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The mask mandate is now a standoff of sorts between city and county leaders and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton threatened to sue Austin and Travis County if local mask mandates were not rescinded.

Meantime, local businesses are trying to do their best with mask policies in the absence of a state rule.

It's masks on at Garbo A Salon near burnet and West Anderson Lane in north Austin. “We do require masks when you enter and that's our rule,” said salon owner Marsha Power. She says her customers voted overwhelmingly to keep the restrictions in place. “I did survey out guests and 86 percent of them wanted to continue the mask,” she said.

This comes one week after Governor Greg Abbott’s announcement. “I am ending the statewide mask mandate,” he said last week to applause.

But at Garbo A Salon -- where the employees come into close contact with every client every day -- few people think it’s safe yet to go without masks. “The vaccines seem to be a real issue. The younger part of our team, not, very few of them have been vaccinated at all,” Power said.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations, which oversees businesses like salons, says that while masks are not required -- they are strongly encouraged. It also says that businesses are within their rights to require people to wear masks on their premises.

Power says about 30 percent of salons closed permanently in the last year, but her business is doing ok for now.

That’s one more reason to keep the masks on and the virus out. “The stylists are good. We've kept the masks, we're still doing temperature checks,” she said. “I don't think my team wants to work without the mask. We're too close to people.”

KEYE news stopped by Garbo Wednesday to talk with Marsha about our salon policies and our work to keep our space and serivices safe during Covid-times and the lifting of the mask mandate statewide. Please enjoy this brief segment and know that all your services at Garbo are provided with the best practices as recommended by CDC, TDLR, and our local health officials to help keep your time with us as safe as possible. 

As you probably know, Governor Abbott announced as of March 10th, there will no longer be a statewide mask mandate, and businesses will be allowed to operate at 100% capacity.

At Garbo A Salon, safety continues to be our focus for our guests and staff.

We will continue to require masks and a temperature check to enter the salon. We will however, eliminate our FORMS at check in.

Garbo will continue to follow strict cleaning protocols for your safety.

We thank you for respecting our practices and look forward to serving you soon.

Better days ARE coming!

With gratitude,

Marsha

Good leadership has never been as important as it is right now. Our families require good leadership, our businesses thrive on it, organizations depend on it, and good leadership is essential for our communities to remain vibrant. Never before, in my lifetime, have we dealt with so much at one time. We’re in a global pandemic, there is civil unrest in our country and we have an economic crisis on our hands. As a business owner, I question my own leadership. Am I perfect? No. Am I real? I like to think so. Good leadership builds an inspiring vision and good leadership motivates a team to accomplish its goal.

For years, my vision for Garbo A Salon has been to make our business a well respected leader in our industry...to offer guests a place to come and leave feeling they have been cared for. In order to accomplish this I knew we had to have the best possible team, so we clearly focus on education. Garbonians have access to the best training. This helps us fine-tune our talents and builds confidence in our ability to serve our guests with exceptional care. In this season, exceptional care means we continue to follow high COVID-19 protocols to keep you and each other safe. It means showing our guests compassion and love during a time when creating safe-space is the norm. It means listening to our guests and appreciating the opportunity we have to serve you. It also means we try to be the best we can be for you each day!

For me leadership is about helping Garbonians be self-leaders in their craft. Each day we work on establishing our culture that says, YES WE CAN! Our work as leaders is to replace fear with love. It’s very motivating and it’s beautiful for me to watch Garbonians share this culture with each other. It’s a vibe that can’t be denied and shows itself in the way we honor our guests.

AND speaking of guests, Garbo A Salon could not have lasted over 30-years without you, our guests. Your support and walking beside us in good times and not so good times made us an industry leader. People often think leadership is about strength coming from one person, I say it’s about strength coming from all of us with a common goal...to have peace, success, health and love!

As we move forward, let’s count our blessings, show love, be good leaders, seek happiness and be grateful. Garbo has been blessed in love with two babies due soon, and FIVE marriages in 2020! Blessings are all around and if you search for good news, you will find stories of people helping strangers, dog rescues and so much more. Look around for what’s right with the world and you will find that compassion and love exist and leadership is needed to keep those at the forefront of our daily lives, especially in these times.

