Yianni Tsapatori

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Yianni Tsapatori

Yianni Tsapatori is one of the most talented and renowned hair stylists who has been singled out in Greece and generally in Europe for many years. He’s got a rich resume of successes,starting in 1999. He studied in Greece and in London at “Toni & Guy” academy. Yianni has signed the cover of many magazines,fashion editorials for publications,promotional spots,tv series,shows and movies and worked with many celebrities. For the last 3 years, he has been living and working in New York. He is the master trainer for Balmain Hair(extensions) in the east coast.

Ideal hair-care routine

All of us women want to know: What is your ideal hair-care routine during winter time?

n After a hot summer under the sun, the hair needs to be treated well and get prepped for a dry winter. As the weather gets cooler, just like our skin, our hair reacts too. That’s why we need to take a special care of it.

- Increase your visits to the salon for a haircut/trim from 6-8 weeks to every 4 weeks at least for the first couple of months of the winter. - Avoid using shampoo on your hair very often. It leads to drying the scalp and hair. Shampoos are made to be used twice a week. - Try to avoid using heat on your hair on a daily bases. - Use hydrating hair masks once a week to keep your hair hydrated and healthy. Instead of a hair mask you can buy in a store, you can always use olive oil. Being a Mediterranean, I grew up hearing and learning about the beneficial capacity of olive oil even for the hair. n For Hydration:

Warm up some olive oil and massage it into the hair. Cover your hair with a warm towel and leave it in for at least an hour. Shampoo your hair using a hydrating shampoo and lukewarm water. n For Hydration and Shine:

Use 3 tablespoons of honey and 5 tablespoons of olive oil and mix them up. Massage it into the hair, starting from mid lengths towards the ends, cover your hair with a hot towel and leave it in for at least 30 minutes. Shampoo your hair using a hydrating shampoo and lukewarm water. Your hair will thank you! When did you discover that you wanted to pursue a career in the beauty industry?

My story starts way back. I grew up in a salon where my mother and sister were (and still are) stylists. I tried to avoid becoming a stylist because I wanted to prove I could do something different, so I studied engineering; but I soon realized that my future was in the beauty industry! I remember living in Norway and waking up one morning and saying to myself, “I’m gonna be a stylist.” And that’s how it started. It was 1998.

You’ve already worked with an impressive number of people. Is there anyone in the entertainment industry that you would like to work with?

The list would be endless. There are so many incredible women in the entertainment industry that I’d like to work with. Kate Blanchett, Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Lawrence to name a few.

When did you get your “big break” into the industry?

2004 was a very important year in my life. I made a lot of my dreams come true. I worked with celebrities, magazines, and movies. In the Olympics in Athens 2004, I was the key stylist for the priestesses and for the lighting of the olympic flame.

Your work has been published in many magazines. Is there one publication where you thought your work stood out the most?

A couple of Greek publications. The most recent is Marie Claire Latin America with Petra Nemcova where my work is on the cover and a story.

What is it about hairstyling that you love?

For a lot of people, hair styling is an art. I totally agree, but I believe that it’s not only an art of creating beautiful hairstyles; but making people feel good about themselves. A genuine smile from a client leaving my chair is the best reward!

In today’s beauty world, we have a lot of self-taught stylists. Do you feel that you need a beauty education in hair to be a good hairstylist?

Education is very important in whatever someone chooses to do. Although, it can’t replace talent and passion.

Avoid using shampoo on your hair very often. It leads to drying the scalp and hair. Shampoos are made to be used twice a week..”

www.yiannistsapatori.com

Our readers most asked questions about hair!

Behind the scenes with Petra Nemcova and Yianni Tsapatori

My favorite... Healthy, shinny, natural looking hair.

For the women that have color treated hair, how do you determine the perfect hair color for a client?

There are a few factors I take under consideration when I have to choose the perfect hair color for a client. Their complexion, their eye color, and their profession and lifestyle.

Can you blow dry African textured hair straight? If not, what is the result if blow dried?

African textured hair can not be blow dried straight. Blow drying is done to prep the hair for another process, such as flat ironing or hot combing. By blow drying African textured hair, the end result will be a fluffy look. How can someone get waves in their curly African hair and how?

The easiest way to create waves in African hair is to use hot tools (flat iron and curling iron). First, you blow dry the hair while still wet,using the elasticity in it. Then by using the flat iron, you smooth it out. Last, you put waves or curls in it with the curling iron. I personally try to avoid the curling iron and I create the waves/curls by using only the flat iron and twist the hair in it. Less time and of course less heat on the hair by using only one hot tool.. By creating texture and volume at the problem areas is the key. Use small rollers or a small curling iron to create curls at the balding front hair line and the top. Sweep the hair at the sides and back into a French twist or a loosely curled chignon. Tease the hair on the top to make it look fuller, soften the curls and create a flattering look.

What wedding hairstyle would work best on a heavy-set woman with a round face?

When it comes to a heavy set woman; we not only need to keep the proportion of the facial features in mind, but the proportions of the whole body as well. The main thing we need to keep in mind when working on a heavy set woman with a round face is that you want to add height and keep the sides low in volume and close to the face. This will help to elongate the face and give it a slimmer appearance.

What hairstyle do you think will never go out of style?

A bob will always be in style. Either short or shoulder length, a bob will always be elegant and stylish.

Any advice for our readers and aspiring hair stylists?

You can never learn enough about hairdressing. Keep on working and be inspired by everything around you, even the everyday women on the street.