Feeltheglow

DECEMBER/JANUARY

Peek behind the scenes at Akari

Winterizeyour skin

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

In today’s environment, customers expect not just a service but also an experience.

We work diligently every day to constantly raise the bar with our services, listen to your concerns and provide some of the most highly trained professionals anywhere.

Part of our success is a testament to our ongoing education and in-house apprenticeship program. This upcoming generation of service providers keeps rais-ing the standards. It makes me proud to see they’re taking their careers seriously and are wholeheartedly invested in making sure you, our customer, receive a full experience above and beyond.

We had a blast celebrating at our 25th-anniversary open house festivities and so did you, judging from the number of phone calls, emails and comments we’ve received.

out how to outdo this year’s event. I have no doubt, given the amount of talent in this building, that we’ll have plenty of ideas to pursue.

Wishing you a prosperous, safe and healthy 2013.

Cheers,Allan

Soaring to new heights

Cirque du Akari, complete with acrobats, marked the 25th anniversary of Akari. (Francois Gagne photo)

Resolved ... Our 2013 hair wishesPhotography: Francois

Gagne, Liz Donnelly

Stylist: Catherine Pelosi

Makeup and hair: Peter

John Ulloa, Catherine Pelosi

Creative director: Tracy

Foss

Editor: Andrea Nemitz

Models: Allison Tietjen and

Lindsay Leclerc

Akari

193 Middle St.

Portland, Maine

207.772.9060

Credits

Change is a constant at Akari,

where staff members aren’t

afraid to try on new haircuts

or colors.

In 2012 Genevieve tried pink

hair, Evelyn switched from

blonde to brunette and An-

drea gave platinum a whirl.

So what’s on tap for 2013?

We asked everyone to share

their hair resolutions ...

Allan: To shave my head

every 10 days!

Jenny: To not cut its length

and keep it exciting and inter-

esting by using different prod-

ucts every couple of months,

changing up my bangs and –

once it’s long enough – doing

lots of braids and updos!

Peter John: To try to keep

my hair neat and clean-cut by

getting a haircut every week.

Thea: To let my natural color

grow out and stop over-pro-

cessing!

Carole: To keep stepping out

of my comfort zone by trying

new styles and products.

Rachel: To try to put effort

into my hair every day instead

of “wash and go.” Having

had mostly a shaved head

for most of last year, I’d like

to see how long I can get it

before I chop it off again!

Alex: To let my locks grow

longer and stronger and be

more creative in my day-to-

day hairstyles.

Catherine: Hydrate, hydrate,

hydrate! Between dry air,

color changes, chlorine and

salty beach bum days, I am

vowing to show my hair some

better love.

Simplyelegant

Resolved ... Our 2013 hair wishes

Here we are, holiday season yet again. When I was

thinking about the look for our shoot, my biggest inspi-

ration came from our wonderful photographer’s recent

fall wedding.

Liz wanted statement hair for her big day, and we

retro, yet undone enough to keep it soft and

romantic.

for Liz, and I thought looks with a similar energy would

be a great base to build this shoot.

The Akari shop has some fantastic dresses that worked

themselves right into the vision.

With the long, dark days this time of year, we felt very

grateful to have the beautiful new carriage house as a

set for photographs. The incredible light in this space

adds so much to the alluring feel of the photographs.

– Catherine Pelosi

Above, Allison models a merlot dress by Kain La-bel while Lindsay wears an apricot dress, also by Kain Label. At left, Lindsay’s black dress and Allison’s print dress are by Gracia.

(Liz Donnelly photography)

NEWON THE

SHELF

Akari is excited to introduce scarves from

Nepali by TDM Design. These gorgeous

pieces are handmade by women in

Nepal. Michelle Baldwin of TDM Design

launched Nepali in 2007, inspired by the

craftsmanship of weavers there, Nepal’s

natural fabrics and vibrant colors. The

company pays its weavers above-market

wages and provides health care and

education for their children.

