The ‘Junior Style Academy’ is the brainchild of Jason Shankey, who aims to create careers for the best up and coming hairdressers, whilst also helping families whose budgets have been stretched during the difficult economic climate.

“We have spent over six months training our apprentices, free of charge, to help them become leading hairdressers, and they’re now ready to run the Academy”, said Shankey. “We’ve created a platform for them to hone their skills so that they can forge a great future career in the hairdressing industry, and at the same time, families can use the service to save money on their hairdressing bills”.

Brenda Shankey and her Apprentices

Over one million jobs have been lost to young people since 2007 and apprenticeships have been identified as one way to improve young peoples’ chances of gaining work.

“We’re committed to helping young people back to work by sharing with them the best skills available, and we’re committed to our community by helping to lower the cost of living”.

The Academies will operate from the company’s Ballyhackamore and Lisburn Road salons, with prices starting as low as £7.50 for a boy’s haircut and £10 for a man’s haircut.

Have a great Christmas and a happy new year! From all the team at Jason Shankey Male Grooming.

Jason Shankey Male Grooming at House of Fraser Belfast will open it’s doors to the public on 3rd November. You probably already know it’s been something we’ve been working on for quite a long time, so we’re delighted to finally announce it. You’ll find us on the menswear floor (upper ground floor) just to the left of Cafe Nero.

It’s a full service concession, which means we’ll be offering all of the same hairdressing and grooming services that we provide in our other shops. We’ll be doing some good launch offers too and a prize draw, so we do hope you’ll drop by and see us on opening week.
Also this month, we’ve been doing a lot of work with Movember, the month formerly known as November. It’s a moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men’s health.

I’m fronting the UK campaign with their main sponsor, Wilkinson Sword, and will be doing some filming for their video viral on Monday and Tuesday in our London Salon. Look out for it, since anything to do with Movember is normally hilarious. Click here for Wilkinson Sword’s Movember Facebook page.

The Movember campaign is great craic and we’ll be trying to raise some money ourselves. Look out for some dodgy moustaches in our salons next month (especially our staff members). If you’d like to join our team, or make a donation, we’d be delighted if you visited and joined our ‘Mo space page‘. This is where we will be keeping our customers and ‘Mo Bros’ up to date with our progress, and it’s also where people can donate. I hope you can drop by.

As with last year, we’ll be offering free moustache trims and ‘mo styling’ in all of our branches during Movember, and will happily shave off your Mo at the end of Movember if you have raised some money for the charity.

Finally, a few special offers for you which are valid until 18th November.

Ballyhackamore salon: Haircut, Shave and 30 Minute Massage £50 (22% off). 3 for 2 on Jason Shankey Expert products (lowest price product free).

Lisburn Road salon: £10 off any waxing treatment over £20. Additionally, £20 for a Tension, Neck and Back massage with Kim on Thursdays (save £15.35). 3 for 2 on Jason Shankey Expert products (lowest price product free).

House of Fraser salon (after 3rd November): 3 for 2 on Jason Shankey Expert products (lowest price product free). Prize draw for one of three Perfect Shave Gift Boxes.

Thanks for reading and I’ll hopefully be in touch on time next month.

Kind regards,

Jason.

Our contact details:

House of Fraser salon: Phone – TBA | Email – hof@jasonshankey.com | Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jasonshankeyhouseoffraserbelfast

Ballyhackamore salon: Phone – 028 9065 8001 | Email – belfast@jasonshankey.com | Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jasonshankeyballyhackamore

Lisburn Road salon: Phone – 028 9068 1291 | Email – lisburnroad@jasonshankey.com | Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jasonshankeylisburnroad

Fulham salon: Phone – 0207 386 3900 | Email – fulham@jasonshankey.com | Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jasonshankeyfulham

Jason Shankey Expert Male Grooming Products: Phone – 0845 124 9071 | Email – custserv@jasonshankey.co.uk | Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jasonshankeyexpert

All salons: http://www.jasonshankey.com | Twitter @JasonShankey

Moustache Season is almost upon us, so I’ve decided to register for Movember and embrace the hair of the wild. I’ve pledged to cultivate a genuine 100% face grown moustache for 30 days to raise awareness and funds for men’s health, specifically prostate and testicular cancer.

Now, I’m on the hunt for fellow trusty and fearless pioneers to join me by signing up to my team. Together we can change the face of men’s health.

