In the article, Gurock explains that jewelry store lighting is  not a one-size-fits-all solution.  ”Brighter is not necessarily better,” he is quoted in the article.

Below is the full interview with Howard Gurock.  The original article was posted to SouthernJewelryNews.com.

Creative a positive customer experience through lighting

California-based Santillian Jewelers’ store features lighting by Econo-Lite and was designed by Artco Group. Photo courtesy of Artco Group.

Ask Howard Gurock of Econo-Lite how his company is different from other lighting suppliers and you’ll get an education in illuminating retail spaces. He’ll quickly tell you to choose a lighting partner, not just a lighting supplier. Gurock quips, “Possessing lighting knowledge without an understanding of design, retail environments or positive customer experiences is like possessing precious metals and stones without the ability to turn them into a product you can sell.”

In 2007, Howard Gurock and Jeffrey Gasman took over Econo-Lite which was established in 1982 by George Halvatzis. Known to many jewelers as the ‘King of Jewelry Lighting,’ George provided store owners with expertise in the latest jewelry lighting technologies. After his retirement, Howard and Jeff stayed true to the company’s reputation and continue to provide the jewelry industry with lighting products and a high level of customization few companies provide.

Econo-Lite’s close relationship with leading jewelry store designers (Artco, Store Design and Fixturing, Grid3), case manufacturers (Grice Showcase) and jewelry display companies (Pacific Northern) demonstrates their commitment to being more than just a lighting supplier. Gurock works with designers and case manufacturers to ensure their projects go smoothly, stating, “We have to talk to all parties involved because there is a great level of customization nowadays.”

Gurock is deeply involved with the technical side of lighting, specifically LED diode manufacturing which is the most important component used in LED lighting. Diodes are no bigger than the head on a pin, but they determine how warm or cool the emitted light is from an LED bulb. When he discovered that manufacturers were allowed classification deviations within single groups, and those deviations were perceptible to the human eye, he did what any good business owner would do – he went for custom diode production.

“With only a few LED diode manufacturers in the world that really produce a quality product, we decided to choose one of these manufacturers to produce our diodes custom made to our specifications,” Gurock said. “Manufacturers classify diodes into warm, neutral and cool according to the color they emit. But when the colors weren’t consistent within a classification we went the only route we could – custom.”

NY Jewelers in Chicago. Econo-Lite provided all the lighting for this store. Photo courtesy of Artco Group, designers of the store.

Creating a special diode (known in the industry as custom binned), requires a lot more testing, evaluating, re-testing and work, but Econo-Lite refused to sell inconsistent product, whether or not the solution was complicated.

Selling quality products is only one component of the business mix for Econo-Lite. Creating a custom lighting plan for each retailer is equally impressive in its offering. With so many variables affecting the lighting of a jewelry store, Gurock and Gasman decided they simply couldn’t offer a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to retailers.

“What most people don’t realize is that what works for one store doesn’t work for all. Most believe lighter and brighter is better, but it may not be the best solution for all jewelry,” Gurock explains. “If we put the brightest and whitest lights in a case and produce a look that cannot be replicated outside the case, then our jewelry partners are at risk of losing a sale, and that’s not acceptable to us.”

At no cost, Econo-Lite consults with the jeweler to gain insight into their retail environment and to evaluate the physical surroundings, including: how much natural light is available, what the layout of the store is like, what mix of products are being sold, what color is on the walls and in the display cases and the height of the ceiling. They may recommend one type of lighting for the cash wrap, a different type for the work benches and yet another for the showcases and wall displays.

Gurock explains how lighting becomes a part of the sales process: “First, lighting in the showcase must make the product catch the eye of the customer. Then you have to create a look that makes the customer want to see the product outside the case, and, last, the lighting outside the case needs to blend with the incase lighting to make the product look just as good above the glass as below it.”

Hiring teams of technical engineers, LED engineers and many other experts in the field of lighting has helped Econo-Lite carve out a niche in the jewelry industry, and with that tremendous success they found the next natural progression was to jump into the optical and beauty salon industries. Like jewelry retail, both present tremendous challenges when it comes to lighting, but Gurock and Gasman are nothing if not extremely business savvy.

“The salon industry is an extremely tight-knit group that posed significant problems when it came down to being the new lighting kid on the block,” Gurock recalled. “If you’re not connected in that industry there is no way to earn their trust. That’s why we partnered with the top hair color specialist in the industry, Beth Minardi, to create lighting specifically for salons. It took over a year of intense research and testing, but we proudly launched our Minardi Color Perfect Lighting line specifically designed to address the needs of hair salons, and we’ve helped reconstruct the way they light the retail area in the salons.”

But perhaps the best offer Econo-Lite makes is one of value. With a five year guarantee on their product and the free lighting analysis to customize a lighting plan per individual store, it easy to see how Gurock and Gasman have become the new ‘Kings of Lighting’ in the jewelry industry. After all, customization is king regardless of what industry you serve.

Visit Econo-Lite at www.econo-lite.com or call 800-345-9652 for a free consultation

A prominent theme of the 2012 show was ‘How to Properly Light a Jewelry Store.’  Howard Gurock, Co-President of Eco-Lite Products, was asked about the right and wrong way to make use of jewelry store lighting design.

