Salon Magazine, June 2022

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WAYS TO C R E AT E A GE N DE RN EU T R A L SA L ON S PAC E H Y BR I D H A I RCU T S : T I P S FOR C U T T I NG S H U L L E T S , BI X I E S A N D MOR E

HOW TO A DDR E S S M E N TA L H E A LT H IS SU E S AT WOR K

Gender Inclusion JUNE 2022

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NEXT-LEVEL BLONDE New Colorance Gloss Tones. Create luminous blonde results that last 41% longer.* Goldwell’s new liquid blondes provide superior shine and maximum performance in just 10 minutes. Color toning doesn’t get any better or faster than this. Decide on a formula, mix it, apply, rinse. Discover more at goldwell.com *Compared to one of the leading competitors.

June 2022 23 F E AT U R E

Hybrid Haircuts

Whether it’s the shullet or bixie, combining the styles of two (or more) haircuts is a growing trend and can help you give your client exactly what they’re looking for.

Learn how these cuts can also be a great way to create androgynous, genderless styles for all clientele.

28 F E AT U R E

34 MEDUSA , U.K .

“Clients are looking for someone who can give them what they want.

There’s no gender to it; they just want someone to do their hair.”

— MONIKA LOMBARDI, JOICO GUEST ARTIST AND OWNER OF MONI HAIR BOUTIQUE AND LOMBARDI’S CLASSIC BARBERSHOP, TECUMSEH, ONT.

Genderless Hairdressing

If you’ve ever wanted to make your salon a more inclusive space, now is the time! Get to know salon owners from across the country who’ve implemented gender-neutral pricing and other changes to help all clients feel welcome and comfortable.

33 I N S P I R AT I O N

Collections

Medusa; Antoinette Beenders; Wan Wu; Zoom Hair Studio; Kathy Simon; Adam Ciaccia; Breanne Gershon; Hooker & Young; Hannah Hewitt

54 C O N T E S S A GA L L E RY

Anica Lordache

Find out how this Ottawabased hairstylist and salon owner created a collection that’s both inspired by the natural beauty of her models and reflective of the culturally diverse world we live in.

ON THE COVER: HAIR: MEDUSA, U.K., MAKEUP: JAK MORGAN & PAULINA SIEMBOR, WARDROBE STYLING: IAN TOD, PHOTO: JODIE MANN salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 7

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Editor’s Letter

64

12

EV ENTS/SCOOP

L E T ’ S G E T D I G I TA L

SalonMagazine.ca

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From the latest industry news, trends and inspirational collections to educational how-tos, stepby-steps and more, see what’s new on our website. Plus, stay up to date on all things Contessa!

SA LON SOCI A L

Loud and Proud

We’re casting a spotlight on organizations that are supporting the LGBTQS+ community by offering programs and resources to help you create a more inclusive salon experience.

13 48

W H AT ’ S N E W

Hairlines

Discover new product launches in haircare, colour, styling, nails and more. Plus, get tips on how to master the Bubblegum Pink hair colour trend for all clientele.

HOOKER & YO U N G , U . K .

56 P RO F I L E

A Cut Above

40 CONTE SSA 2 0 2 2 F I N A L I S T, CA N A D I A N S A L O N TEA M ZOOM H A IR STUDIO, NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C.

Get to know Los Angelesbased hairstylist and barber Sofie Pok, and learn how she’s paving the way for gender neutrality in the industry.

58 BUSINESS

Mental Health Check

Discover ways to address and resolve common mental health issues faced by salon owners and beauty pros.

60 INTER IORS

Condo-Style

Take a peek inside this Toronto-based inclusive salon that boasts a relaxed, homey and Instagram-worthy design.

8 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

50 CONTE SSA 2 0 2 2 F I N A L I S T, MEN’S HAIRSTYLIST H A N N A H H E W I T T, H A I R BY H A N N A H , VA N C O U V E R

NEW MOROCCANOIL PROFESSIONAL HAIRCOLOR Discover care-infused color, delivering vibrant, long-lasting results with intense shine.

Visit MoroccanoilProfessionals.com to learn more.