To join my Movember team go to https://www.movember.com/uk/register/details/team_id/218014

Movember is about raising funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Did you know one man dies every hour from prostate cancer in the UK each year and more than 2,000 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer this year.
The more people we can get to become Citizens of Movember, the more lives we can impact. You can either grow a moustache as a Mo Bro, or join as a Mo Sista to show your support and help recruit other Mo growers to the team.

Once registered, Movember will send you all the information you need to raise funds and start raising awareness for men’s health as part of my Movember team.

If you’d like to find out more about the type of work you’d be helping to fund by supporting Movember, take a look at the Programmes We Fund section on the Movember website: http://uk.movember.com/about

Please join me at https://www.movember.com/uk/register/details/team_id/218014

Jason

Androgenic alopecia (male pattern hair loss) is a genetic affliction which is passed down through either your mothers or fathers genes and affects men who are sensitive to a hormone produced by the body called Dihydrotestosterone. This hormone gradually shrinks the hair follicles over the top of the scalp leading to the classic hair loss patterns known as Male Pattern Hair Loss.

Whilst you may be feeling uneasy at the prospect of losing some hair, bear in mind that it can often be a very long, drawn out process and you might not lose as much hair as you think. In fact, for many men, its not until their older years that the hair loss accelerates and becomes noticeable to others.

With half of the male population experiencing some hair loss, you will also find that other people will not notice it in the same way that you do. What seems like huge hair loss to you will not even be noticed by others.

What can you do?

The most important thing you can do is keep your hair short and neat. This will make your hair appear much thicker and healthier and will disguise your hair loss. Dont try to keep your hair longer in the thinning areas as this will only draw attention to the problem.

While most men are entirely satisfied by the result of a good haircut, there are also a number of treatments available although some of the clinically proven hair loss treatments are fairly expensive, and range from topical ointments (Minoxidil) to daily tablets (Propecia) through to hair transplants. At the time of writing, there are only a handful of drugs on the market which can effectively stop hair loss and in some cases bring back lost hair. Due to possible side effects, some treatments should only be used following a consultation with a GP, Trichologist or Dermatologist.

VIP Room

Since I bought Adobe CS5 last year, I’ve got a new penchant for graphic design and photography, and have enjoyed making up all of the artwork, and taking the photos for our new marketing campaign – Affordable luxury!

We’ve decided to expand our business during this time of economic unrest, by diversifying into a broader market, and have built a completely new salon within our Ballyhackamore branch called The Loft.

The Loft

Prices in The Loft start at just £10 and you can view our complete price list by clicking HERE. Value is key at the moment, and all of our stylists have been through my personal training programme to ensure the service we offer you is unrivalled. If cost has been a barrier to visiting us in the past, then we hope to see you soon for some of our renowned hospitality. Sit back with a speciality coffee or a beer, relax in the sumtuous surroundings of our salon, and leave looking great and feeling completely relaxed.

And if you thought it was difficult to get parked, did you know we have car parking all around the shop? (See our map below)

Car parking Ballyhackamore

Now that the Father’s Day rush is over, we look forward to seeing you. If you’re really lucky, someone may even have bought you a Father’s Day gift voucher.

You can book an appointment at one of our salons by choosing the most appropriate link below:

Book a Ballyhackamore appointment online by clicking this LINK.

Book a Lisburn Road appointment online by clicking this LINK.

Book a Fulham appointment online by clicking this LINK.

They say men are difficult to buy for, right? Well it’s probably because there’s not always a great choice of gifts available to men, compared to those available to women. But men aren’t difficult to buy for when you know what they really want!

For us, it’s simple. You see, our business only caters to men and we know exactly what makes them tick! We look after the grooming of over 3000 discerning men per month, and we know exactly what makes them look and feel better about themselves, which is why we developed our system called ‘The Perfect Shave’.

The Perfect Shave

It’s a really special system because 97% of men suffer from pain and irritation due to shaving (that’s almost all men!), and The Perfect Shave is the result of 10 years research aimed at preventing pain, irritation and redness.

The luxurious gift box comes complete with our three premium contemporary shave products: Exfoliating Face and Scalp Scrub, Smoothing Shave Cream and Skin Soothing Moisture Balm, as well as a step-by-step guide to achieving the elusive pain-free shave.

Retailing at just £48, it’s the perfect gift for Father’s Day.

It’s available from 1st June at both jasonshankey.co.uk and our authorised stockists. Click here to see our map of authorised stockists.

Make your Dad’s Father’s Day one to remember with a pain-free shave.

For more information, CLICK HERE.

It’s something 75% of men do on a daily basis and yet only 1% of us enjoy doing it. It’s time consuming, costly and can cause ingrown hairs and razor burn and it is quite literally, a pain in the neck. So why do you go through this horrendous ritual each day and why, after all these years, have you not found a way of shaving that is fast, enjoyable and pain-free?