There are several ways to illuminate a jewelry store and according to Gurock, diamonds and other gems react differently to particular sources of lighting.  These distinct reactions can direct a customer’s attention to a desired area of a jewelry store or particular part of a product showcase.

Jewelry Store Lighting Expert Says to Light for Diamonds

In the interview Gurock says, “If you look for cheap deals or just assume the brightest lights are best, you’re likely to end up spending more in the long run or making your merchandise look poor.”  Instead, Gurock suggests ‘lighting for diamonds’ adding, “If you light for diamonds, everything else will survive. If you light for everything else, your diamonds will die. So light for your diamonds.”

He also notes that brighter is not better and in most cases, LED lighting will create the most scintillation in diamonds.  LED lights are also the most energy-efficient, using 40-80% less energy.

Good lights can be more expensive, but there are other areas where jewelry store owners can save.  The best way to ensure dollars are being spent wisely, according to Gurock, is to talk to someone with expertise in lighting and ask them the best ways to be effectively and efficiently light a jewelry store.

To read the full interview on jewelry store lighting with Howard Gurock, please visit http://www.jewelry-lighting.com/20120516-jewelry-store-lighting-design-tips-from-an-expert/

When it comes to lighting your store, don’t go it alone. If you look for cheap deals or just assume the brightest lights are best, you’re likely to end up spending more in the long run or making your merchandise look poor, said Econo-Lite‘s Howard Gurock at The SMART Show on Sunday. You’re better off working with a lighting expert who knows the jewelry industry.

In a Q&A with Larry Johnson of display maker Pacific Northern, Gurock shared some tips on how to make your lighting really shine:

• A rule of thumb: If you light for your diamonds, everything else will survive. If you light for everything else, your diamonds will die. So light for your diamonds.
• Brighter isn’t better. You don’t want your lighting to be so overpowering that the jewelry looks different when you take it out of the case. Your in-case lighting should make your diamonds sparkle, and the overhead lights should be consistent with that look.
• LEDs create the most scintillation in diamonds and are also the most energy-efficient form of lighting. And they’re now powerful enough to be used as overhead lighting, although metal halides may still be your best bet for overhead.
• A quality overhead light should cost you $80-$100. Quality in-case lighting should cost you $80-$120 per foot, or a bit more than $40 per foot for LED tape lighting.
• Avoid online discount lighting merchants, who often sell poor-quality products that won’t last as long as promised or will provide inconsistent color or brightness. Also avoid home-improvement stores. “You can go to Home Depot and talk to the lighting expert there, but the day before, he was the plumbing expert,” Gurock said. Moreover, those stores are selling residential lights, meant to be used for maybe three hours at a time. They’re not built to meet retailers’ needs.
• Check your warranties. If your warranty on an overhead light isn’t for at least five years, be careful.
• When you contact a lighting company, there are certain questions they should ask if they’re any good: What is your ceiling height? What type of merchandise are you selling? What kind of cases do you have? What kind of look are you going for?
• If you’re building or remodeling your store and you provide your lighting company with a good floor plan, a knowledgeable expert should be able to use it to lay out a lighting plan, so you can see where your lights will go and how much your lighting setup will cost. If you can’t get your lighting company a floor plan, send them photos of your showroom.

Good lighting is expensive, sure, but trying to do it on the cheap is just money down the drain. “The best way to save money,” Gurock said, “is to talk to someone who has expertise in lighting and ask them where you could cut back.”

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting by Eco-Lite Products, was installed throughout the entire salon, or in select areas such as the styling/color areas, in six of the top twenty 2011 Salons of the Year.  These 2011 Salons of the Year winners were:

• 27 Hampton Salon (Southampton, NY)
• Blo Salon (Shelby Township, MI)
• Salon Debonaire (Richmond, VA)
• Sam Brocato (New York, NY)
• Santo Salon & Spa (Pepper Pike, OH)
• Teeze Salon of New Jersey (Lyndhurst, NJ)

See photos of the SALON TODAY winning salons online.

Along with the famous Angus M Salon in Beverly Hills, CA, which was a 2010 Salon of the Year, the 2011 Salons of the Year now bring the total to seven Salons of the Year using Minardi Color Perfect Lighting.

World renowned colorist Beth Minardi was thrilled with the Minardi Color Perfect Lighting Salon winners.  “SALON TODAY is a wonderful resource for serious salon professionals!  We are so pleased that many of their SALON of the YEAR winners use MINARDI COLOR PERFECT LIGHTING.  Great salons and great salon clients deserve nothing but the very best.  And, when we can see EXACTLY what we are doing, we can deliver EXACTLY the results great colorists are expected to deliver.  Let that great light shine on your beautiful color creations!”

Minardi Salon Lighting Blended Seamlessly Into Design of Winning Salons

Jeff Gasman, Co-President of Eco-Lite Products, observed that each of the six 2011 winners had a unique design that “incorporated our lighting into that design seamlessly.  Not only did these salons create perfect environments for coloring and styling, they did it in an eco-friendly manner which will save them thousands of dollars a year in electrical costs.”