Garbo will enjoy our Halloween Costume Contests (be sure to vote today on our social media or in salon for your favorites), Friendsgivings and Thanksgiving, along with a busy December celebrating cultural holidays from around the world.

With love and heartfelt gratitude,

Marsha

P.S. Our gifts sets have arrived! Find something special for you, your family and friends. Call for Curbside, purchase in-salon, or online @https://www.aveda.com/salon/GARBOASALONANDSPA

Book Your Holiday Appointments Now! https://garboasalon.com/book-now

Change is all around us. We just stepped into Fall, the election is around the corner, we continue to deal with the pandemic and all its affects on our employment practices and our social lives, our nation lost one of its most highly respected and powerfully influential women, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and I’m left wondering how do we manage so many significant changes at the same time and not get dizzy? 

Hello Garbonians!

We want you to know we have been working hard to return to our pre-COVID level of service.

As you know, we restricted and held back on some of the services we normally offered to ensure safety. I am pleased to share we have not had any in-house transmissions reported. As a result, (with high safety protocols still in place), I am thrilled to announce we are now offering more services.

Guests can now book appointments for hair and lash extensions, facials, waxing, manicures and pedicures, as well as haircuts and color. Facial services will start in October! We are happy to move forward into our new phase of serving you!

The pandemic has taken its toll on our industry. It’s been reported that 30% of Austin salons have permanently closed so we are ramping up our Rewards Program to reach men and women who are looking for a new salon to make them look and feel beautiful!

Do you know someone? If so, we ask that you sign up for our Rewards Program and take advantage of our referral benefits. The next time you are here, we will give you $20 off your service, and the guest you refer to us gets $20 off their service. 

If you haven’t done so already, please sign up for our newsletter and blog. You’ll find we include beauty tips and savings on products and services. So sign up at www.garboasalon.com so you don’t miss out.

Do you know a deserving mom or teacher in need of a little special care? Nominate them Garbo’s A Day of Beauty. We want to honor our under-served women hero’s who could use a little “me time”. 

You can fill out a form the next time you see us and let us know why your nominee deserves to win. We will select one winner each week and will spotlight her in our newsletter with her story, a picture, and provide her with a beautiful complementary Garbo experience.

We thank you for your continued trust in us to serve you! Garbo appreciates you and I do too,

Marsha

The Salon industry has lost 30% of its Salons and Spas to Covid-19.

Garbo is fine but our client base is changing.  New clients are coming in and some of our regulars we dearly miss have not yet returned.

My industry has a big financial hardship when it comes to tip taxes. We match all income taxes; however, the income tax on tips is a heavy burden on small business. Imagine paying taxes on money you never earned, or that was not collected as revenue. That happens every day in my industry.

We need Congress to pass the 45B FICA TAX CREDIT to Salons and you can help.  This movement gained traction about 3 years ago, but to date has not been approved by Congress.  Restaurants have had this Tax benefit for years and our industry runs parallel to the restaurant industry in terms of providing services and how our employees get paid. Your voice can help tremendously. Please visit https://p2a.co/f3AYIL1 to sign the petition and learn how you can get your voice to your representatives.

Onward to Fall! Garbo is busy with education and marketing and we do expect an uptick by November! We recommend syncing your calendars and setting those appointments so you have one less worry this fall/winter season.

Our September promo is “Buy 2 regular sized Aveda products” and “Get a FREE travel size” product. 

You can also be entered to win a $250 Garbo Gift Card if you pre-book your next 2 appointments. Entries will be accepted until 10/31 and a winner will be chosen the first week in November.

We are grateful to all our guests coming in to our very safe (no Covid-19 transmission in Salon to date) and many happy smiling faces!

We are open 7 days a week with open spaces we would love you to fill!

September is fashion forward month.  Remember all the very thick fashion magazines come out this month. AVEDA is featured in this month’s Vogue magazine with our new botanical hair bond builder products. A treatment costs $50 normally and will be offered at $35 all month. Give your hair some love.

In gratitude,

Marsha Power

Garbo A Salon & Spa

512.458.4162

info@garboasalon.com

The salon industry is collapsing, but a federal tax credit tweak could help us | Opinion

As the second-highest tipped industry, salons should receive parity with the restaurant industry in the tax code, but they do not. We need Congress to apply the 45B FICA tax tip credit to salons.