If you think about it, the reason is really quite obvious. You had lessons before passing your driving test and you had lessons to pass your exams, but were you ever taught to shave properly? No?

There’s a common misconception amongst men that a good shave is when you put a blob of shaving foam on your face and you shave as close as possible, but scraping your face to oblivion with a razor blade and some foam is actually the cause of why you hate shaving, and the reason you’re suffering from pain and redness.

A great shave, like any process, requires a system. I prefer to call it a shaving regime because it’s a simple series of steps which you put together in the morning shower. It’s so simple, you can master it in just a few days and transform the way you look forever. All you have to do is remember to follow it, step by step, every day.

The first step takes place only once and this step will make the most noticeable difference to your shave. It requires you to examine your beard growth and figure out which direction each area grows. Go on, have a feel. Rubbing your beard in one direction will feel rough and stubbly. This means you are rubbing your hand against the growth. When you rub it in a different direction, it feels smoother and this means you’re rubbing it in the same direction as the growth. Remember which direction it grows in each section of your beard.

For the perfect shave, you will shave with the beard growth, not against it.

The shave begins with hot water and of course, the shower is a perfect source for this. Hot water softens down your beard hairs making them easier to shave so if you’re not planning to shave in the shower, make sure you splash plenty of hot water onto your face before you begin.

The next step will require the use of a scrub. Use about a teaspoon of scrub and use it to scrub your face, particularly in the area you’re going to shave. This will help remove old and dead skin and create a smooth canvas for shaving.

Rinse off the scrub with hot water and rub a quality shave cream into the beard. Unlike most foams, shave creams soften the hair and condition your skin. Take a sharp triple blade razor and shave in the same direction as your hair grows. Stretch your skin behind the razor to ensure it is taut and shave each area only once. Give it a quick check to ensure you didn’t miss any bits out.

When you’re done, splash your face with cold water and pat dry with a towel. Then apply a small amount of moisturising balm to your face.

Your shave is complete. It’s a simple regime which is fast, effective and painless.

Related products: Jason Shankey Expert Exfoliating Face and Scalp Scrub £15, Smoothing Shave Cream £14.00 and Skin Soothing Moisture Balm £16. Available at jasonshankey.com/expert.

Gillette Mach 3 razor and blades available at supermarkets and pharmacies from £6.49.

There is a common misconception that sunlight is always bad for you, and in particular, your skin. But like most things in life, sunlight is good if it’s consumed in moderation. For most people, it creates a feeling of cheer and a feeling of wellness, and its effect on other forms of life are evident, especially now when we enter the Spring. Sunlight is the body’s main way of obtaining Vitamin D which helps to contribute to healthy bones and a healthy nervous system, and it helps to increase the production of endorphins in the brain leading to that feeling of cheer. Its tanning properties also help to make you look healthier, and who doesn’t want to look better?

So what’s all the fuss about and why do some people think that sunshine is a bad thing to be around?

The answer is simple; Too much sunshine can cause damage to the skin. It might not be immediately evident, but sunlight is a contributing factor involved in the ageing process. Its ultraviolet light penetrates through your skin and speeds up the breakdown of the youthful substance that keeps your skin taut, collagen. Collagen is like elastic and its breakdown can be likened to an elasticated trouser waist. When the elastic is pulled tight, you get a smooth surface but once the tension is released, you get wrinkles. Over a period of prolonged sun exposure, which can be anything from a few hours to a few decades, the same thing happens with your skin. So excessive sun exposure leads to premature ageing.

Ageing isn’t the only issue with overexposure to the sun’s rays. Painful sunburn, cataracts, skin cancers and even cold sores can be triggered by its radiation so we need to strike the right balance between too much and too little sunlight.

With so many health scares over the years related to sunlight, many people have decided to avoid it altogether and somewhat surprisingly, more than half the UK population has insufficient levels of vitamin D. This can result in a number of health concerns too.

There are lots of ways to ensure you get just the right amount of sunlight. Based on our generally light coloured skin, experts advocate ten minutes per day of sunshine on our skin to generate sufficient levels of vitamin D, although people with darker skin may require more sunlight to generate the same levels of the vitamin. And when you’ve reached your quota of sunlight, make sure you cover up, and use skincare products which contain a sunscreen to slow down the ageing process and protect your skin from sun damage.

So now that the Spring rays are almost upon us, get out there and enjoy the sun (in moderation of course!).