We work very closely with Salon Designers, Architects and owners in order to help turn their visions into reality, commented Howard Gurock, Co-President of Eco-Lite Products.  Salon owners are realizing more and more that lighting is a critical element to a successful salon that cannot be ignored or put as the last line on the budget.  Gurock, who was recently named to a panel of the Beauty Industry’s top experts, said that the advances in technology will “provide us with the ability to deliver salon lighting that is superior in tone and color at a fraction of the energy used in most salons today.”

Beth Minardi is quoted, “I’m thrilled that 650 salons across America have turned on the lights – Minardi Color Perfect lights!  I also work behind the chair every day, so I know how important it is to accurately see and evaluate the color and styles we create. ”

Upon launching in 2009, the lighting system quickly garnered industry-wide attention and won the prestigious International Beauty Industry Innovator Award at the 2009 and 2010 America’s Beauty Show®. Just two years later, salons across the country are raving about it and designers have begun specifying Minardi Color Perfect Lighting into their salon design plans as well.

Multiple Options with Minardi Color Perfect Lighting for Salons

Minardi Color Perfect lighting is comprised of three different fixtures each of which has a specific function for a salon. Salons can greatly benefit from using one or all three of the lights.

The task lights, which are a mere 18 watts and use state of the art LED technology, create a 3’ to 4’ circle of light around the stylists chair and project a perfect color making hair look the same both inside and outside of the salon.

The mirror light, which comes in two sizes and can be wall mounted or mounted to a ceiling in a pendant style, uses between 7 and 14 watts of power, is essential because it eliminates circles under the eyes while adding a warm glow to the skin and an overall healthy look to the complexion warmth to the skin. This is the light the client sees as they are sitting in the chair.

The ambient lighting provides general lighting for the salon. There are several energy efficient options all of which spread an even canopy of bright soothing light.  Salons using fluorescent lighting that struggle with the shadows and poor color quality that fluorescents are known for as well as salons using the extremely hot and inefficient halogen lights will welcome the brilliance and tone that is emitted by the ambient lighting.

We are “… excited to see the growth of Minardi Color Perfect Lighting … our company, along with Beth and Carmine Minardi, spent countless hours designing, testing and modifying these lights until they produced the perfect balance of color, tone and power” said Howard Gurock, co-owner, Eco-Lite Products.  “Salons across the country call us every day to thank us for helping to make their salons more successful and we take a lot of pride in knowing that in addition to helping the salons we are also helping the environment” said Jeff Gasman, co-owner, Eco-Lite Products.

“At Del Sol, our customers know us for our color-change vibrancy. No other retailer has as many ink variations and such ink intensity—we literally have hundreds,” says Scott Brady, vice president of communications. Adds Jamie Seals, Del Sol store designer, “Because that color-change feature is so important to our customers, it’s vital that we display our merchandise in color-perfect lighting, and Eco-Lite Products is the first company to make that possible, creating the ideal, inviting, modern colorful environment that really makes our merchandise pop. In addition, it ensures that our customers look their best while trying on our merchandise,”

“Lighting is extremely important to us, not only for the visual merchandising benefits, but for its technical properties, as well,” say Brittany Braithewaite, Del Sol store design manager. “It’s critical that our lights protect our color-changing products within our store environment, so that they are not exposed to UV rays. We also want energy-efficient lighting that both helps the environment, while significantly decreasing our lighting bill every month. We turned to Eco-Lite Products not only for their high-quality, eco-friendly lighting solutions, but for their high level of customer service, as well.”

Del Sol’s sister company Cariloha, the first retailer of casual clothing, home goods, hand bags and jewelry made entirely from bamboo fabric, is also partnering with Eco-Lite Products. With thousands of skus, the company has seven stores with plans for 20 to 25 in the next two years.

Color Perfect LED Lighting

“We looked for the perfect lighting to illuminate our all-bamboo stores and enhance our clean, organized, interactive and friendly environment,” says Sabrina Westbrook, director of Cariloha store design. “We want our stores to ‘sing’ with brightness, and Eco-Lite Products gives us that ‘WOW factor’ we were seeking. In addition, as an all-bamboo store, Eco-Lite Products fits our eco-friendly brand story perfectly with fixtures that have a longer life span and a lighting system that uses much less electricity and produces less heat every single month. As a result, what we save on lighting and cooling allows us to lower costs to end customers, while giving them a completely eco-friendly shopping experience Eco-Lite Products’ lights are very easy to install. The team has been very helpful. Hands down, they’re one of the best vendors we have ever worked with.”

In one success story, the company remodeled a store in St. Maarten and installed    Eco-Lite Products’ lighting. Upon completion of the build-out, no one recognized the previously dark, dreary space. One customer said, “It’s as if the sunshine has been turned on.”