 Paige Garland

Guest Columnist

As lawmakers struggle to come to a stimulus package agreement, the salon industry is coming to a collapse under the weight of the current economic crisis. The 45B FICA tax tip credit would give our burdened industry a lifeline — if only it were included in the stimulus package. As of today, it's not. There are over 1.2 million salons in the United States, and the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in hundreds of thousands of salon owners and stylists who are now out of work. For those who are still operating, revenues are down over 50% in the first half of 2020.  Between February and April 2020, the number of jobs at employment-based salons dropped by 84%, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Only 93,000 people were on payroll at employment-based salons in April – down from 569,000 in February. This represents the fewest number of salon jobs in well over five decades. In June, salon jobs remained 200,000 (35%) below pre-coronavirus employment levels.

Business is nearly dead and tourists aren't coming like they once were

As a salon owner in a historic building in downtown Memphis, my business has been far from spared from these sobering realities. In June, our service revenue was down 90% from last year. Our service menu has had to be severely trimmed down due to capacity restrictions and social distancing mandates, and the increase in COVID-19 cases has continued to contribute to a decline in business. Our tourist clientele is obsolete until travel becomes a reality again. I fear that if this path continues, in order to survive, at best we will have to change our business model and strategies, and at worst we may become one of the statistics I previously mentioned. 

How the tax tip credit would work to help us

Like my salon, 83% percent of salon businesses have fewer than 10 employees. These small businesses, owned 60% by women and 34% by minorities, employed a workforce of roughly 1.3 million professionals. Salons are the hardest hit, and last to reopen. Like many woman-owned businesses, we have been forgotten. We are watching the collapse of the beauty industry.  But there is a solution that would extend a much-needed lifeline — by allowing access to an existing credit in the IRS tax code, the 45B FICA tax tip credit. In 1993 Congress passed the 45B FICA tax tip credit allowing restaurants to claim a dollar-for-dollar tax tip credit on the employer portion of FICA taxes that businesses pay on tips that employees receive directly from their customers. Because restaurants do not earn revenue on employee tips, it makes sense to receive a credit for the taxes they pay to facilitate reporting those earnings to the IRS. As the second-highest tipped industry, salons should receive parity with the restaurant industry in the tax code, but presently they do not.

I have always allowed our team to accept tip income, and in doing so I am paying an incredible price. Over the years I have paid out thousands of dollars in taxes on money my business never saw. In a business my size, that is proportionately a very large sum that could have been allocated to education or other improvements in our business to help create an even more sustainable future for my employees and my family. Today, a temporary retroactive application of this credit would be a lifeline to survive.

Paige Garland is owner of Rachel’s Salon & Day Spa in Memphis.

Corona Cozy?

Who would have thought we could enjoy so much time off? After all, we are a over-worked and under-payed society and we’ve given way to Corona cozy. As I prompted our tribe to get out of COVID-19 clothes and start working to open more space for guest bookings, I realized we have created a hybrid work life. We now have more time in cozy isolation.

FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT!

Smiling under that mask is important! A new study from researchers at the University of South Australia has confirmed the very act of smiling can trick your mind into a more positive state. There really is something to that aphorism from the 70’s.

GET OUT OF THOSE PAJAMAS!

The slobbish-chic has got to go to the curb with the COVID blues. I know...impressing your cat or private bubble might not be your thing, but science shows when we think we look great, we do better and are more confident.

MARSHA RECOMMENDATIONS:

Dress up for Zoom.    Clean inside your car!   Sanitize your steering wheel and gearshift!   Smile under that mask!

AND yes, book your hair and nail appointments now!

Don’t forget our August sale ends the 31st. There’s still time to take advantage of 20% off Aveda and SkinCeuticals products.

We got this! Smile. Be happy! And, look fabulous!

From the heart,

Marsha 

Www.garboasalon.com

Gratitude and Giving Back!

Garbo is up to something good. I’m happy to share we are on the upswing!
Our team is healthy and safe and we are so grateful to our guests for their trust and support.

Look around for joy! It's a gift ready to be unpacked. Our daily focus on fear can be put behind us when our thoughts are focused on abundance and joy. Silly? Not really, I challenge you to spend some time in gratitude and watch what happens.

