Leigh Raeder-All Things Beauty

WORLD BARBER DAY — Honoring the People Behind the Chair

Today, we celebrate the people behind the chair. ✂️

The ones who listen. Create. Transform. Build confidence. And turn a haircut, beard service or fresh style into something that can completely change how someone feels walking out the door.

Barbering is more than a service. It’s craftsmanship, connection and community.

To the barbers who bring their talent, passion and personality to the chair every day—today we celebrate you.

Happy Barber Appreciation Day. 🖤

Well…it finally happened. 😂

After YEARS of 5-star reviews, I received my very first **4-star review.** ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So naturally, I read it wondering where I dropped the ball…

✨ “An absolute dream to work with.”
✨ “Everyone looked stunning.”
✨ “The makeup stayed put all day long.”
✨ “Made everyone feel so comfortable.”
✨ “Getting ready was one of my favorite parts of the day.”
✨ “I would recommend her in a heartbeat.”

Ummm… 🤔😂

As it turns out, my sweet bride had accidentally selected 4 stars instead of 5—and unfortunately, correcting a rating after it's submitted isn't always as simple as clicking another star.

We both got a laugh out of it, and honestly, her beautiful words meant far more to me than that missing little ⭐️ ever could. ❤️

**BUT…here's something I didn't really think about until this happened:**

Review platforms and algorithms don't necessarily understand the story behind a rating. And when you're a small business, even one star can make a difference in your overall rating.

So I'm turning my first-ever 4-star review into a little PSA. 😉

If I've had the privilege of doing your hair or makeup for your wedding, photos, special event—or at any point during my 30+ years in the beauty industry—and you loved your experience, would you consider leaving me a review?

It costs absolutely nothing, but those little ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ can make a BIG difference to a small business—especially when future brides are trying to decide who they can trust with such an important day.

**Want to help me earn that little star back? ⭐️😉**

I'll put my WeddingWire, Zola and Facebook review links in the comments to make it easy.

And to the bride, if you happen to see this—I'm still smiling about my first-ever 4-star “Amazing Work” review. 😂❤️ Thank you for trusting me to be part of such a special day!

Hair & Makeup by me 🌻

Celebrate World Beard Day in style! 🧔✨

Root & Bloom Salon Source is officially the exclusive US provider for Barberian — a luxury grooming line with organic ingredients - crafted in Australia and designed for the modern gentleman.

To celebrate, we’re looking for handsome faces to feature! Share your beard photos in the comments below for a chance to win free Barberian products as a gift from us. 🎁

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💈 ATTENTION US BARBERS & STYLISTS💈

Are you looking to elevate your service and boost your retail revenue without the retail headache? We are actively seeking out Brand Ambassadors to represent Barberian in the US.

Here’s why you’ll love partnering with us:

Exclusive Access: Use a top-tier, luxury line in your daily services.

Zero Online Competition: Barberian is not sold on Amazon or through big-box online retailers. Your clients can only purchase these products directly through you as an authorized ambassador.

Seamless Extension of Service: Offer your clients a premium product they can't get anywhere else.

Ready to claim exclusivity in your area? Inbox us today for more info!👇

✨ NEW CUSTOM BLEND OPTION! ✨

You already love having makeup created specifically for your skin, your shade and your preferences… and now we can customize the wear too. 💜

I’ve added Waterproof Mixing Liquid to my Custom Blend arsenal!
This little powerhouse can be incorporated directly into your custom formula to help extend wear and improve durability—perfect for long days, warm weather, humidity, special events, happy tears… or simply when you want your makeup to stay looking beautiful longer. 💧✨

And the best part? You don’t have to do anything differently. When it’s time for your next Custom Blend refill, just let me know you’d like the Waterproof option, and I’ll incorporate it right into your formula when I mix it.

Because custom makeup shouldn’t stop at finding your perfect shade. We can customize how it looks, feels AND performs. 💜
Want to add Waterproof to your next refill? Just message me!

After more than 30 years in the beauty industry, it takes a lot to impress me.

In fact, years ago, I stopped offering keratin treatments altogether.

The results were beautiful, but I couldn't get past the strong fumes, irritated eyes, and concerns about what stylists and clients were being exposed to during the service. I figured that was simply the price you paid for smooth, frizz-free hair.

Then I discovered Cliove.

What immediately caught my attention wasn't just the results—it was the experience.

No harsh fumes. No burning eyes. No holding your breath while performing the service.

But what really sets it apart is what's inside.

Cliove combines advanced smoothing technology with nourishing, plant-based ingredients like argan oil, coconut oil, olive oil, botanical extracts, keratin, collagen, and vitamins that help support healthy, beautiful hair. Its organic-inspired approach focuses on thoughtfully selected ingredients while delivering the performance professionals expect from a modern smoothing treatment.

It's a more modern approach that focuses not only on transforming the hair's appearance, but also on helping maintain its health and integrity.

As someone who has spent three decades behind the chair, educating beauty professionals, and working with countless products, I don't get excited about many things anymore.

This one is different.

If you're a salon owner or stylist who has avoided offering keratin treatments because of concerns about fumes or harsh ingredients, I'd love to share what I've learned about Cliove and why so many professionals are taking a second look at smoothing services.

The industry has needed a better option for a long time. I believe we finally have one—an organic-minded, professional solution that brings together cleaner beauty principles and beautiful salon results.

✨ BRIDES: A beautiful Instagram feed doesn't always tell the whole story.

Choosing your bridal hair and makeup artist used to be fairly simple: look through their portfolio, read a few reviews and decide whether you liked their work.

Today, there's a little more to consider.

With AI-generated images, beauty filters and heavy photo editing, it's becoming increasingly difficult to know whether the work you're seeing online represents what an artist can actually create on a real person.

After 30+ years in the beauty industry, here are a few things I encourage every bride to look for when choosing her beauty professional:

📸 Look for REAL work on REAL clients.
A professional portfolio should show a variety of faces, skin textures, ages, hair types and finished looks. Perfectly poreless skin and flawless AI-style images may look beautiful—but they don't necessarily show you an artist's actual skill.

⭐ Read the reviews—not just the star rating.
What do real brides say about their experience? Was the artist punctual? Responsive? Organized? Did their hair and makeup last? Did they feel comfortable and cared for?

💄 Ask about training and experience.
Beautiful application is important, but so is knowing how to work with different skin types, mature skin, different hair textures, challenging timelines, photography, weather and the organized chaos that can sometimes come with a wedding morning!

🧼 Ask about sanitation.
When one artist may be working with several people in a matter of hours, proper sanitation and preventing cross-contamination are incredibly important.

As a licensed Wisconsin cosmetologist, sanitation, infection control and safe professional practices have been part of my professional education throughout my career. As a Global Educator, it's something I teach to other professionals.

🛡️ Look for professionalism.
Insurance, licensing, contracts, clear policies, preparedness and professional communication may not make an exciting Instagram Reel—but they're incredibly important when you're trusting someone with your wedding day.

📱 Pay attention to communication.
How you're treated before you book can tell you a lot about how you'll be treated afterward. Prompt, clear communication should give you confidence—not leave you wondering what's happening.

After more than three decades in this industry, I'm incredibly proud that my business has been built on more than pretty pictures.

It's been built on real clients, real results, professional education, experience, prompt communication and years of 5-star reviews.

Technology may change.

Beauty trends will definitely change.

But experience, professionalism and trust never go out of style. 🤍