet try tossing a few berries in your cereal or making a fruit and yogurt smoothie in the morning. Watch for excess calories in the drinks you consume—lattes, energy drinks, beer, and wine can add a lot of extra calories per serving. And try to cook more and eat out less in order to get healthier, lower sodium meals.

 

Canada’s dietitians have been hard at work on a new cookbook, which they launched at the beginning of the month. The book is called Dietitians of Canada COOK! and it includes 275 recipes that use Canadian ingredients along with some basic cooking instructions.

If you are a little tentative about cooking for yourself or if you need help managing the grocery budget, there are some great tips here, including good ideas about where to get some basic instruction in cooking.

Bon Appetit!