My advice is to look past what you fear and focus on the positive results that await you at the end. For instance, I see Garbo full of happy guests and our team working in gratitude, not fear. Jonathan sees full parking lots. He notices the small things and celebrates. My point is, look in your mind and see a future where we are all done with fear, blame and judgment. See a time where all Americans are safe and happy. We’ve gotten so far off track, but our future can be bright if we turn on our light and spread goodness in thought and deed.

We’re redefining success during this pandemic.

Success for me looks different these day. My team has suggested we give back to our community by holding a benefit for out-of-work Austin restaurant service providers. We want to know if you have a favorite we can contact? If so, submit your name and story to jaybirdjunior@gmail.com. Deadline is August 31st.

We will read your stories and select the top five. If your submission is picked, your favorite service person will receive hair services for six months and you will be gifted $100 in Garbo credit.

Gratitude and Giving Back is our focus. Why limit your gratitude? It might be for your neighbor, nurses or someone else. Do you have any thoughts on who we should focus on for our next campaign of giving?

Our team is here in service for you, and our 20/20/20 campaign is doing great!
You get $20 in your Garbo account for sending us a new guest...who also gets $20 off first service and 20% off Aveda! You can call in your orders for curbside too. This ends August 31st.

We’re grateful we are open and rebuilding our company with our lovely Garbonians!

In Loving Gratitude, 

Marsha

Last October, the color pink didn’t mean anything to me. What a difference a year makes! I had been walking around with blinders on about breast cancer - I falsely believed that it only affected women who were more endowed than I am. I got mammograms done regularly, but I didn’t take them that seriously. After my personal experience with breast cancer this year, I realized that so many people around me have also been affected, and I am now taking it a lot more seriously.

With my initial diagnosis, I saw a cancer specialist who recommended that I get 24 chemotherapy treatments, as well as a mastectomy. Needless to say, I was scared at the prospect of such a lengthy and invasive treatment plan. Thankfully a client recommended that I get a second opinion with a breast cancer specialist named Dr. Debra Patt. After evaluating my case, Dr. Patt felt that I only needed 4 chemotherapy treatments and a lumpectomy, along with radiation. What a relief!  

Dr. Patt is a champion of women and has gone to bat for us, even testifying before Congress to advocate for cancer patients (you can watch her testimony here, starting at the 2 hour, 25 minute mark). My treatment team also included Heather King - the best surgeon in Austin, in my opinion. These two women made a significant difference in my recovery. Though their reputations preceded them, and once I met them I knew that I was in the best hands in Austin. I am so grateful that my clients led me to both of these amazing women.

All this is to say that the color pink has become a really big deal to me. If you walk into Garbo, you’ll see a lot more of pink this year. I – and the Garbo world by extention – now have a lot more awareness about breast cancer, the importance of regular screenings and good doctors, and awareness about cold caps (which you can read about in my previous blogs). Through Garbo, I have and will continue to spread these messages near and far.

For the month of October, Garbo will be asking for a $1 donation for with each service to subsidize funding for cold caps for women earning less than $40,000 per year, through Hair To Stay.

We will also be accepting $5 donations for a chance to win a gift basket containing zipline tickets, theater tickets, an organic bottle of wine, salon services, salon products, and more.

As always, thank you for your continued support of Garbo and myself!

Love, 
Marsha

Along with my body, my hair got weak after chemotherapy and radiation. To combat that, I am using Aveda’s Invati shampoo and conditioner in addition to getting botanical deep conditioners at the salon. I am also taking Viviscal hair medicine to promote growth. I highly recommend Viviscal, but if the cost (about $50) is too steep, I would also recommend Biosil for $25.

Dry skin has also been an issue for me, but Aveda’s Beautifying Body Moisturizer really helps – it feels lovely going on and smells nice too! Skinceuticals also has great options – try their Daily Moisture or Emollience!

Need a hot body? Check out Practical Fitness and request a private session with Jeff or Grace – personalized attention with no paparazzi!

My favorite summer services are back facials...and pedicures of course. Send me a private email at jaybirdjunior@gmail.com to receive an offer for a half price summer facial!

We also have a wonderful promotion coming up: all teachers will receive $20 off a service of their choice during the month of August. Gotta give our teachers some love!

