Lite 97.5 came out to cover our American Red Cross Help Haiti Fundraiser on February 23, 2010.

Right: Hans P. Fogle
WEPM News Director
Lite 97.5

From: The Journal, February 22, 2010

Salon plans Haiti benefit

By Edward Marshall / Journal Staff Writer

KEARNEYSVILLE - For Jefferson County salon owner Vi Nguyen, seeing images of the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated the small island nation of Haiti last month literally brought tears to her eyes.

With news of death toll estimates from the Jan. 12 quake exceeding more than 200,000 and reports of hundreds of thousands more left homeless or injured, Nguyen decided she wanted to try to do something to try to help.

As the owner of ViVo Hair Salon & Day Spa in Kearneysville, she hopes to prove that it only takes a handful of people to make a difference.

This Tuesday the salon, its staff and volunteers will host a special "Help Haiti" fundraiser in a bid to assist relief efforts following the devastating earthquake.

Proceeds from all services at the salon Tuesday will be donated to the American Red Cross, along with 25 percent of all proceeds from products purchased at the day spa during the fundraiser.

"We can never do enough for Haiti," Nguyen said. "We just really hope that we can raise a lot of donations, and we just hope that everybody comes and shows their support. This is a great cause."

The fundraising event will take place from noon to 5 p.m. in the salon at 43 Ruland Road, Kearneysville, which is next to the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles Office and King's Pizza.

Raffle tickets will be sold for $2 each to help raise additional funds. Prizes include a $50 gift certificate to the salon and a $50 gift certificate for products sold at the local business.

Free food and drinks will be served. Nguyen said Kings Pizza will donate food for the event.

No appointments are necessary on the day of the fundraiser, and children are welcome. Services will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Nguyen said available services will include haircuts, manicures, spa manicures, pedicures, waxing, etc.

Nguyen, her staff and volunteers will donate their time Tuesday, a day when the salon is normally closed.

Nguyen, who moved to the United States 10 years ago from Vietnam, said the images from the Haitian earthquake brought back memories of devastation wrought from natural disasters in her native country - and that's part of the reason she decided to try to help.

"Seeing children with no schools, people that don't have houses to live in, no food, nothing to drink - it just brings me back to (Vietnam), because natural disasters are things that happen a lot in my country," Nguyen said.

Nguyen opened the ViVo Hair Salon & Day Spa nearly three years ago and has four full-time staff members.

"They are so excited about it, and everyone is so emotional about the whole thing," Nguyen said, referring to her staff as well as the volunteers who will help out on Tuesday. "They are saying, 'We are going to do something that will really help all these people in Haiti.'"

She said on her own she can't do much, but she hopes that with the community's help, the fundraiser will make at least a small impact on someone's life in Haiti.

"It does make me feel great to be able to do just a little bit of something for them," she said. "Whatever we can do, we want to do that. Every little thing helps I think."

From: The Journal, April 27, 2009

Pedicures
More than pampering your feet

By Angela Cummings
Special to the Journal

KEARNEYSVILLE -Old man winter can take a toll on your skin, often leaving it dry, flaky and itchy. It's easy to forget about body parts that aren't use to seeing the light of day during cold weather, but once barefoot season gets here you might be surprised at what you see when you look down.

You may not have realized your toenails were that long or your heels were that rough. This may not only cause concern for esthetic reasons, but it's not healthy to dismiss your feel when considering overall personal hygiene.

“When you go so long without cleaning your feet, you get fungus and bacteria,” says Vi Nguyen, owner and operator of ViVo Hair Salon & Day Spa in Kearneysville.

Once viewed as a seasonal luxury, pedicures are quickly becoming routine maintenance for women and men. 

Leslie Kelly of Charles Town says she regularly gets pedicures.

“This time of year I try to get one every other month, then one around the holidays.”

“(The nail technician) keeps the calluses down and it's relaxing to be pampered a little bit," says Kelly.