FROM NEPAL, WITH LOVE

STAY COZY WITH SPANXYou may know Spanx shapewear,

but have you tried their tight-end

tights? They’ll do just what Spanx

promises – and keep your legs

warm all winter. Akari now carries a

wide selection of Spanx tights:

reversible black and brown, black

opaques in ember glow (dark

green), amethyst and navy. We’re

also stocking footless black tights

and black leggings.

LICENSE TO SHINEWhile some people hang their license plate collections on

the garage wall, Mariah Foss had other ideas.

Foss, a 17-year-old high school student from South

Portland, has collected license plates since she was

little just because she likes them. Last year, inspired by

watching her father at work with his tools, she began

She started out creating jewelry for her school’s annual

fair, but soon had requests from strangers who admired

pieces she wore. Mariah says she still has a huge

collection of license plates for jewelry and her ever-

expanding collection. She calls her line “Playing in

Daddy’s Garage.”

SECRET WEAPONTake a tip from our

aestheticans, who are raving

about the newest product

from Obagi. Obagi’s new

moisturizer, Hydrate, is

formulated to work all day.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK FACEBOOK EACH DAY TO SEE WHAT’S NEW AT AKARI!

describe. It is simply the best feeling I have ever felt. I think it has something to do with God. It comes from within. That being said, I am certainly recharged by experiencing great design in the physi-cal world. It shows me always how I am barely scratching the surface of what is possible in my own work. How many different designs are you

now producing; what is the range of

styles?

Presently, the two lines, Rough & Tum-ble and MIMS, hold numerous designs.Rough & Tumble, a line with notes of waxed canvas, vintage leathers and

-enced by my love of turn-of-the-century

This line is adapted for function and smart utility. Enduring. Understated.

MIMS, a line designed for luxe leathers, focuses on well-edited, paired-down form. There is a striving for the right shapes to complement these high-end leathers. Clients often ask for certain colors to be added to the line. I can only say that I search solely for the quality, hand and drape. If there happens to be some great colors, even better. And we happen to have them for spring.

What are some of the details that set

your bags apart?

is knowing relatively little in regard to the physical process of constructing a handbag when I started. It was simply a problem to resolve: How to construct a three-dimensional vessel. A more pure form is always more likely to be

Natasha Durham

Many people may recognize your

name from Portland restaurants you

owned (Natasha’s and Mims Bras-

serie). How did you make the shift

to designing bags and how did this

venture begin?

There really was no transition per se. It is all design, execution and marketing.

A different mise en place, perhaps – a dream to be work-ing with a non-per-ishable palette.This venture was not so much planned as it was discovered. I was not looking for a company, I was

the perfect ingre-dient to play with,

and textiles, being an early love, felt like home.

What is your design background?

Like most designers, I have been de-signing for as long as I can remember. No beginning or end. Some projects – like general contracting/designing four restaurants – stand out, but it is all the same to me. I put equal focus into designing a pattern for a pair of knitted socks.

What’s the process to actually design

a purse?

The process is the same as designing a dish, a menu or a dining space. Close your eyes and look for what is authentic. It is always there waiting. Once a sketch takes physical form, it goes through many alterations.There are at least 20 bags produced before a design is launched.

What inspires your designs?

discovered when starting from zero. By default, these designs are wholly origi-nal. Even the hardware is original. There was nothing on the market that matched my aesthetic, so I had it custom made

tarnished brass.

Are the linings different in each bag?

Yes, the inside is meant to bring a secret smile. Each one is unique. Tell us about the people who make

your bags and where they’re made.

My favorite subject. What I ended up missing most about my other company was the team that I had built around me. There comes a time very quickly when executing your vision requires a team.

home sewers and a couple cutters – all local artists and moms.The fact that I have found this level of talent right out-side my door still astounds me. My staff also includes a sales representative and an in-house controller who meticulously

the sewers.

What is your favorite bag at the mo-

ment?

I seem to have a different favorite every week. My tendency is to appreciate high contrast and a great drape. So I love a tiny bag, like the ones now exclusively available at Akari, or an extra large bag. Like many of my clients, I respond to the right bag in the right leather. It is all about carefully considering what the material is asking to be.