Says Howard Gurock, co-president of Eco-Lite Products, “Sabrina Westbrook, director of Cariloha store design, challenged us to create high-quality, high-powered lighting that not only used less energy than conventional retail store lighting but did not cause the colors in the clothes to activate inside the store. Del Sol has a unique patented process that causes clothing to change colors when exposed to the light from the sun. We created a special lens that prevented the clothing from changing colors indoors. Now, we are developing an LED light fixture that can perform just as well as the original light we created while saving even more energy. In the Cariloha stores, our expertise in color-perfect lighting helped us create lighting that enhanced the beauty of the clothing and other merchandise in those stores all while remaining eco-friendly, which is very important to the Cariloha and Del Sol brands.”

Adds Eco-Lite Products co-president Jeff Gasman, “Del Sol’s commitment to being eco-friendly is something that we also share, which is why we work so hard at creating energy efficient lighting that not only saves money via the reduction in electrical use but actually works in demanding retail environments. Huge energy reductions would be rendered worthless if the lighting used didn’t enhance what was being sold, which is why we produce lighting that accomplishes both.”

About Del Sol

Established in 1994, Del Sol combined science and sunshine to create the world’s first T-shirt that changes color in sunlight. Since then, Del Sol has grown to become the world’s largest retailer of merchandise that changes color in the sun, and the Caribbean’s largest clothing retailer. It’s also one of the most highly promoted merchants on board Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess, Disney, Celebrity and Norwegian Cruise Lines. Today, the company is soaking up the sun and sharing the fun in over 100 Del Sol stores in 21 countries. For more information about Del Sol’s culture, products and stores, visit http://www.delsol.com .

About Cariloha

Cariloha offers an exclusive line of bamboo clothing and textiles using its exclusive process for taking a hard bamboo and turning it into a soft, comfy T-shirt. As the store sales associates say: “Live Natural, Stay Cool—Wear Bamboo.” Cariloha’s aim is to give customers the opportunity— advertently or not—to keep the world green and clean. Visit http://www.cariloha.com/ .

About Eco-Lite

In 1980, Eco-Lite Products started making lights for jewelry stores—perhaps the most challenging of all retail environments. Today, the company is the leading supplier of energy-efficient, product-enhancing lighting to that marketplace, as well as to beauty salons, art galleries, eyewear retailers and other environments where perfect lighting is critical to the bottom line and eco-friendly practices translate into both good will and good business. To learn more, call 800-345-9652 or visit http://www.eco-lite.com .

Illuminating the top salons from New York City to Beverly Hills to Chicago to Miami, Minardi Color Perfect Lighting offers an entire family of lighting specifically designed for every area of the salon from the color bar to the styling stations, from the reception and retail area to the shampoo bowls and from the makeup stations to the nail tables. Color perfect lights are available in designer styles, colors and finishes. By simply changing to color perfect lighting designed specifically for salons, you can see your work more accurately, virtually eliminating most redos, creating a more beautiful, comfortable environment for staff and clients alike, reducing eye strain, showing your commitment to a “green” business and even saving thousands of dollars a year on electricity.

Minardi Salon Lighting

Says Beth Minardi, co-owner of Minardi Salon, one of the foremost authorities on hair color excellence and the winner of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Hairstyling Awards, “It’s impossible to create gorgeous color unless you are able to see EXACTLY what you are doing. Most of us have been ‘dancing in the dark’—working under fluorescent lights or a dark ceiling for years. That makes evaluation, correct consultation and formulation virtually impossible. With the correct lighting, including the first LED that we’ve custom designed to accurately illuminate hair color, colorists can see exactly what their color will look like once their clients walks outside and into the sun. The color you SEE is the color you GET… the client no longer needs to go into the parking lot to see her color, which enhances your professional credibility dramatically.

“Our new full-spectrum natural lighting had a dramatic impact from day one at Minardi Salon by allowing our team to see their work in the perfect light. Not only did it make the salon more attractive and comfortable, but these low-wattage, high-powered lights with perfect color tone are saving us more than $1,000 a month—more than 75% on the lighting portion of our bill and an overall reduction of 30% on our entire electric bill. The lighting uses far less electricity and reduces the ambient heat in the salon, so it’s more comfortable for our stylists, who no longer feel like they are standing under a heat lamp. Also, we run our air conditioning less often. We haven’t changed even one bulb in more than year. It makes it easy to ‘go green’ in numerous meaningful ways.”

“Beth Minardi’s expertise as a hair color educator is world-renowned, and the name ‘Minardi’ is synonymous with beautiful, perfect hair color. Takara Belmont stands for the top quality salon equipment and furnishings in the world. They’re both brands that top salons trust. What a perfect team to help salon professionals do their very best work possible,” says Larry Erikson, vice president/national sales manager for Takara Belmont.

About Minardi Color Perfect Lighting

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting consists of a family of different light fixtures that have been specifically designed to solve the lighting problems that have plagued salons for decades. Their energy efficient “green” lighting uses anywhere from 40 -80% less power than what is currently being used, reduces heat values, which in turn will require less cooling energy from air conditioning.

