The new Shellac Manicure has arrived

Okay.  So anyone who knows me at the Wingate KNOWS I am not good about having nails.  At all.  I bite.  I am not nearly as bad as I used to be, but it continues to a lesser degree.  They have tried to give me acrylic or gel nails.  They look beautiful and last for at least two weeks on most people.  Not me.  I bite them off.  Can you imagine?  They have even tried giving me nail polish that has a horrible taste to it so I will not bite...and that doesn't even work.

Last week one of our lovely nail technicians came downstairs to my desk and said - "Do you want to try this new Shellac Manicure?"  Being that I am a very dedicated Wingate employee, I said no because I had a million and one things to do at the time.  About twenty minutes later another staff member came down to show me her lovely nails and went on and on about how fabulous they were.  I took one look at them and ran up the stairs.  "Yes Yes!  I just saw it...I want one now!”  A mere half-hour later my hands look star quality and ready for action!  No dry time, I love that.  My nails are really beautiful and lasting...lasting...lasting!

This service is new to the Wingate and has been developed over the years by Creative Nail Design (CND).  We are thrilled to now be offering it here at the spa - clients have been asking for months.  Last year we attempted the Indestructible Manicures and found that they did not hold up like we wanted them too.  So we wanted to be really careful before beginning this service to make sure it lived up to the "hype".  The immediate feedback has been amazing and clients and staff are both loving the service.  A Wingate client said last week - "Had my first shellac mani - I may be hooked and do it regularly. It is amazing and only took 30 minutes."


This service is perfect for busy women, special occasions, extended vacations and any occasion that demands long-lasting color.  Strong, beautiful, all-one length natural nails can be difficult to grow and maintain. However, CND Shellac act as a weightless and invisible layer of protection for your nails, keeping them strong so that they can grow without breaking. Shellac is perfect for anyone who demands long-lasting, flawless color with incredible shine. Our service includes nail preparation, cuticle maintenance, hand massage and the Shellac application. We offer a variety of colors which are easily applied, then cured under a light for results that are nothing short of brilliant! Better still, there is no dry time and they can last up to 14 days! 

Call our front desk or visit us online for more information about the service.  You will NOT be disappointed!!

Now Offering...INOA AMMONIA-FREE HAIR COLOR

When you say something is ammonia-free, doesn't that sound good?  Doesn't that immediately make it sound BETTER for your hair?  I think so.  Now the Wingate is one of the few salons on the seacoast of New Hampshire that has been selected to offer this exclusive hair color line.  

L'Oreal says the Highly anticipated colour line is set to revolutionize the hair colour industry. L'Oreal Professionnel debuted Inoa, named for Innovation No Ammonia, an ammonia-free professional hair colorant. Described by the brand as "revolutionary," Inoa is not only ammonia-free (and therefore free from the ammonia-induced effects like a burning, itchy scalp) but also lifts color up to three shades, covers gray, and has true-to-tone results. By replacing ammonia with monoethanolamine, which typically has failed to cover gray or lighten hair as much as traditional ammonia-laden products, and by adding an oil-based gel and a cream developer, Inoa's creators have after years of research developed a formula that delivers optimum results sans ammonia. 

Late last year it was highlighted in "New Beauty Magazine" where they praised the hair color as a "true breakthrough in beauty".  You can check-out that article here -  New Beauty Magazine.  Enjoy!  And don't forget to ask your stylist about INOA.

Alternative to rowdy bachelorette party: Makeovers for everyone! - New Hampshire Sunday News (Manchester, NH)

Union Leader, The/New Hampshire Sunday News (Manchester, NH)

January 16, 2011 - By BARBARA LEECH

Special to the Sunday News

STRATHAM -- For the bride-to-be, coming up with ideas for a suitable pre-wedding party for her attendants and guests has gotten a little easier.Rather than a rowdy celebration, some brides are settling down to a little pampering instead.  The Wingate Salon and Spa in Stratham has been a popular pick, serving as party headquarters for more than 45 bridal and bachelorette parties during the past year.  The Wingate has been offering a private bridal and events suite since 2008, said Jennifer Woodside, marketing and events manager. She noted that the private spa party trend seems to be growing.