Salon Magazine ISSN 1197-1495, VOLUME 31, ISSUE 5 SALONMAGAZINE.CA

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Veronica Boodhan veronica@salonmagazine.ca

Editor’s Letter —

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Stephanie MacDonald Gallant stephanie@salonmagazine.ca DIGITAL SPECIALIST Shanice Romelus shanice@salonmagazine.ca CONTRIBUTORS Leen Blaibleh, Liz Bruckner, Sami Chazonoff

CONSULTANT Laura Dunphy laura@salonmagazine.ca SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Marc Gadbois marc@salonmagazine.ca SALES & EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Lauren Farrugia lauren@salonmagazine.ca PRODUCTION MANAGER Alan Swinton production@salonmagazine.ca

Redefining Beauty

Veronica Boodhan Editorial Director

10 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

CIRCULATION MANAGER Adrian Holland helpdesk@subscriptions.salon CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & PUBLISHER Tom Arkell tom@salonmagazine.ca

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ALVARO GOVEIA, HAIR AND MAKEUP BY DIANACARREIRO

While there’s no denying the fact that the last few years have been challenging for us all, they’ve also played an instrumental role in the progress we see being made in the acceptance and inclusion of a number of historically underrepresented societal groups.

And though it’s reassuring to see these progressive strides, I think it’s important to highlight the fact that inclusion isn’t about one group or cause; it encompasses race, gender, sexuality, religion, disability, age, economic status, and more.

June is Pride Month and in its honour we’ve chosen to cast the spotlight on gender inclusion with tips on how to create a more welcoming and comfortable salon environment for all people. In Genderless Hairdressing (pg. 28), I had the opportunity to speak with salon owners from across the country who’ve been leading the way for gender inclusion to better serve their communities. If you haven’t already considered or made steps toward focusing on this very relevant societal movement, these insights will help.

As salons and stylists continue to adjust to a post-pandemic reality, mental health issues remain a growing concern. In Mental Health Check (pg. 58), we discuss some of the main issues and concerns plaguing the beauty industry and provide expert solutions on how to address and handle them in and out of the salon.

In a month that’s all about celebrating individuality, we also want to encourage you to celebrate yours by entering the 2023 Contessa Awards! Entries are officially being accepted—deadline for submission is September 8th. Our rules and regulations have been updated, so ensure that you take the time to read through them. Also noteworthy this year is the fact that we’ve added an exciting new category: Collaboration (Co-lab). We chatted with two rock-star stylists on page 17 about how to best work and create with someone outside your salon.

Whether you’re celebrating Pride Month as a member or ally of the LGBTQS+ community, remember to lead with kindness and an open mind and heart. Love truly does conquer all!

OFFICE MANAGER Cathy Donaghy cathy@salonmagazine.ca

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WHAT’S NEXT.

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High Fashion Stay on top of the latest trends and get inspired by creative work from hairstylists all over the world with our collection archive at SalonMagazine.ca.

Crop It Like It’s Hot Whether you’re looking to sharpen your skills or find inspiration for your clients, we have details on how to achieve cutting-edge haircuts for all clients.

12 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

Be The First to Know Stay in the loop about industry news, events and Contessa updates!

Sign up for our newsletter at SalonMagazine.ca.

Old Yet Gold We have an archive of Contessa presentations that are sure to motivate you to step up your styling game. Take a look back at Montreal-based hairstylist MJ Deziel’s Ungendered presentation for Redken for more gender-neutral looks.

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE): HAIR & MAKEUP: TONI ESPIGARES, TONI ESPIGARES HAIR AND MAKEUP STUDIO, SPAIN, WARDROBE STYLING: TONI ESPIGARES ARTISTIC TEAM, PHOTO: ESTEBAN ROCA; HAIR: MJ DEZIEL, APART STUDIO, MONTREAL, WARDROBE STYLING: AMANDA BREEZE, PHOTO: HELENE HA; SAM VILLA HAIR; PAPER AIRPLANE BY ICONSMIND.COM FROM NOUNPROJECT.COM

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The entry period for Contessa 2023 has officially begun! Learn more about this year’s new rules and categories, and get tips from past winners and finalists!

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salonmagazine.c

Now Open for Entries!