Stay cool!
Marsha 

What a gift the Garbonians are to me and our guests. Happy Father’s Day to all!

As we all honor our dads, Garbo’s dad was Jaybird and he was the best in my book. Jaybird’s business style has carried over. Two of his quotes that I see myself using are: “If you were running you wouldn't be late,” and: “If your mouth is moving, your hands are moving!”

My dad’s pride of ownership and work ethics both hold true for me. Just like him, I know it's the people that matter, not the things or the dollars. If they are cared for, the dollars come.  

He also liked to say to me over and over, “if your head wasn't attached you would lose that too!” Dad, I still haven't mastered that.

Garbo’s other dad is Jonathan Jones. I have never known such a loving father, well...since Jaybird. I adore Jon and am proud to manage Garbo, Inc. with him. It does take a village and we are a loving one.

Hats off to Jaybird and Jonathan, my two favorite fathers, and all Garbonians’ dads.

Happy Fathers day!

Love,
Marsha

32 treatments, and I didn't miss a day. My last treatment was scheduled for yesterday, but it almost got pushed back when the machine went down due to the previous night’s storm. Fortunately, the Texas Oncology team called me back in so I could finish on my scheduled day. Hallelujah! I just need a few months to kick the tiredness and I will be back on track! Thank you to all my angels near and far for holding me up during this experience. 

As I’ve mentioned in my previous blogs, spreading the word about cold caps has become a mission for me. My latest recommendation is the PAXMAN cold cap (plug-in) which is, to my knowledge, only available at Texas Oncology midtown. Worth checking out for sure!

I’m enjoying getting back into the swing at Garbo, where we are offering multiple great deals for our wonderful guests. Stop by or call either location for details!

In loving service,

Marsha Power

Marsha is continuing to fight - and win! - her battle with breast cancer. Now on the other side of her chemotherapy treatment, she is happy to report on her successful use of cold caps. Marsha’s main goal in using cold caps was to learn about them firsthand, so she could educate our Garbo guests about options for those facing chemotherapy. The bonus for Marsha was keeping 80% of her hair, which also allowed her to maintain privacy about her diagnosis in public.

If you’re considering using cold caps for your chemo treatment, you’ll need to know a few things. The caps, outfitted with dry ice or electric cooling mechanisms, keep your scalp at -32ºFahrenheit. That’s right, negative thirty two degrees! You will be wearing the cap for seven hours each time you receive a chemo treatment, so you will have some long days in store. Finally, you’ll want to start planning early because you must have the cold cap with you before you begin your first chemo treatment.

To find out more about cold caps, we recommend the following resources: hairtostay.org, paxmanusa.com (electric caps), and penguincoldcaps.com (manual/dry ice caps).

Feel free to contact Marsha at jaybirdjunior@gmail.com with any questions about her experience.

Love, Garbo A Salon

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Namaste, Marsha Power

Hallelujah?

Why, oh why Every darn commercial, TV talk show, etc. is talking about the return of cancer… well you don't have my permission dude! Am I better after triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma? Yes I am. Spiritually it has been a shakeup, but I am returning to love. Mentally…oh my goddess, how lovely my friends and family have been! Did I just live in a bubble and not realize how wonderful my life and business were? Thankfully, they have survived my meltdown and treatments. I truly am in awe of the goodness around me.

Am I better? Yes, because I see and feel more love. I thought if I gave it, I wouldn't need anything back so I stopped expecting any…Once I needed it, boy, was I showered in everything one person needs to survive, thrive, and beat it!

Still can't say the C-word...I actually named it Bob. Now, on to radiation and healing. By July, the stories will be about travel, teamwork, love, friendships, and my 1949 pickup! With updates from team members, I hope!

Stay tuned for fundraising at Garbo for hairtostay.org. This next part below will only be useful to hairdressers- it's the instructions for my after the cold cap care.

Love, Marsha

Namaste

Frequently Asked Hair Care Questions:

Q. How long do I continue with the limited washing?
A. At least two days afterwards, then keep it to a minimum, and use below
body temperature water on your scalp for as long as your hair is still shedding.  It can be 1-2 months after chemo depending on the condition of your hair.

Q. How long until I can blow dry?
A. You can blow dry your hair with cold air but not with heat mode on.
Except, if you have long hair you can use heat on the long lengths, but NO
heat direct to the scalp for a few months after chemo.
 