Nguyen says that pedicures can be anything from a very basic cleansing, massage and nail trim to deluxe spa treatment with foot mask and paraffin clip. Any treatment can be specialized to meet each individual’s needs.

Dr. Richard Rauch, a podiatrist at City Hospital, says that if anyone is a diabetic or vascularly compromised, he or she should been seen by a podiatrist. If someone is perfectly healthy but has extremely thick toenails - which may be caused by a fungus – or calluses and corns, he or she should still seek treatment from a podiatrist.

"A fungus is an active infection and needs to be treated accordingly," says Rauch. Some foot problems, like bunions, may tell a podiatrist that there is an underly­ing bone deformity and/or something that needs medical attention, he adds.

Diabeteshealth.com recommends that health compromised clientele — such as those with diabetes or peripheral vascular disease affecting the legs and feet — discuss pedicure options with their doctor and customize an appropriate procedure to guide your nail technician. And always let your techni­cian know if you are diabetic.

All sources agree that no one other than a podiatrist should ever cut the toenails, calluses or attempt to excise corns from the feet of a diabetic or anyone vascularly compromised. Rauch extends this recommendation to all elderly persons as well.

“If you can't see or reach your feet that well, see a podi­atrist.” says Rauch.

Another subject all sources agree on is to make sure you check the cleanliness of any establishment before getting a pedicure. All salons must be properly licensed and are inspected by the state.

For example, Nguyen says they clean each spa tub after every client, using bleach and sanitabs. They are also soaked at the end of each day. All utensils are cleaned and sterilized in a UV sterilizer after each client; however, Nguyen suggests clients purchase and bring their own nail kits for extra protection from bacteria or cross-contamination.

“You don't have to purchase a kit, but we recommend it.” she says. Kit are around $35 and include a nail file, cuticle trimmer, cuticle pusher/nipper and buffer. Nguyen says they will even UV sterilize your personal kit for you, then you can take it home and bring it back with you the next time.

Rauch cautions that women who like to have painted nails during sandal season should only wear polish for four to live days at a time.

“Even though they're hard, nails are living tissue and they need to have some air.” he says.

For a safer and less invasive pedicure, you can always opt for the leg and foot cleansing, massage and warm towels to stimulate blood in the feet and hands.

There aren’t many things that feel as wonderful as a good foot massage.

“When my feet feel good, I feel good all over.” Nguyen says.

Vi Nguyen, owner and operator of ViVo Hair Salon & Day Spa in Kearneysville, includes a foot and leg massage with pedicures.

Upscale in West Virginia
ViVo Day Spa introduces high style
and good health to a small town.

LIVING IN THE EASTERN panhandle of West Virginia are commuters working in Washington, D.C., who used to have to stay in the District if they wanted the latest hair and spa services. In 2007, Vi Nguyen offered them a change from that routine when she launched ViVo Salon and Day Spa right in their neck of the woods, in Kearneysville.

Energetic and eager to be on her own, Nguyen put together her business only seven years after moving to the United States from Vietnam and six years after becoming a hairdresser. Her youth and relative inexperience didn’t worry her because she had a clear vision for her business.

Health and Beauty
“My salon is all about sexy, shiny hair, and a healthy environment,” Nguyen explains. “I think everyone should live a green, healthy life and avoid strong chemicals.”

It was her own allergies that motivated Nguyen to search for ammonia-free products to use on her clients, and she knew when she had her own salon she would use naturally formulated products. She discovered CHI at a hair show.

“I’m allergic to a lot of perfumes, but I have no problem with CHI perfume,” Nguyen says. When tolerance to the perfume led her to try CHI hair color and other Farouk hair products, like BioSilk, she was thrilled with the results. Today she says that more than 90 percent of the products she uses and carries are from the Farouk line.

“I always said, ‘One day when I have my own salon, this will be the product line I use,’” Nguyen notes. “I highly recommend Farouk products to everyone—hairdressers and clients at home and at the salon. Try it and you’ll love it!”