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PHOTOS: HAIR: DAVID MURRAY & KATRINA KELLY, JOICO EUROPEAN DESIGN TEAM, WARDROBE STYLING: KATIE MOORE, PHOTO: JAMIE BLANSHARD

SPRING INTO SUMMER WITH NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES IN CARE, COLOUR, STYLING AND NAILS.

Inspired by the renowned work of French painter Odilon Redon, who was known for creating dreamlike paintings influenced by Japanese art, the Masterpiece collection was co-created by David Murray, senior creative artist, and Katrina Kelly, creative color artist, members of the Joico European design team. With the artistic direction by Bruno Marc Giamattei, brand ambassador for Europe, United Kingdom and Ireland, they created a collection full of structured cuts, soft colours, and beautiful finishes that perfectly complement each other. The results are sure to inspire you to raise your colour and styling game to the next level.

To see the full collection, visit SalonMagazine.ca.

➣ NEW LOOK

Hairlines — NEWS

Introducing Schwarzkopf Professional’s new SESSION LABEL. With 12 high-performance products, the salon-exclusive styling range has been revamped and curated for everyday use to enable hairstylists to create endless styles. The products are multifunctional and are designed to be layered and combined for customized looks to meet every client’s hair needs. Among the products are five new ones including The Thickener, a volumizing blow-dry spray; The Definer, a curl cream; The Paste, a matte styling paste; The Texturizer, a texture spray; and The Serum, a smoothing hair serum.

DID YOU KNOW? COLOR REPAIR & RADIANCE BALM TUBES ARE MADE FROM 43 PER CENT POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED MATERIAL (PCR)!

➣ THE MOR E , THE MER R IER

Expand your toning repertoire with L’Oréal Professionnel Chroma Crème.

Think toning shampoos are only for blondes? Think again! L’Oréal Professionnel’s Chroma Crème is a colour-correcting shampoo range for lighter and darker shades. The line includes a classic purple to neutralize unwanted yellow tones for blondes, a blue shampoo for darker blondes to medium-brown clients who are looking to neutralize unwanted orange tones, and green shampoo to neutralize any unwanted red tones in darker brown and black shades. With a wide range of options, stylists can now provide an instant refresh to keep hair looking its best between services.

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WAT C H YO U R T O N E

Goldwell adds three new products to their Dualsenses Color Care line.

Designed to provide colour protection that reduces fading, the Dualsenses Color Care portfolio is now growing with the addition of three new products: Color Repair & Radiance Balm, Silver Conditioner and Silver 60Sec Treatment. Each is formulated with Goldwell’s Luminescine technology, which delivers superior colour brilliance, as well as the brand’s proprietary FadeStopFormula, that reduces colour fading with every use.

The Dualsenses Color Repair & Radiance Balm is a leave-in colour protector that’s designed for all hair types and tones to reduce split ends and protect against environmental pollutants and UV light. The Dualsenses Silver Conditioner is designed to detangle grey hair and neutralize unwanted yellow tones. For a more intensive treatment, the DualSenses Silver 60Sec Treatment is a deep-conditioning mask that also helps regenerate damaged hair and instantly enhances cool effects.

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE): SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL, BIOLAGE, MILK_SHAKE, KMS, GOLDWELL, L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL

SESSION LABEL ALSO FEATURES NEW PACKAGING MADE FROM PLASTIC RESIN, WHICH IS CARBON-FREE TO ENSURE ITS RECYCLABILITY. PLUS, MOST OF THE LINE’S PRODUCTS CONTAIN VEGAN FORMULAS!

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Hello Hydration Say goodbye to dry hair with Biolage’s new Ultra Hydrasource.

Looking to moisturize your clients’ dry hair? Biolage’s Ultra Hydrasource is formulated with vegan ingredients and no parabens or mineral oils, and features a signature aroma science fragrance. The line now includes two new products: A Daily Leave-In Cream and Deep Treatment Pack. The Daily Leave-In Cream is infused with cupuaçu butter, which has high water absorption and spreadability to penetrate deep levels of the hair fibre, leaving hair moisturized and frizz-free. The Deep Treatment Pack works on all hair textures (including curls and coils) and is formulated with the highest levels of natural emollients and glycerin that leaves dry hair threetimes more moisturized.