Q. How long until I can color?
A. At least 6 months after your last chemo.   If you want to color sooner you can color your hair using vegetable coloring with NO Peroxide or Ammonia based coloring kits 3 months after your last chemo.  It takes 6 months after your last chemo for your hair follicles to Fully recover from chemo.

Q. How long until I can get it trimmed or cut?
A. You can trim your hair a little at a time - so no great chunks of hair
off - surprisingly the roots do not like this!  3 months after the last treatment for a good haircut otherwise a trim is fine.

Q. How long does the follicle continue to be fragile after all of the
treatment is complete?
A. At least six months

Q. When can I go back to using my normal deodorant/ antiperspirant.
A. It is not recommended that you use deodorant with Aluminium as an
ingredient. But if you are going to use such a product it is best to wait
until after six months. The reason for this is, aluminium is a binding agent
and is transferred all over the body, including the scalp.

Q. Can I get my hair wet in the shower? Can I stand under a rain shower
faucet in my shower?
A. Heat is the thing to avoid. So If you are washing your hair, keep the
water cooler than body temperature. So to answer the question it will be
best to use a wall shower head where the water is not falling direct on your
scalp whilst its hot water - unless you like cool showers??

Q. Can I wear it in a ponytail?
A. Yes, just be careful not to pull on the roots - it takes six months
before the hair follicles fully recover.

Q. What about clips to keep it out of my face or put it up?
A. Yes, again avoid putting too much strain on an individual patch of hair.

A note on hair shedding:

Hair shedding is normal; Cold Cap Therapy works by protecting the young to medium hair follicle bulbs against the chemotherapeutic drugs. The chemotherapeutic drugs accelerate old hair follicles to shed early, thus hair shedding (plus natural hair shedding occurs). Please also remember everybody's metabolism is different, so hair shedding can happen at different times. It can be heavy or light and start and stop for over a month after chemo, so stay on the same hair care regimen and follow the after-chemo hair care recommendations that were emailed to you.

I never really understood pregnancy brain, so at my age chemo brain is new and scary. Younger people discount my age and wisdom too quickly, so vying for position is an interesting dance. They will win this round as I can recognize that I’m experiencing a little malfunction. But trust me, it's not as much as the tech addicted millennial, little old lady in the shoe, or the ever growing earbud-wearing rudies of all generations.

But... it's daunting. The brain we learn to rely on. The mind /brain lies to us about everything. The heart is my only truth… good thing it’s Valentines week. Love is real.

Meditation is seeping back in and offering a much needed rest from my mind. I am contemplating offering a new meditation class in May - email me at jaybirdjunior@gmail.com if interested.

I am having my hair done on Tuesdays by Ava - she offered doing my COLD CAP CHEMO hair with old school sponge rollers. She is 18, but she knows how to use them! You must be gentle, gentle on the hair. Our stylist Liz Lamb says to treat it like fine lace – a good way to put it. I also continue to have facials mostly for hydration and relaxation.

Happy love bunny month, lovebirds.

Love, Garbo A Salon

Best Of Award winning

Open 7 days a week in 78757

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Namaste, Marsha Power

I had my first chemotherapy treatment last week, and the chemo itself wasn’t too bad. The treatment lasted 2.5 hours, complete with a sassy nurse who administered the drug.

My chemo experience was dwarfed by THE COLD CAP - a contraption that will allow me to keep my hair. The cold cap process was a seven-hour ordeal, after my precious friend Carol Augusto sought out 60 pounds of dry ice and prepared my four freezing caps to -32° F. With an ice chest, a pair of gloves, and a lot of stamina, Carol followed the 21 page instruction manual to a T. She put on the first cap like a pro! The caps have to be changed quickly, every 20 minutes, so it was a lot of work for my dear friend. I was a little whiney, so she firmly told me "don't be a p***y." Well, that made me laugh and realize it was no picnic for either one of us.

My BFF Brenda helped too, and took me home for two more hours of the cold cap treatment. She loves me dearly and started nervously patting my (heavy, frozen, painful) head, but she did at least try to stop when she realized that it was more painful than reassuring for me!

All in all, it took two days for my head to feel unfrozen!