 "It all started because we had so many bridal parties already coming to the spa that it made sense to renovate and create a private space for just that sort of celebration," Woodside said. "But, I think there is a huge emphasis on weddings and all that leads up to the event now. It just keeps getting bigger and better. Bachelorette parties have become more elaborate, and more family is getting involved in the pre-wedding preparations."

This means the stress of planning that perfect day for everyone involved has also stepped up a notch. With a handful of reality shows about planning the perfect wedding, finding the perfect dress and bridal beauty makeovers, the pressure for today's bride to make everything memorable and unique is greater than ever before. But some brides are finding that a spa party is a perfect way to take away the tension and make everyone happy.

 "We are seeing groups of all sizes in our bridal and event suite. The trend seems to have brought more aunts and mothers into the party to make it a really nice family celebration," Woodside said. "The suite also allows us to provide the perfect setting for the wedding party to get ready in private, together before the ceremony or a bachelorette party to get pampered and celebrate."

In 2003 the renovated Wingate Tea room began offering tea and scones, fruit and cheese as an add-on option to spa groups looking for a little extra pampering.  Woodside said so many bridal parties were booking group treatments and choosing time in the tea room that it was the logical next step to renovate yet again and create the bridal and event suite in 2006.  The suite offers a lounge area with sofas and chairs and stations around the perimeter for hair and makeup with a separate changing room for brides to get dressed right at the spa if they choose. From pre-wedding day pampering, to bachelorette, to wedding-day beauty for everyone, the suite has served parties up to 22 people.

 "We are seeing larger groups, and more and more brides get dressed here, which is so nice because we get to see them start to finish," Woodside said. "The photographer shows up and captures all the preparation, and we have beautiful grounds for photographs once everyone is ready."

The Wingate Spa offers several packages to choose from and a menu of services and food and beverage options to create a personalized party. Bachelorette party packages typically range from $130 to $162 per person and include a pedicure, French manicure, a 30-minute or classic massage and a brunch of tea, quiche, seasonal fruit salad and freshly baked scones.  Other items on the menu include champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, mimosa and scones, an appetizer buffet and deli wrap sandwiches offered in partnership from "On the Vine," a fresh-food market in Exeter.

"Partnering up with 'On the Vine' lets us offer high-end deli selections catered by those who do it best," Woodside said. "We do scones very well, but we let professionals provide the rest."

As for the pampering, the spa has a staff of 45 to insure that the party experience moves at the speed that the bride and guests desire. Furniture in the bridal and events suite is movable to accommodate group hair, makeup and pedicures in one private setting.  One of the offerings the Wingate is most proud of is its bridal hair styling, which twice won the spa a reader's poll at New Hampshire Magazine's Bride, naming them "Best Wedding Day Hair Stylists" for 2009 and 2010.

 "Our staff receives continued training on all the latest in up-style trends," Woodside said. "We are very proud of the recognition this award brings and I think we are getting better known for what we offer as things like this get noticed."

Bridal up-styles start at $85, and bridal party up-styling starts at $65 per person. But Woodside said that along with all the packages the staff can work with the bride to create a package that is right for her budget and choices. Each package includes the popular Wingate Tea Time, which provides a wide selection of teas, fresh-baked scones with whipped butter and fruit and cheese. Basic prices and packages are available on the spa's website at www.wingatespa.com.  Brides and bachelorette party planners need to be thinking ahead, according to Woodside. Most parties are booked months before an event though the spa will try to accommodate those who wait until the last minute.

"We go to bridal shows in January and February, and the results fill our scheduling book pretty quickly," she said. "We already have 10 weddings scheduled for 2011, so it looks like this will be a very busy year."

For more information or to book an event, contact the Wingate Spa at 772-8400 or visit online atwww.wingatespa.com.

Copyright, 2011, Union Leader Corp.

Record Number: mandc5-5xxd312f0l5125su9p38