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting is ideal for salon owners who want to enhance the beauty of their salon as well as for colorists and stylists who need the functionality of proper lighting to ensure consistent and accurate color results for their clients.  Every area of a salon from the stylist chairs, to the color bars, to the retail displays will benefit from their color perfect lighting. The lighting creates a bright cheerful environment that, for the first time, permits accurate color evaluation.

http://www.salonlights.com/

About Takara Belmont

Takara Belmont has long been recognized as the innovative leader in design and technology. Underlying this reputation is our philosophy through products and services that provide ease-of-use, comfort, convenience, and safety. Our philosophy of caring includes the professionals who select our products and their clientele. We believe that by maintaining our focus on the needs of people throughout the world, Takara Belmont will continue to lead the way.

http://www.takarabelmont.com/

Helping to make the Angus M Salon “cool” is the salon lighting.  The Angus M Salon chose Minardi Color Perfect Lighting by Eco-Lite Products.  The reason Minardi Color Perfect Lighting was chosen was due to the fact that it was created specifically for the salon environment, uses very little energy, creates almost no heat, makes hair look the same inside as it does outside and is made to the exacting standards of the world renowned colorist Beth Minardi.  According to Shannon McGuire, lead designer for the noted salon architectural firm Powell Dudley Frith who designed the Angus M Salon, the Minardi lights “show the true color of what the client’s hair color would look like in natural daylight”.

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting by Eco-Lite products was honored to have been chosen as the lighting company for the high profile Angus M Salon.  According to Howard Gurock, Co-President of Eco-Lite Products, “The Angus M Salon could have chosen any company in the world for their lighting.  The fact that they chose our Minardi Color Perfect Lighting above everybody else speaks volumes about the quality of our color perfect lighting.”

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting consists of a family of different light fixtures that have been specifically designed to solve the lighting problems that have plagued salons for decades. Their energy efficient “green” lighting uses anywhere from 40 -80% less power than what is currently being used, reduces heat values, which in turn will require less cooling energy from air conditioning.

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting is ideal for salon owners who want to enhance the beauty of their salon as well as for colorists and stylists who need the functionality of proper lighting to ensure consistent and accurate color results for their clients.  Every area of a salon from the stylist chairs, to the color bars, to the retail displays will benefit from their color perfect lighting. The lighting creates a bright cheerful environment that, for the first time, permits accurate color evaluation.

Learn more about Minardi Color Perfect Lighting .

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting from Eco-Lite Products (http://www.eco-lite.com), were exhibiting at the show again and this year featured their brand new LED task light for all in attendance to see. These LED lights use specially designed LED diodes and custom made optics to deliver color perfect lighting fixture after fixture delivering precise color evaluation over the stylist and color processing chairs.  At a mere 27W, these dimmable lights do not radiate any heat which means that colorists and stylists can stand under them all day long without feeling as though they are standing under a heat lamp.  The eco-friendly nature of these lights, 50,000 hour no maintenance rating together with the reduction in heat they offer a salon, will have a dramatic impact on reducing energy monthly costs. 

The hundreds of attendees who stopped by the booth were so impressed with the new LED task lights that they couldn’t wait to get back to their salons to take some measurements and place their orders.  These amazing new LED light fixtures were so impressive that Minardi Color Perfect Lighting once again won the prestigious International Beauty Industry Innovator Award at the 2010 America’s Beauty Show ®  just as they did in 2009.    Since this salon lighting was introduced in January of 2009, salons across the country have been raving about how it has transformed their salons into color perfect establishments while greatly reducing the number of re-does.  In addition, designers are routinely asked by their clients to specify Minardi Color Perfect Lighting in their salon lighting design plans.  

It is no secret that in order to create fabulous color, you must first be able to correctly evaluate the client’s current level and tone.  According to Beth Minardi, owner of the famous Minardi Salon in NYC and one of the country’s foremost experts on hair color “NOTHING helps a colorist more than the ability to see EXACTLY what he/she is doing. Then, and ONLY THEN… can you decide precisely how to formulate color perfectly.  I simply DO NOT WORK unless I am operating under my Minardi Color Perfect Lighting.  Our new LED task light allows you to see EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING in complete comfort.”

According to Beth Minardi owner of the famous Minardi Salon in NYC and one of the country’s foremost experts on hair color “ NOTHING helps a colorist more than the ability to see EXACTLY what he/she is doing!  In order to create fabulous color, you must first be able to correctly evaluate the client’s current level and tone.  Then, and ONLY THEN… can you decide precisely how to formulate color perfectly.  I simply DO NOT WORK unless I am operating under my Minardi Color Perfect Lighting.  Our new LED task light allows you to see EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING in complete comfort.” 

At a mere 27W, these dimmable lights do not radiate any heat which means that colorists and stylists can stand under them all day long without feeling as though they are standing under a heat lamp.  The eco-friendly nature of these lights, together with the reduction in heat they offer a salon, will have a dramatic impact on reducing energy monthly costs.  The 50,000 hour lifetime, no maintenance, rating of these lights means they will shine for years and years to come without ever having to replace them.  These new Minardi LED task lights are also mercury free and are completely recyclable, making them environmentally friendly as well.

Most LED lights on the market contain LED diodes that have large color variations from LED diode to LED diode.  This means that each light has different colors projecting from it.  This would be a disaster for accurate hair color evaluation.  The new Minardi LED task light, with its custom made LED diodes, does not have this problem as it delivers perfect consistent color time after time.