These cold caps have been used commonly in Europe 20 years, they have up to a 90% success rate, and they are fairly affordable. Most women learn about these caps too late, because you need to start them with your first treatment. I was blessed to know about them immediately through my connection with Debra Neill, who owns our Aveda distributorship. She and Carol Augusto, Executive Director of Serious Business (the most amazing Salon Conference in the Nation), are my SHEroes!

I certainly will pay all of this goodwill forward.

Even though the only real side effect I felt on the first day was my frozen head, I have to say the after effects of chemo ain't no picnic. The second day was the worst – I had nausea, a migraine, chills, and neuropathy. All of this is still going on today, 7 days later, but is getting better. I do love my job, but I came back too early so I will probably pull back a bit more. I will see the doctor today to check in and figure out my new limits. My goal is for my body to renew by August (the doctor says it’ll take a year), and then I can resume my normal schedule.

In the meantime, I feel like I’m finally turning into the princess I was meant to be! All of these sweet people are doing so many things for me. I am used to being the helper, not the one being helped, so I am enjoying this new role and learning some great lessons from my friends and my Garbo tribe.

At Garbo, we are in the throes of our ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL with $33 deals - check them out! Along with the regular facials I’m receiving to combat my newly dry skin, my new can't-live-without Aveda product is the Tulasara Oleation Oil. It’s really a face product, but it’s great on your hands too. I want to bathe in it!

Our company is built on love, education, kindness, respect, customer service, and teamwork. If you visit Garbo and you have any issues - good or not - email me at jaybirdjunior@gmail.com.

Love and Peace,

Marsha Power

In another week, I will post about my experience after my first chemotherapy treatment, but I’m currently fretting that my guest list is limited to two. How am I going to get my Penguin Cold Cap representative (this saves your hair, ladies!), two personal friends, and myself all situated for this new experience? I think chocolate for the nurses will help!

Stay tuned for more about the Cold Cap. I am shocked to find out that health care systems in many countries around the world provide these caps for women undergoing cancer treatment free of charge or at greatly reduced costs, but we don’t in the US. I believe that’s because we need more education about these caps and what they can do, and that is something I intend to change. These caps have a high success rate – up to 90% of women who use them keep most of their hair during chemo. I am excited to have the opportunity to use the Penguin Cold Cap during my treatment!

Everyone is telling me I need to learn how to relax, which is pretty hard for a Type A person. What do people do to relax? Retail therapy maybe?

With that in mind, I found myself at Stein Mart and successfully found more black pants to add to the 40+ pair I already have. From there I went to the purse department to find a new purse, wallet, and an evening clutch for the Human Rights Campaign’s gala this weekend. Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice from behind me saying “That sure is an ugly blouse.” Mr. Milton himself emerged from the racks to upset the purse cart and re-evaluate all of my already made purchase decisions. I held my ground as he questioned my picks, and allowed him to adjust my everyday purse choice to another bag that I really did like. But when it came to my evening clutch, let’s just say my taste and Mr. Milton’s did not mesh well. The final purse tally was Milton: 1 purse, and Marsha: 2 purses, which seems fair to me. From there, he ushered me to the shoe department. I left with two new pairs of shoes, all ready for Spring, handpicked by Mr. Milton. I’m wondering if this retail therapy thing is working out for me!

If it wasn’t clear, I really did enjoy running into Mr. Milton – he sure did make the experience much more interesting!

Ali the alligator recently joined our team from New Orleans. Four Garbonians picked her up at a gift shop to bring home to me to cheer me up. She’s already taking on a life of her own!

Ali is taking her job seriously – she’s already learned how to shampoo, she’s growing out her beautiful hair, and she’s making product recommendations… We know that our skin dries out in wintertime with indoor heaters and drier air, so to add moisture I’ve always personally loved Aveda’s Beautifying Composition Oil. Well, Ali’s favorite is Hand Relief, and I can’t help but agree with her – it’s great for keeping our skin soft and supple.

Ali is also serious about her status as a new Texan, and is begging us to take her on a trip to the Capitol, which she thinks is a pretty big deal! Keep an eye out for Ali on Garbo’s social media, in the salon, and anytime you’re out and about in Austin. She’s excited to make Austin, and Garbo A Salon, her new home!