This is the story of how I found and am aiming to keep my current great hairstylist/colourist. As you probably are aware I am a permanent bottle blonde. I am obsessed with getting the right blonde… too yellow I look washed out and too “ashy” and I disappear. I also have very light brows naturally and need to fill these in as I completely over plucked them in the 90’s and they never recovered.
Crazy Grey Hairs
I also have a new fighting-age-with-everything-I-have issue into the mix since turning about 46: weird grey hairs. They aren’t just grey, they are wiry, scraggly, like long pubes. I can see them when I blow dry my hair as the stick up like massive fly aways. I need to use a smoothing serum to minimise them. The trouble with the serum though is the it weighs the hair down, so I need to just apply it on the very ends.
But I digress…as always.
I don’t go to the salon for the coffee, decor or music. I am there to get a great colour and to get in and out as pleasantly and quickly as possible. I enjoy the banter to pass the time. It’s 3 hours every six weeks (36 hours a year). I don’t want to wait for a slow person to add foils, while they finish 2 other clients. And, while I like having a “do” when I leave, it is not a deal breaker for me. Two minutes in the Sydney humidity and my hair is straight and flat again (except for the crazy, grey hairs that stick up defiantly.
In a great hairstylist I look for the following:
- can do a beauty blonde every time
- is smart, savvy and interesting
- had up to the minute knowledge about hair, especially blonde
- does fast foils, and used enough strength the life the blonde quickly.
About 12 weeks ago I bought a Groupon thingo for a full set of foils at a salon I’d never heard of and it was really reasonable. I booked in at reneesallustiohair.com.au. Ella Levy, a fourth year apprentice, was so enthusiastic, conscientious and sweet and did a really beautiful job, lifting my grown out blonde, and restoring my hair to its former glory. I felt transformed and like my old, blonde self, even since as long ago as I had Charlie. Ella was now my [not so] secret gem.
I felt transformed and like my old, blonde vivacious self. I had just started a new job, and it gave me extra confidence.
I went back to Renee Sallustio Hair one more time, again with Ella, but this time I also took my daughter Charlie, who had another stylist who was also . I got my usual foils and Charlie got balliage highlights which looked a-mazing. The mother-daughter experience was bonding and memorable. (Way better than the time we went to Pearl Nails at Warringah Mall and poor Charlie got the roughest technician in the world, who literally hurt Charlies hands). Anyway, back to Renee Sallustio Hair. The salon premises felt bustling, welcoming and intimate, very Steel Magnolias. If Ella stayed there I would stay. I don’t know the other stylists there, so Ella is stuck with me.
Renee Sallustio Hair as a salon feels bustling, welcoming and intimate, very Steel Magnolias. If Ella stayed there I would stay. I don’t know the other stylists there, so Ella is stuck with me.
I found out today, Ella is moving, which happens all the time with stylists and one of the reasons that I’ve lost track of some absolute gems of stylists. I went to her new salon and it is gorgeous. Just near my home, at 690 Military Road, at Ariane Inden Cosmetics, Ella had found herself a new salon where she can build up her client base. I cannot recommend Ella more highly, check out her work at@hairbyellalevy on Instagram. I’m trying to convince her to set up a page for herself on Facebook, but because she is an ethical business woman, she is concerned in promoting the business Ariane Inden, as having a new offering in their service menu. I respect the fact that she is so loyal. It is a rare find.
Meeting the owner of the salon, Klaud, was refreshing. She was gorgeous herself, which is important as a beauty therapist, with a welcoming, warm manner, and has offered me a free beauty service as a new client. I had been looking for a new waxing place for “down there” (TMI???) so that’s taken care of for 4 weeks.
Her new salon is gorgeous with a complete dutch makeup and skincare line called:
The key to finding and keeping a great hairstylist:
- Find a hairdresser that specialises in the type of hair you have/want. Don’t just on the basis of the salon decor or coffee. It’s your hair that you live with for 6 weeks each time, not the salon memory.
- Make sure you get the salon independent details of the hairstylist so that you can book with them and not the salon.
- If they move and you don’t know where, get in Instagram (I’d hazard a guess that it is the most popular social media platform for hairdressers), Pinterest, Facebook or Google to find them.
- Treat them well. Be nice, polite and enjoy their company. It goes without saying that this will make the process better all round.
- Give feedback on social media and recommend them to others.
Thanks Ella, Ariane Inden and Renee Sallustio Hair
Go forth and be beautiful…
Header image source: creativebeautyhealth.com