DESIGNER PROFILE

INSPIREDNatasha Durham talks

about her transition

from restaurateur to

handbag entrepreneur

Natasha Durham’s Pillow Pack, which transforms into a small backpack, is available exclu-sively at Akari. Natasha Durham Design is based in Hebron, Maine.

Cirque du AkariTHE 25th ANNIVERSARY EXPERIENCE

Akari held its grandest annual open house yet to celebrate 25 years in Port-land.

Staff worked for months to create Cirque du Akari on Dec. 5. The event drew close to 500 clients and their friends for an evening of carnival games, food, mu-

Thanks to everyone who helped us mark this milestone!

Genevieve, near left, was the perfect pick to man the cot-ton candy ma-chine at Cirque du Akari, while Dr. Toth from our MediSpa spun the wheel of chance. At far left, Monica and Allison make friends with a visiting (yes, real) snake from the animal menag-erie in the nail salon.

SEEN AT CIRQUE

Photos by Francois Gagne

EXPLORING AKARI

TOE TALKIt may not be a sexy topic, but they’ll thankus when it’s time to pull on strappy sandalsBy Andrea Nemitz

Meet my feet.

They wore earth shoes in the ’70s, platforms in the ’80s and pointy-toed heels in the ’90s.

Years ago I didn’t think twice about what went on my feet – my biggest concerns were staying in style or maneuver-ing Portland’s brick sidewalks in stilettos.

Now, some 60 million steps later, my poor peds are showing – and feeling – their age. Worse yet, my calloused soles and bent and bumpy toes have a new enemy: fungus.

Carole, our head nail-care specialist, has seen much worse (I’ll spare you the vivid descriptions). Luckily, my fungus symptoms weren’t advanced – my nails had lost their healthy-looking blush and taken on a yellowish cast.

Fungal nail infections, left unchecked, can lead to deformed, brittle and thick toenails that may separate from the toe bed. Infections also can pose health risks for people who have diabetes or compromised immune systems.

For most people, though, toenails infected by fungus are just downright embar-rassing – reason enough to avoid sandals and keep their toes under wraps.

The steps to healthier (and better-looking) feet are actu-ally simple, but the solution does take time – up to nine

months before a “new” toe-nail grows out, says Carole.

Laser treatment offered at the Akari MediSpa is is the safest and most effective way to treat nail fungus, according to Dr. Christopher Toth, a po-diatric surgeon who practices at Akari.

Count me in.

My treatment at Akari started in a private medical pedicure room, located in the third-

with its plush chair and view of City Hall, is ideal for clients who prefer privacy for their appointment.

Carole started my medi-pe-di with a warm foot soak and Footlogix products that contain patented trans-der-mal technology to better penetrate skin. Next came a thorough cuticle cleaning, toenail trim and aromatic seaweed scrub.

Finally, she thinned the sur-face of my nails with a rotary

target the fungus during my laser treatment.

Treatment with PinPointe

laser treatment for nails, is done in three stages, each of which also includes a medi-cal pedicure.

Toth is the only doctor in Northern New England who uses PinPointe Laser for treatments. Akari is one of few exclusive medical spas in the country where doctors work side by side with nail

technicians.

Toth says the laser treatment is 88 to 95 percent effective for treatment of fungus and yeast. The concept is simple: Heat from the laser heats the toenail and nail bed to kill the fungus and other organisms.

The biggest challenge in treating the problem is hidden: Fungus lurks in the nail bed under the skin and grows out with the nail. Only laser heat that penetrates the skin or medication in the bloodstream can reach the nail bed, said Toth.

Oral medication is only 65 percent effective and doesn’t kill yeast infections that often go hand in hand with fungus.

The oral medication also

Dr. Christopher Toth

Akari now offers a private room for medical pedicures, above. At left, Dr. Christopher Toth directs a laser at my toenail.

See FEET, next page

can elevate liver enzymes and isn’t approved for use by children. Creams, added Toth, just don’t work.

Toes prepped, I was ready for

The dry season

Avoid bar soaps and use creme cleansers if your skin is dry. They’ll cleanse your skin just enough but won’t strip your skin’s own oils.

Try body balms or butters with a heavier weight, which can create a better barrier on your skin to retain moisture.