CLEAN AND FRESH

Help your clients revive their hair between washes with the new KMS Conscious Style Cleansing Mist.

The latest addition to the brand’s Conscious Style lineup, this moisturizing hair mist offers weightless hydration in an easy-to-use, non-aerosol spray bottle. It’s formulated with sustainably sourced and ECOCERTcertified ingredients, including moringa seed oil, a smoothing oil that supports hydration while also protecting the hair and scalp from environmental pollutants. It also contains oat oil, which hydrates the scalp, locks in moisture, and helps maintain its natural balance by replacing lost lipids. Ideal for daily use between washes or post-workout to neutralize odour and absorb oil and residue, the Cleansing Mist is sure to be your client’s go-to product this season!

FOR MORE INTENSE RESULTS, LEAVE THE SHAMPOO ON FOR UP TO FIVE MINUTES, AND FOR LONG-LASTING COLOUR, LEAVE THE CONDITIONER ON FOR UP TO 20 MINUTES.

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Beautiful Brunettes

Say goodbye to brass with the Cold Brunette Shampoo and Conditioner from milk_shake.

Formulated with a blue pigment to reduce brassiness, milk_shake’s Cold Brunette Shampoo and Conditioner is ideal for all brunette shades and offsets unwanted red and yellow tones in colour-treated or lightened hair. The duo is made with active ingredients, including moringa oil, sunflower seed antioxidants, milk proteins and quinoa proteins to give hair the nutrients it needs for shine, manageability and softness.

salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 15

➣ Hairlines — NEWS

Make Your Mark Take a modern approach to styling with STMNT Grooming Goods.

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GET TO KNOW STMNT GROOMING GOODS CO-CREATOR, SOFIE POK, ON PAGE 56!

N O M O R E DA M AG E

Are you concerned about the effects of pollution damage on your clients’ hair? Look to Olaplex’s first-ever bond-building, leave-in hair serum that protects hair for up to 48 hours.

The brand’s No. 9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum is both rich in antioxidants and free of silicones to improve hair’s manageability.

Formulated with red algae extract, this serum acts as a shield to protect hair from pollution damage and heat styling up to 450°F. Infused with Olaplex’s renowned bond-building technology and ingredients such as sodium hyaluronate and panthenol, hair will visibly look moisturized, shiny and soft.

ALL OLAPLEX PRODUCTS ARE CARBONNEUTRAL, AND THE PACKAGING INCLUDES AN AIRLESS PUMP TO MEASURE DOSING AND REDUCE WASTE.

16 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

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Hydrate and protect hair with Olaplex No. 9 Bond Protector.

H A I R H I B E R N AT I O N

Help clients repair their hair at night with amika’s Dream Routine Overnight Hydration Treatment.

This deep-treatment is designed to moisturize and repair strands for all hair types, resulting in locks that are more hydrated and manageable.

With benefits lasting up to four washes, this nightly treatment is formulated with vegan and cruelty-free ingredients. Among them: hyaluronic acid for deep hydration; sea buckthorn, which is rich in vitamins and antioxidants; blue/green algae to promote hair and scalp health; bio-fermented coconut water to nourish and boost hair; and polyglutamic acid for long-lasting hydration.

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE): STMNT GROOMING GOODS, HAIR & WARDROBE STYLING: QUINN ENRIGHT & MICHELLE OLIVER, EDMONTON, MAKEUP: RENEE RAMPERSAND, PHOTO: MORGAN GOLD, RUSK, OLIVIA GARDEN, AMIKA, OLAPLEX

The innovative, creator-driven brand offers high-performing grooming products for every style and gender.

Designed by creatives in the barbering industry—Sofie Pok (aka. @staygold31), Julius Arriola (@juliuscaesar) and Miguel Gutierrez (@nomadbarber)—who each created their own product collection, the line also includes a general care range of five products that are intended to create the perfect base for every style. STMNT features 14 products in total, including shampoo, conditioner, grooming spray, wax powder, all-in-one cleansers and everything in between. Even better: All products are designed to complement one another and work in harmony.