Wanting to help her clients to achieve full-body health, Nguyen designed her business to include spa services, offering spa manipedis, facials, body massage and eyelash extensions. On staff is a nail tech, massage therapist and receptionist. Although she hopes to hire another stylist. Nguyen currently does all the hair herself. She is particular about who she will hire to work in her ammonia-free salon, which is unique to her area. She has the highest standards for her salon, including excellent customer service and a commitment to use safe and high-quality products.

Yearning to Learn
Another thing Nguyen has in common with Farouk is her devotion to education. Nguyen has taken up Farouk on an offer for free in-salon training, welcoming an educator into her salon three times. In addition, she travels to shows where she can see the company’s artists demonstrate the latest styles and products. She also helps fund similar trips for her staff and most recently she had the honor of attending Farouk Systems’ International Conference in Cancun, Mexico.

Nguyen’s favorite moments at ViVo Salon are watching the smile on each client’s face as the service is completed. “I can always tell if a client isn’t quite satisfied,” she says, and in that case she sits the client back down. “I never, ever let a client leave without a happy face. Never!”

Still, her work is only part of her life. “I have a great family,” Nguyen says. “I’m raising two handsome boys and have full support from my husband. I put a lot of effort into my salon, and I’m confident it will pay off.”

Vi Nguyen

Nguyen with Farouk Shami in Cancun.

From: The Journal, July 2007

ViVo Hair Salon & Day Spa

The attention to detail is evident when first entering the ViVo Hair Salon & Day Spa inc. Clients are welcomed by owner Vi Vo Nguyen and her very friendly staff into an inviting space with a contemporary design of green and white accents, which brings to mind a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day.  Soothing music plays in the background which helps clients relax and prepare to be pampered by a staff with one goal – to make clients feel fabulous.

Vi Vo Nguyen is a familiar face in the community and has worked at other salons in Northern Virginia and locally.  She envisioned a salon offering very unique services and was determined to provide residents with an alternative to traveling out of the area for services such as eyelash extensions and Japanese hair straightening in addition to unparalleled hair contouring, coloring, and texturing to gemstone facials, exclusive spa manicures, pedicures, massages and body waxing.  “My promise to every client is that everyone leaves with a huge smile,” Vi said.

ViVo’s philosophy of healthy attractive hair care is achieved by utilizing the product line of CHI.  “This is one of the best hair care products I have ever worked with, it’s ammonia free, it just feels and smells so, so beautiful, all my clients love it,” Vi said.

ViVo Salon & Spa has six hairdressing stations, a privacy room for facial, waxing and massage two sets of manicure and pedicure stations and three shampoo sinks with ergonomic design for the client’s best comfort. “We’re looking forward to expanding our spa in the future and we want to make this place a one-stop-shop to everybody,” Vi said.

ViVo Hair Salon & Day Spa employs three cosmetologists, on nail technician and on receptionist.  “I’m very proud of my girls, they are great,” Vi said.

To introduce clients to ViVo they are currently offering 15 percent off for first time clients on hair coloring, eyelash extension and Japanese hair straightening and 15 percent off for back-to-school student on all services by presenting this article at the time of appointment, offer expires Oct. 7, 2007.  The spa also offers 10 percent off for parties of five or more and will do themes from princess parties for young girls ages 6 to 12, bachelor and bachelorette parties and girls night out.  We can serve up to 12 clients at a time.  ViVo Salon is open seven days a week, Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday by appointment only.  The shop is conveniently located in Kearneysville on W.Va 9, next to the DMV.

ViVo is looking for experienced hair stylists with a clientele starting with great commission plus benefits and flexible schedule.

“I want to thank all my loyal customers who have supported me over the years, without them I would not have been able to open my own salon and greatly welcome new clients to our brand new hair salon and day spa.  We strive to treat everybody the way we want to be treated.  We don’t just serve you, we pamper you.  It’s our promise to everybody,” Vi said.

To contact ViVo Hair Salon & Day Spa Inc. please call (304) 728-0880 or email ViVosalon@yahoo.com.