Avoid powder founda-tion if your skin is dry. A tinted moisturizer or BB cream are better options.

Give threading a try if your skin is sensitive to wax hair removal. Threading, an ancient technique that uses cotton thread to pull out hairs, is fast and doesn’t irritate skin.

Consider laser hair removal now instead of waiting for warmer months. The series of treatments will leave your skin silky and smooth by bathing suit season.

Assess your skin care regimen to see if you need a stronger moistur-izer in winter. Hydrate, the new product by Oba-gi, moisturizes through-out the day. Rosarctica by Kiehl’s is another good option if you need to moisturize your face.

Feet, continued from previous pagemy laser treatment. I popped on protective glasses and watched as Toth aimed the laser beam over and under each nail and on skin that covers the nail bed.

Toth typically makes six or seven painless passes over each nail, a process that takes 20 to 40 minutes. Each time the laser encountered fungus or yeast on my toes I

heard a popping sound.

“Exploding fungus,” he said with a smile. “There’s no better way to do it.”

Welcome to winter in Maine. What we’d give for humid summer days and dewy skin …

Winter can be a skin-friendly sea-son, though, especially if you choose

lifestyle.

“Now is the perfect time to exfoliate and use anti-aging products because you’re in the sun less, the days are shorter,” says Erinn, an Akari aesthe-tician. While Retin-A exfoliation prod-ucts can be used in the summer, people who aren’t vigilant about using sun screen may be more prone to sunburns.

Two Akari procedures, the microderm-abrasion facial and Obagi radiance peel, stimulate new collagen growth and also provide a better base to moisturize skin.

Microdermabrasion resurfaces the skin by sloughing off epidermis and stimu-

lating production of collagen, which results in a younger-looking com-plexion. Collagen production tends to wane as we age, which creates looser-looking skin.

Akari’s Obagi radiance peel can improve the look and texture of skin in a matter of minutes. It not only exfoliates skin but targets sun dam-age and brown spots and provides an instant glow while it tightens the skin.

Erinn suggests everyone take time when the seasons change to assess their skin care routines.

Many clients she sees have clogged pores that prevent moisturizers from doing their jobs. She says many fa-cials include a mild peel that helps with exfoliation, whether you have dry or oily skin.

She also recommends Hydrate by Obagi, one of the best new moistur-izers on the market.

R

Hydrate,hydrate,hydrate

Threading by Elle provides quick hair removal for sensitive skin.

By Andrea Nemitz

So who would have thought that Monica and I could hang upside down from the ceiling with no hands?

-rial yoga lesson with Akari’s instructor, Janette Hough-Fertig.

Aerial yoga combines yoga, strength training and (if you’re up for it) some astoundingly simple acrobatic moves. I sat down

is offering in its renovated carriage house studio.

What is aerial yoga and how did it start?

Back in the beginnings of the Aerial Dance Festival in Boulder, Colo., somewhere around 1998, we all were playing and im-provising and needed a good way to regroup and focus. Yoga

it ended up on the trapezes.

I’ve always played with it, and recently fellow aerialist Cathy Gauch developed a formal vocabulary of aerial yoga poses. It’s also happening, as any zeitgeist, all over the U.S., fueled by the popularity of Cirque du Soleil.

I see the aerial slings and traps as fantastic yoga props. I use both the fabric slings, or hammocks, at hip height, and we hang, stretch, pull and swing as we go through our poses. We start slow, feet on the ground, and move into adding the

aerial moves based on trapeze tricks.

-credible feeling of weightlessness. It’s a fun way to gain upper

on your spine through fun inversions.

Do I need to know yoga poses before I can start aerial

yoga?

No. We learn as we go right on the apparatus. However, ev-eryone should attend a beginner class or private session just so they understand how the apparatus moves and how to get in and out of the hammock.

Do I have to be strong and conditioned before I can start

aerial yoga?

No! It’s a great way to build up the strength. It’s so much fun

you hardly realize how much strength you are building. As in any yoga class, we start slow and you advance as you are ready. Even sitting in the slings is fun and a workout.