➣ M O R E T O L OV E

The brand has introduced seven new RUSKin10 shades, ranging from warm browns to light blondes. The permanent cream colour allows stylists to make the most of their time behind the chair without compromising on quality. Formulated with Micro Pigment Technology, RUSKin10 shades deposit colour deeply into the cortex while maintaining hair’s health and shine.

The line is infused with amino acids, including arginine, serine, threonine, wheat and soy proteins to protect and condition hair during the colour process.

In just 10 minutes, stylists can provide their clients with long-lasting colour and 100 per cent grey coverage! The shades can also be used for root touchups, lowlighting, highlighting and more, without over-depositing.

Tips for Entering Collaboration (Co-lab)!

With the announcement of the newest Contessa category, Collaboration (Co-lab)—an award designed to foster and encourage teamwork between hairstylists and/or colourists—we chatted with two Edmonton-based friends and colleagues, Michelle Oliver and Quinn Enright. Having recently partnered on a collection, they’re extremely familiar with the ins and outs of collaborating. Here are their tips.

Ensure that you’re organized and have good communication.

“The best way to handle challenges or differences of opinions is communication. You also can’t get stuck on your vision because it’s likely going to change a lot. Being open-minded is so important because if you’re not, you’ll miss out on so many opportunities to make something even better.”

— Quinn Enright “When things are rough, you have someone to lean on and help push you; when things are great, you have someone to celebrate with, which is amazing. Having that support system is great because you don’t have to figure it out on your own.”

— Michelle Oliver Have a positive attitude and support each other’s work.

“Having the support of someone who understands the vision as well as you do makes collaborations so enjoyable. Sometimes it’s a lot more fun to do something with someone else than alone. The energy, positivity and laughter that two people can create together is what it’s all about.” — Michelle Oliver “Letting go of control is hard because you always have to make sure you’re both on the same page. You can’t do everything by yourself, so that’s where trust comes in.” — Quinn Enright Visit SalonMagazine.ca for more info about the Collaboration (Co-lab) category and for our full entry rules & regulations.

Entry Deadline: September 8, 2022 GALA DATE: NOVEMBER 20, 2022 Westin Harbour Castle Conference Centre, Toronto

TOOLBOX TOOLBOX TOOLBOX TOOLBOX TOOLBOX TOOLBOX TOOLBOX TOOLBOX TOOLBOX

Gather people you trust and who have different strengths.

“Quinn is an amazing colourist and my strengths are cutting and finishing, so we both focused on what we had to do and then figured out how we were going to partner those abilities and bring the looks together.” — Michelle Oliver “By separating what we were doing, we could both work on every single model together instead of doing half of the models each. It allowed us to create a really seamless and unified collection.” — Quinn Enright

Hairlines — NEWS

Rusk adds seven shades to their express colour line, RUSKin10.

Olivia Garden OG Barber Collection With more than 50 years in the hair industry, Olivia Garden has released their OG Barber Collection, the brand’s first-ever line of tools specifically designed for barbering and grooming.

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Vented design for ultra-fast drying

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Barrel includes V-shaped bristles that are designed for short hair to be easily picked up

Round brush is available in three different sizes (1”, 0.75” and 0.5”)

— | Vented Paddle Brush massages the scalp and detangles hair

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Ergonomic handles

Includes ceramic and ionic technology with ion-charged bristles that eliminates frizz and flyaways and adds shine

salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 17

➣ S T Y L E A N D S U B S TA N C E

Award-winning Toronto-based hairstylist Jason Lee has launched Mela & Kera, his own luxury and clean hair care line. Derived from melanin (the pigment that determines one’s hair colour) and keratin (a protein that protects hair’s structure and shine), the line is comprised of two collections: Touche Velours, which provides softness and lustre to all hair types, and Balayage Exceptionnel, which reinforces strength and shine for processed hair. The line’s seven products are 100 per cent vegan and cruelty-free, and contain no parabens, sulphates (SLS or SLES), DEA, silicones, formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, petrolatum or mineral oil. In fact, the formulations are compliant with the EU’s strict regulations (which are even more stringent than those in Canada and the U.S.), which ban more than 1,300 chemicals from cosmetic products.

