Beauty and the Bank
It’s 2:00 am and I am on the red eye returning from Los Angeles after spending the weekend teaching at the Institute of Courage. The Institute of Courage is a hair academy located in the Topanga Canyon just outside Los Angeles. Michael O’Rourke, an industry leader with over 45 years experience and founder of Sexy Hair Concepts also founded the institute.
I routinely spend a weekend or two at the institute taking hairstylists through a rigorous, hands-on training schedule meant to teach them the newest innovations in hair fashion. These sessions are highly interactive ultimately ending with serious discussions about the industry. This last weekend we talked a lot about the state of the economy and the impact on our chosen profession.
We all gaze in the mirror from time to time and take ourselves through the routine… How do I look? What about my hair? Is my look dated? Do I need highlights? And next… the reality check. How much is it going to cost to get a new look and what about maintenance?
Beauty and the Bank
The good news, it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing decision. There are alternatives which allow you to show-off the latest hair trends, without breaking the bank.
More so than ever, hair is a fashion statement. Unlike the newest style in clothing or shoes, your hair is a fashion statement you wear everyday for several weeks, in some cases several months. My fashion conscious clients tell me they would rather spend on maintenance of their hair, skin and nails and forego that new pair of shoes.
The newest trend in hair fashion is VERSATILITY. A great cut and multi-
dimensional color that allows the client to create different looks and styles with the same head of hair is making all the difference. Versatile cuts are high-fashion and low-maintenance.
A great cut delivered by a salon professional with the proper training in technique and hair design can deliver a head of hair with texture and movement. Texture and movement are a must to achieve a single hairstyle with multiple looks. This concept 
applies to all hair types, long or short, straight or curly, thick or thinning hair. A great hair cut will grow properly requiring little maintenance between visits to your salon professional.
Color is also becoming more versatile. The days of how many foils can I get into your hair are going by the wayside. Depending on the skill level of your stylist, your color should be multi-dimensional, ranging from subtle to dramatic in a single head of hair.
Today’s color trends lean toward natural or slightly enhanced levels of coloring with shadowing and spotlight effects achieved through strategically placed foils. Many clients who visit my chair are professionals with fun-loving personalities who work in a corporate environment. They need a conservative look by day, but want an alternative with a little sass! This can be achieved with the shadowing and spotlighting effects I mentioned earlier. When placed appropriately these hair effects can be hidden or enhanced depending on the way the client styles the hair.
Let’s face it; your look depends directly on the confidence level of your salon professional and the quality of the initial consultation prior to receiving services. Getting the most from your visit to the salon and the most for your money truly depends on that initial consultation. Are you confident your salon professional has the education, training and proficiency to deliver the desired look?
Today’s top artists and colorists will suggest that you go with your natural base color or something very close to it. They’ll recommend highlighting with softer tones; this is important to bring depth and dimension to the final look. One important tip here; be sure your salon professional is more creative with placement of the foils.
The reason top artists take this approach is they know they can deliver on a more personalized look and lower the cost of maintenance. They know that choosing a more natural base tone makes re-growth less apparent between touchups and strategically placed shadowing and spotlights will blend into the hair as the style grows out.
Combine customized color with an expert cut and you will be successful in your pursuit of beauty without breaking the bank.
J. Christian Studio, where hair and art perform, is located at 7465 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, DE. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact J. Christian Studio at 302-235-2306.
J. Christian is a Master Artist with more than 30 years experience in the beauty industry. Together with his wife Marcy they own and operate J. Christian Studio an upscale salon located in Hockessin, DE. As an International Platform Artist and Master Educator for Sexy Hair Concepts, J. Christian travels here and abroad teaching other Stylists about hair fashion. He regularly teaches at the Institute of Courage, a hair academy established by Michael O’Rourke, founder of Sexy Hair Concepts located in the Topanga Canyon just outside Los Angeles as well as at the Paul Mitchell School in Delaware.
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