Also, if you are just getting back in shape, a restorative yoga class gets those hard-working muscles stretched and relaxed while calming the stressed or anxious mind.

What if I’m experienced with yoga on the mat – can I still

Yes! Using the aerial apparatus, I can help you see your yoga practice in a new way. Poses, balance and transitions are transformed and inverted, swinging adds a new dimension,

way to gravity and rejuvenation.

How far off the ground will I be suspended? Is it danger-

ous?

Although daring and adventurous, these poses are tried and tested for safety. The slings are at hip level, the trapeze at shoulder height. I’ve been teaching aerials for 20 years and have yet to see a serious injury. You will be happily sore. Sometimes the slings and trapezes can take getting used to.

Turn your worldupside downIf your idea of childhood fun was jungle gyms, this fitness program may be for you

See Yoga, next page

Monica perfects hanging upside down during her firstaerial yoga class with Janette Hough-Fertig.

But it’s absolutely safe!

How should I prepare for

an aerial yoga class? Do I

need a yoga mat? Is there

anything I shouldn’t wear?

Prepare as you would any other yoga class. Come hy-drated, bring water for during and after and leave the big meals for after class. Also, I ask everyone to wear clothes without buttons or zippers or anything that would catch or hurt the fabric. Jewelry, metal

hair clips and anything that may get caught should be removed. If you have a mat, bring it. If not, we have mats.

Is there anyone who

shouldn’t do aerial yoga?

Anyone who is pregnant, has low or high blood pressure, a heart issue or any injury,

are always adaptations

or each individual’s health issues.

Will I be sore after an aerial

yoga class?

Most likely, but just a little. We’ll be using muscle groups that don’t normally get used

When was the last time you hung by your knees, your hips or hung by your arms? The soreness is a reminder of accomplishment – enjoy it!

How often should I practice

aerial yoga?

Three times a week for an hour is ideal to get you to a place that keeps the upper body strong so you can get the most out of your

for restoring the mind and stretching those hard-work-ing muscles.

If you’d like to learn more

about aerial yoga or pop by

for a consultation, email in-

structor Janette Hough-Fertig

at janettefertig@akaribeauty.

com.

Yoga, continued from previous page

BEHIND THE SCENES AT AKARILong days, hard work and lots of enthusiasm paid off in November when three Akari apprentices graduated after months of training.

Friends, families and co-workers gathered in our renovated carriage house to celebrate the accomplish-ments of Kari, Mya and Rachel.

The rigorous apprenticeship lasts from nine to 18 months, during which assistants work full time, meet for classes and practice on live models.

The training program cul-minates with a graduation show where each apprentice demonstrates her skills with

Allan and senior stylists inspect each cut while the apprentices eagerly await his thumbs-up.

colorist while Mya and Ra-chel are working as stylists.

Training is an ongoing

commitment at Akari, led by Jenny, our education coor-dinator.

She recently traveled to New York City for a workshop

teach Bumble and bumble product classes. She also

-

ing skills, learned how to cre-ate lesson plans and present effective demonstrations.

Jenny recently surveyed the Akari staff to help her create a six-month education program that will begin in January.

The training will include such topics as new products and how clients can attain more professional results at home; identifying hair growth

patterns; and analyzing how staff can create even more rewarding experiences.

Allan Labos, owner of Akari, is now a blogger for Salon Today. Labos will write week-ly blogs for the national trade magazine’s online site and electronic newsletter.

Jessica LaPierre, RN, has joined the Akari MediSpa staff as an aesthetic nurse. Jessica is available two days

a week and administers Botox injections. She also works at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford.

Andrea Nemitz has joined the Akari staff as marketing director and assistant buyer.She most recently man-aged Black Parrot boutique following a 35-year career as a newspaper reporter and editor.

Akari owner Allan Labos checks a model’s haircut during graduation for three apprentices. Staff members standing behind Labos are, from left, Jenny, Rachel, Genevieve, Mya and Kari.

Tone.Stretch. Strengthen.

Rediscover your shape in 2013Pilates and Aerial Yoga, now at Akari

Call 772-9060 for more information on personal training and classes