The products include the brand’s signature fragrance with refreshing notes of lemon, white peach and green apple, a soft floral heart of orange blossom and muguet, and lingering hints of cedarwood, musk and amber. But that’s not all: All Mela & Kera packaging is recyclable or made from 30 per cent postconsumer recycled (PCR) material. The brand has also purchased carbon offsets that help reduce greenhouse gases to compensate for its production and shipping.

➣ T U R N U P T H E VO L U M E

Add body, definition and texture to your styles with Aquage’s Spray Wax. The fine-mist and fast-drying texturizing spray offers volume, definition and separation to your client’s hair. Thanks to its unique combination of the benefits of a texturizing spray and pomade, Spray Wax delivers high hold and shine without stickiness. The wax-free formula contains Hybrid Polymer Technology that provides pliable hold with high-shine, and Aquage’s AlgaePlex to nurture hair for longlasting volume with a silky finish.

We chatted with Jason Lee about his new line and why he decided now was the right time to launch it.

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ALL PRODUCTS CONTAIN THE ROSE OF JERICHO (AKA. THE RESURRECTION PLANT), WHICH CONTAINS A MOISTURE-RETENTION COMPLEX THAT BOOSTS HYDRATION AND RADIANCE TO RESTORE HAIR TO ITS PEAK CONDITION.

What gap did you notice in the luxury hair care market and what prompted you to address it with Mela & Kera?

We wanted to represent the “new generation” in hair care with products that targeted balayage, for example. Balayage has been a game-changer in our industry. We kept hearing clients say that by using a “moisture” shampoo, their roots would feel dirty quickly. But they also said that if they didn’t use it, their ends would be dry. So, in the way only a hairdresser could, I developed a collection that truly targeted the needs of balayaged hair. We developed a shampoo and conditioner that would make hair feel ultra-soft without weighing it down. We knew we had to lock down the cuticle and frayed ends without disturbing the natural areas of the hair. Then, we took it one step further by creating styling products that would help nourish, rebuild, strengthen and protect hair from styling and stressors between visits.

What will hairstylists most enjoy about the products?

The feedback that we’re already getting is that the products make hair feel like cashmere. Or as we like to say, velvet. They deliver a high level of performance that hair needs to stay healthy, youthful and vibrant. The products are extremely lightweight but pack a punch. I believe we’re in an era where people don’t really want to feel anything in their hair but they do want it to look polished.

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Hydrate and Hold Get extra moisture and definition with This Is A Curl Gel Oil from Davines.

Created with thick and coarse curls in mind, This Is A Curl Gel Oil features the soft-hold benefits of a gel with the hydration of an oil—all in one!

Combining hydrating agents such as glycerin, panthenol, and phytosqualane, a natural emollient found in olive oil, this hybrid product will leave your clients’ hair healthy and moisturized without any flaking or residue.

18 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE): MELA & KERA, GELISH, ENTITY, BIO SCULPTURE GEL, OPI, CND, INSTAGRAM, DAVINES, AQUAGE

Hairlines — NEWS

Introducing Mela & Kera, a new luxury, eco-conscious hair care range.

P R I D E P RO U D

Entity Get ready for the sunny summer days with Carefree, a happy yellow crème from the It’s My Time collection.

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Hairlines — NAILS

Gelish Channel your inner Cher Horowitz this season with Driving in Platforms, a coral crème from the new Clueless collection, inspired by the classic ’90s rom-com.

M E T GA L A N A I L L O O K S

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Gala Glam

Celebrities brought their A-game to the 2022 Met Gala with some glitzy nail looks that are sure to spark some inspiration for all of your clients.

Here are a few of our favourites.

Bio Sculpture Get noticed with Limelight, a ’70s-inspired vibrant neon green from the Live Loudly collection.

OPI Boost your clients’ moods this summer with the Shimmer Shade collection, featuring Sky True to Yourself.

1 TikTok influencer Addison Rae was rocking gunmetal studded nails created by celebrity (and Euphoria) nail artist Natalie Minerva, who used CND products to create this edgy look.

2 Nail artist Thuy Nguyen added a modern spin to the classic French tip for actress Gabrielle Union, with nails embellished with white roses and crystals.