About Minardi Color Perfect Lighting

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting consists of a family of different light fixtures that have been specifically designed to solve the lighting problems that have plagued salons for decades. Their energy efficient “green” lighting uses anywhere from 40 -80% less power than what is currently being used, reduces heat values, which in turn will require less cooling energy from air conditioning.

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting is ideal for salon owners who want to enhance the beauty of their salon as well as for colorists and stylists who need the functionality of proper lighting to ensure consistent and accurate color results for their clients.  Every area of a salon from the stylist chairs, to the color bars, to the retail displays will benefit from their color perfect lighting. The lighting creates a bright cheerful environment that, for the first time, permits accurate color evaluation.

More information on Minardi Color Perfect Lighting is available at http://eco-lite.com/industries/beauty/salon-lighting-fixtures.htm

The GCS mission is two-fold; first they enable consumers to ask for and find smarter green choices for cultivating beauty and health. Second, they provide an affordable pathway for salons and spas to help reduce their eco-footprint and facilitate the growth of cleaner, healthier communities. The GCS directory connects consumers to the greenest salons and spas within Toronto (launching in other Canadian and US cities soon), while their featured stories, news and blog posts provide insight into green issues throughout the world of beauty. As a salon or spa owner, GCS enables you to create a more attractive and healthy work environment, and to build a competitive green business that embraces change and meets emerging consumer demands.

Eco-Lite Products co-president Jeff Gasman was instrumental in forging the relationship with GCS. “We are always eager to involve ourselves with companies who have a true and proven commitment to the environment. Green Circle Salons is one of those companies and we are proud to be a part of their very selective network of partners who are committed to making our planet a greener place to live and do business in.

Green Circle Salons sets very clear standards and believes in clear expectations, ethical business dealings, transparency, accountability, inclusiveness and open communications. Fairness, honesty and integrity are their compass when choosing partners. Shane Price, President of Green Circle Salons, sought to have Minardi Color Perfect Lighting partner with his company. “We thank Minardi Color Perfect Lighting by Eco-Lite Products, and in particular Jeff Gasman, the president of Eco-Lite Products, for offering Green Circle Salons the opportunity to implement their innovative and proven salon lighting systems here in Toronto, Canada. We are delighted to have Eco-Lite Products as our partners working together on creative solutions that help to make our communities cleaner, healthier and brighter places to live!”

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting consists of a family of different light fixtures that have been specifically designed to solve the lighting problems that have plagued salons for decades. Their energy efficient “green” lighting uses anywhere from 40 -80% less power than what is currently being used, reduces heat values, which in turn will require less cooling energy from air conditioning.

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting is ideal for salon owners who want to enhance the beauty of their salon as well as for colorists and stylists who need the functionality of proper lighting to ensure consistent and accurate color results for their clients.  Every area of a salon from the stylist chairs, to the color bars, to the retail displays will benefit from their color perfect lighting. The lighting creates a bright cheerful environment that, for the first time, permits accurate color evaluation.

 More information on Minardi Color Perfect Lighting is available at http://eco-lite.com/industries/beauty/salon-lighting-fixtures.htm

“At the end of the day it was important that these already exceptional salon owners got valuable information and left with more knowledge to ensure greater business for their organization”—said Joseph Mastalia, President of DePasquale Salon Systems—“Beth Minardi rarely appears outside major hair events and we were extremely glad to host her.” 

Howard Gurock, President of Eco-Lite Products (Tappan, NY), and a speaker at the event, elaborated by saying:  “I was happy to be part of an event that recognized that it’s not enough to simply carry a product or provide a service, it needs to have value.  That’s something we always emphasize with Minardi Lighting. Invest in the best products and services and you can’t go wrong—your customer will appreciate that.  Good salon lighting is what allows salon professionals to work with precision.” 

Beth Minardi treated the attendees to an afternoon of first class education in all aspects of hair coloring and demonstrated the latest techniques on a host of different models.  All of her work was performed under a platform that was built to showcase the Minardi Color Perfect light fixtures. Everyone in attendance marveled at how natural the model’s hair looked and how they were able to see each strand and accurately evaluate color. Gurock also unveiled the latest color perfect fixture from the Minardi family of salon lights … it was their gorgeous 2’ X 2’ recessed LED that has a very modern architectural design, throws off perfect color and is eco-friendly.  Dozens of the attendees commented on the beauty of this new fixture and were amazed at the quality and power of the light.      

The difficult economy has challenged businesses large and small, but key principles of success still ring true.  This notable collaboration among industry professionals (distributor, stylist, and salon lighting company) was on display for the salon owners attending the event, who by getting a high-value experience will be able go back to their salons and provide the same for their clients.

To learn more about Minardi Color Perfect Lighting, visit http://www.salonlights.com/

Green is the new black when it comes to salon lighting.  Tappan NY based Eco-Lite Products has been the focus of much attention since participating in an episode of “Wa$ted!” on the Planet Green TV network.  Eco-Lite products manufacture Minardi Color Perfect Lighting systems for the salon industry.  The company was thrust into the national spotlight when it helped Selah Salon Lounge in Rockland County go green with their exclusive eco-friendly lighting systems.  The makeover was featured on the Planet Green TV network.

