Hair Color, Cuts, Keratin Smoothing, Nails, & Beauty

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. I think I would ask about or wonder how much they had spent on the pair of scissors use, we call them "shears" in the industry and a really good pair start at about $150. and go up from there. Depending on how often they are sharpened and what kind will determine if you have a split end in less time as a dull pair of shears doesn't help. My shears are Fuji's and they cost about $400.00 there are some that are even more expensive and can go up to over $1,500 (yeah for scissors...lol..) The sharper the edge the longer you can go between a good cut..8 weeks usually with no splits..( razors are also excellent) So good tools are a huge bonus, and hopefully you have had good training to go with it.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Working with all types of people is a huge part of why I love what I do. The diversity of people in the world and to make them look and feel good about themselves makes my day every time. There is a way of making that person in your chair feel like the most important person on the planet, and while they are in your chair, they should be, or you shouldn't be doing their hair. The information shared between a client and a designer is sometimes very personal, and to do a clients hair we need to know what they want to achieve, where they are going and what they want or don't want in their life. To achieve this blend of organic information, along with their attributes, to preform services that will enhance all the best things for each individual is pure magic combined with art. Accomplishing this always gives a huge sense of great accomplishment!

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. Continuing education is a huge part of the hair industry. A hair dresser worth his/her salt should always be looking for changes in styles, and classes in all types of hair design to keep things fresh. Las Vegas has an annual hair show that is an extravaganza! On local levels the distributors offer cutting classes and color classes all throughout the year. After doing hair for more than 25 years, I still go for more classes! If you stop growing you become stagnant, and no one want that. Some of my best inspirations were due to a class, or a runway show. You can even learn through books or now, even on the computer! I love behindthechair and I read and review that on a daily basis!

Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?

A. The Keratin Smoothing treatments are virtually a game changer. They are awesome! Having a client with frizzy to curly hair revolutionizes the way there hair behaves. This service literally coats the outside of the hair with Keratin, and is bonded down changing the feel, shine, and manageability of the hair for up to 3-5 months. Changing your drying time to half of what it was before, and making any flat iron work time diminished to half as well. This service has come under some scrutiny as far as a formaldehyde vapor produced at the time of service. I know that the Coppola Keratin smoothing is one of the safest and unless you have respiratory issues should have little affect. The hair dressers should be more concerned for their health, and at our salon we have a commercial exhaust vent that we use during and services that create fumes including the Keratin, and any nail services that use acrylics. We do not use the Brazilian Blow out, which was banned in California.