3 Actress and comedian Awkwafina opted for short nails at this year’s Met ball. Nguyen designed the natural-nude nails and added a pop of silver with some metallic linework.

4 Celebrity manicurist Tom Bachik was going for an avant-garde vibe while creating singer

Camila Cabello’s nail look. Bachik took the monochromatic matte white nails to the next level by adding molded flowers as a symbol of hope.

5 Nail artist Zola Ganzorigt used OPI nail products to create shiny and embellished nails for Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney. The light pink and glitter nails were adorned in chrome jewels.

6 Vanessa Hudgens, this year’s Met Gala redcarpet host, sported extra-long, matte, pale pink stiletto-shaped nails by Ganzorigt that featured a metallic silver tip.

L O N G A N D S T RO N G

Shape and build nails with CND Plexigel Color Builders.

CND Get clients ready for their summer vacation with Artisan Bazaar, a bright purple shade from the Mediterranean Dream collection.

Are your clients a fan of minimalistic nails? CND Plexigel Color Builders, a collection of five buildable shades—Porcelain, Oat Milk, Soft Blush, Spiced Taffy and Milky Mauve—match any skin tone and provide more than three weeks of wear, strength, length and shape. With benefits including plumping and smoothing nails, high-gloss shine and low-odour formula, CND Plexigel Color Builders are formulated to protect nails without causing any damage.

The system includes Bonder (a base coat), Shaper (a clear nail enhancement gel), Builder (a brush-on nail enhancement gel) and Protective Topcoat. Best of all, nail techs can now save on service time and maximize their profits by providing enhancements and colour all in one product.

salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 19

ADD A POP TO YOUR COLOUR SERVICES THIS SEASON WITH THIS WHIMSICAL SHADE. PLUS, FIND OUT EASY WAYS TO MAKE IT MORE WEARABLE FOR ALL CLIENTELE.

Bubblegum Pink Another Y2K trend that’s making a comeback, Bubblegum Pink has been seen all over the runways and is now making its way into hair colour. So much so that Goldwell even named it their 2022 Color of the Year!

“We wanted to have a colour that’s more inclusive—it works on men, women, anyone,” says Didier Lachapelle, owner of Avenue Atelier Coiffure in Trois-Rivières, Que., and a national artist for Goldwell. “Considering the last two years we’ve had, it’s a fun colour. Even the name makes you think of childhood. It’s really fresh for spring and summer.”

Power of Pink While there have been variations of pink shades trending in hair colour before—ranging from rose gold to neon—Bubblegum Pink straddles the line between warm and cool, making it a versatile tone for all clients.

“The difference with Bubblegum Pink for us is that the formula is part rose and part lavender, so you have a bit of a blue undertone that makes it either cool or warm, depending on the quantity of shades that you use,” says Lachapelle. “You could have five different clients with Bubblegum Pink and have five different results, depending on the mixing ratio and what product you’re using, so it’s really fun to customize different hues into it.”

With most fashion shades, the younger generations tend to be more willing to experiment with tones. However, pink has become a universal colour that can be added in a variety of ways, depending on your client’s preference and lifestyle.

“Pink is not like it used to be with only certain clientele wanting to wear it,” says Lachapelle. “Now, you can have shades that are really bold or really soft. You can do just a small section of colour and it’ll give the hair some pop.”

20 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

PRO TIP FOR CLIENTS WHO MAY BE UNSURE ABOUT THE TONE, CONSIDER COLOURING A PIECE OF HAIR ABOVE THEIR EAR TO HELP THEM GET A FEEL FOR IT.

PRODUCT PICKS

Goldwell Colorance The brand’s demipermanent range includes ready-to-mix pastel shades (including Pastel Rose and Pastel Lavender) that offer soft and gradual fading.

Wella Color Fresh Mask Clients can maintain their colour at home with this temporary pink colourdepositing mask that conditions and offers true-to-tone fading.

All About the Placement Since it’s unlikely that most clients will want to rock the shade as an all-over colour, getting creative with your placement is key. It’s also a great way to introduce the shade to clients who may be open to experimenting with their colour but are hesitant about taking the plunge.