Lohud.com reported on the story and announced that the energy efficient salon lighting installed in Selah Salon Lounge had helped the business cut their electric bill in half.  According to the published article, a year ago, the monthly electric bill at Selah Salon Lounge was $1,275. This June, it was just $574.

Eco-Lite products co-presidents, Howard Gurock and Jeff Gasman, set out to accomplish two goals when creating an energy efficient lighting system for salons: conserve energy and create a natural light for examining skin tone and hair color.  The system quickly took the industry by storm and won the International Beauty Industry Innovator Award at the 2009 America’s Beauty Show in March in Chicago.

Selah Salon Lounge reports that not only do the new lights save nearly 50% on their electric bill, Eco-Lite’s energy-efficient lighting also represents hair color more accurately. (Mark Vergari/The Journal News)

To read the full article published in Lohud.com, click here to read the full article.

To learn more about the Minardi Color Perfect lighting system featured on “Wa$ted!” episode, visit http://eco-lite.com/industries/beauty/salon-lighting-fixtures.htm

The episode that aired on June 24^th, 2009 concerned the Selah Salon in White Plains, New York that is located in a historic bank building with 20-foot ceilings that has environmental challenges that no business could imagine. Toxic chemicals are part of the process as well as inefficient and ineffective high wattage lighting and the constant use of hot water which translates into huge utility expenses.  The salon was in desperate need of both new, energy efficient, lighting and an eco-friendly makeover.

Learn more about the episode online at : http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/wasted/wasted-episode-hairy-problem.html

In order to help with the salon lighting issues, the staff of Wa$ted! contacted Eco-Lite Products, LLC, the manufacturers of Minardi Color Perfect Lighting, and asked if they would visit the salon and help transform the dark (almost “cave-like”) energy wasting space into a bright, vibrant eco-friendly salon.

Eco-Lite Products co-President Howard Gurock, along with style icon Carmine Minardi of the world-renowned Minardi Salon in New York City, went to the salon and assessed the situation.  Due to the fact that the salon was in a historic bank building with 20′ceilings a custom salon lighting solution had to be developed.  Gurock and Minardi gave their recommendations to the Wa$ted! staff as well as to the owners of the salon.  The staff of Wa$ted! decided upon a “Go Green Solution” to fix the salon lighting problem and decided upon installing Minardi Color Perfect Lighting with its blend of LED and Ceramic Metal Halide lighting fixtures. This, they felt, would create the right balance of light for the colorists and stylists due to the fact that Minardi Color Perfect Lighting is more powerful than halogen and incandescent lighting but uses only a fraction of the energy and heat which would drastically reduce the salons electric bills.

Learn how to create a Go Green Plan like the one seen in Wa$ted! at  http://planetgreen.discovery.com/fashion-beauty/green-plan-wasted-salon.html

Eco-Lite Products, which manufactures Minardi Color Perfect Lighting at their facility in Tappan, New York, used the energy efficient 22W Minardi task lights that are placed directly over the stylists chair so that the stylists and colorists would have the perfect amount of light power, tone and color.  The task lights were attached to custom made curved 10′ extension poles that extended out from the salon walls high above the chairs so that the historic ceiling would not have to be disturbed.  The task lights were then attached to standard track lighting so that they could be moved in the future if the placement of the chairs/stations were changed. A Minardi mirror light that uses LED’s and draws under 10W of power was also created. The mirror light removes shadows, circles under the eyes and unflattering lines that customers often see when they look in the mirror at salons that have poor lighting and also provides a warm glow so that customers look healthy and beautiful.

The result was incredible. The show’s hosts commented on how much energy was saved by installing Minardi Color Perfect Lighting which helped to reduce the carbon footprint of the salon.  Jackie Shkreli, one of the owners of Selah Salon, when asked about the lighting said “We are so excited about our new lights from Eco-Lite!  Since they were installed, our electric bill has decreased by 30%!  Not only have these fantastic lights saved us money, but we can FINALLY see true results immediately upon completion with our clients. Thank You So Much!”

“All of us at Eco-Lite Products, along with Beth and Carmine Minardi, were extremely proud to have been chosen to provide the “green” lighting solution for the Selah Salon” said Gurock.  Gurock added that “Channels like Planet Green^TM and shows like Wa$ted! are incredibly important … they help to educate the public about the availability of “green” alternatives that do not force individuals or businesses to choose between quality and energy efficiency. This is especially true when it comes to the advances in lighting that enable our Minardi Color Perfect Lighting to be the perfect choice for salons looking to improve their lighting while simultaneously saving money.”  

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting fixtures provide the perfect balance of color, brilliance, power and tone for colorists and stylists to excel at their craft. Since its introduction in January of this year, salons across the country are raving about this eco-friendly lighting and designers are regularly specifying Minardi Color Perfect Lighting in their salon lighting designs.

 Minardi Color Perfect Lighting, which won the prestigious International Beauty Industry Innovator Award at the 2009 America’s Beauty Show ®, is the end product of countless hours of design and testing that resulted in salon lighting that solves the lighting problems that have plagued salons for decades.

 The latest edition of CUTS^TM, the monthly e-newsletter from Minardi Color Perfect Lighting, is available for viewing at:  http://budurl.com/CutsNewsletter.

In addition to Beth and Carmine Minardi, the first issue has tips from top designer Michelle Koster of Takara Belmont, marketing/public relations tips from industry legend Jayne Morehouse,  tips on increasing your internet presence and search engine rankings from one of the best in the business Brian Pasch, great business advice to get through the tough economic times from noted CPA Steve Botwinick and great tips to help improve your salon lighting from Eco-Lite Products President Howard Gurock.

Each future edition of  CUTS^TM will have great tips from the world of design, marketing, business and of course salon lighting.  Eco-Lite founders, Howard Gurock and Jeff Gasman, created CUTS^TM due to the types of questions that they, as well as their staff of lighting professionals, were being asked by salon owners, colorists and stylists each day.  While going over floor plans with salon owners I was constantly being asked questions about the best lighting for the retail areas of a salon as well as how to best light the outside of a salon to increase visibility said Gurock … this would often lead to questions about salon design and marketing.  As I would be writing up an order for a customer I would often be asked if there were any tax benefits associated with their purchase of our Minardi Color Perfect salon lighting says Gasman.  Our goal is to make each issue of CUTS^TM something that  salon owners, colorists and stylists are going to look forward to reading each month says Gasman.  

Every issue of CUTS^TM will have a comments and suggestions link that Eco-Lite Products manager of Business Development Nick Pandoursky says “will help tailor future editions to cover those topics that our subscribers want answers to or more information about”.  We did not want this newsletter to focus solely on salon lighting said Gurock which, being a manufacturer of eco-friendly lighting, we certainly could have done … we wanted to create something different, useful and unique.   

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting fixtures provide the perfect balance of color, brilliance, power and tone for colorists and stylists to excel at their craft.  Since its introduction in January of this year salons across the country are raving about this eco-friendly lighting and designers are regularly specifying Minardi Color Perfect Lighting in their salon lighting designs.

Minardi Color Perfect Lighting, which won the prestigious International Beauty Industry Innovator Award at the 2009 America’s Beauty Show ®, is the end product of countless hours of design and testing that resulted in salon lighting that solves the lighting problems that have plagued salons for decades.  

To view the June 2009 issue of CUTS^TM clicks here: http://budurl.com/CutsNewsletter

Ambient lighting is the “glow” a room requires. It bounces off the ceiling and the walls. It gives “life” to a room.. An inviting salon must look like daytime — anytime of the day. Have you ever walked into a “gloomy” place where it is difficult to see? Or, into a room that seems “dim”? These are situations we must combat to keep our salons as successful and “work friendly” as possible.

At MINARDI SALON, we have ceilings heights which are ten feet, six inches above the floor. We have been using 300 watt halogen ceiling lights, hung about 10 inches from the ceiling and aimed “up” to bounce the light. One for each 200 – 300 square feet of salon space. These have worked very well, BUT there is a problem: The bulbs are NOT “Planet Friendly”, and use far too much electricity. They create significant unwanted HEAT! So, we needed to develop a better light source.

Along came our wonderful professional friends, Jeff and Howard of ECO-LITE, who manufacturer spectacular lighting. They were able to create a specific group of fixtures and bulbs which do the best possible job lighting our salons… while using only about one third the amount of electricity, With ECO-LITE, we worked to create three important lighting fixtures, just like those we use here at MINARDI SALON. The correct tone of color was the end result. WE LOVE THEM! Now, all salons can let the light shine on their gorgeous color creations… while doing something critical: Saving Planet Earth - One Salon At A Time. To learn more about our MINARDI COLOR PERFECT LIGHTING SYSTEM, which consists of ambient light, task light and mirror lights, contact Jeff or Howard at: Minardilighting@eco-lite.com or call 800-345-9652.

Eco-Lite’s fixtures are manufactured based on our cornerstone lighting principles. Our products are the perfect combination of energy efficiency, power, color and longevity:

Efficiency
As our country becomes more energy efficient (“green”), many states are imposing wattage restrictions for businesses. Without sacrificing the quality of light that is a must in the retail world, Eco-Lite provides solutions business owners need in order to meet both existing and future energy challenges and restrictions.

Power
The true power of a bulb is measured based on its Lumens Per Watt ratio (LPW). Our Ceramic Metal Halide fixtures provide about 300% more power (lumens per watt) than current halogen and incandescent technologies, while using only a fraction of the energy.

Color
While Halogen and Incandescent fixtures provide a cool white color at the start, over time, they will turn yellow. This tends to occur around the 50% mark of the bulb’s rated life. In contrast, Eco-Lite uses Ceramic Metal Halide bulbs that provide consistent, beautiful light from the first day you turn them on until the last.

Longevity
Eco-Lite uses ceramic metal halide bulbs that have a rated life between 10,000 and 15,000 hours, depending on the bulb. Compared to halogen, Metal Halide bulbs will generally last 300% longer and compared to incandescent bulbs, about 1000% longer. This means that you will be replacing bulbs once every few years, rather than every few months. Imagine the savings!