“It does vary person to person,” says Alyssa Torgerson, a Winnipeg-based colourist and 2021 finalist for Wella’s TrendVision Color Artist. “For something more understated, I would just do the tips of the hair or a money piece, which is a trend that’s still very in right now. Halo sectioning is also really big; it’s the front and entire hairline that's coloured, which means anything that’s hidden underneath the hairline—where they normally wouldn’t part their hair—will be less high-maintenance.”

“The way I like to work with it is either as a root splash or a section or two of the colour in the midshaft,” adds Lachapelle. “We can do the roots and maybe more in front—depending on the haircut.

It’s easy for clients to get a touch-up at the salon because you only have to redo the root area. For the lengths and tips, it can be a really quick toner at the sink, so the result is more muted.”

For clients who want to fully embrace the colour, Torgerson recommends using a prism technique, which creates a holographic effect in the hair, or colour-melting for a more multidimensional finish. “Use a couple of different shades of pink throughout—going from darker on top and lighter through the bottom—for pop and dimension, especially on darker hair, which gives clients more bang for their buck.”

PHOTOS: HAIR: OLGA GARCÍA, OLGA GARCÍA ESTILISTAS, SPAIN, MAKEUP: JOSE LUÍS BLASCO, WARDROBE STYLING: VISORI FASHIONART, PHOTO: DAVID ARNAL; HAIR: ITZIAR INFANTE, ESPACIO KIBŌ BY VÍCTOR ALONSO, SPAIN, MAKEUP: VICTORIA CLIMENT, WARDROBE STYLING: ESPACIO KIBŌ BY VÍCTOR ALONSO, PHOTO: JUANJO MARTIN, HAIR STRANDS BY KAREEMOV, SHADOW BY ADRIEN COQUET, PEELED BANANA BY ARYADNA PONS FROM NOUNPROJECT.COM, GOLDWELL, WELLA PROFESSIONALS, PRAVANA, PULP RIOT, INSTAGRAM

Hairlines — COLOUR

➣

“I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE IS TIRED OF THE PANDEMIC SO PEOPLE ARE BEING MORE EXPERIMENTAL WITH THEIR HAIR AND STEPPING OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE.” — ALYSSA TORGERSON, COLOURIST AND 2021 WELLA TRENDVISION COLOR ARTIST FINALIST, WINNIPEG

MORE PRODUCT PICKS

Pravana Chromasilk Vivids This semi-permanent, non-oxidative colour can be used with the brand’s clear or pastel diluter to customize the perfect pink shade.

Pulp Riot Semi-Permanent Colour The brand’s original semi-permanent, vegan colour range offers easy-to-apply shades that provide vibrant, long-lasting results with gradual fading.

PRO TIP TO ENCOURAGE CLIENTS TO COME BACK TO THE SALON FOR A REFRESH, CONSIDER TOUCHING UP THEIR ROOTS WITH A SHADE THAT’S DARKER THAN THE PREVIOUS SHADE AT THE ROOTS AND A TONER FOR THE MID-LENGTHS AND ENDS.

Don’t Burst Their Bubble For clients who may be “chewing” on the idea, it’s important to discuss cost and maintenance during the consultation to ensure their expectations about the commitment level and longevity are managed.

“I focus on the root level, density and texture, and if the hair is healthy or not,” says Lachapelle.

“I’m never going to try bringing a level five up to a level 10 only to do a pastel. I would rather add it at a level eight than a level nine or 10, depending on the existing colour.”

When lightening the hair, it’s important to give the client a realistic timeline to anticipate. “Clients need to be prepared to spend a bit more money on fashion colour, just because it’s quite a lengthy process,” says Torgerson. “Depending on their hair, it could cost more or less, so it’s best that they’re prepared for a bit more maintenance and the cost that comes with it.”

“For example, if they have black box colour, I probably won't be able to get them past like an orange [in one appointment], which in theory isn't a bad thing,” she adds. “Oranges can grab some of the pinks really easily, so it depends on the end result that they’re looking for.”

When it comes to maintenance, Torgerson recommends advising clients about the importance of investing in a professional-grade colour protection shampoo and conditioner, along with reducing

the use of hot styling tools to increase their colour’s longevity. “If someone wants something more muted or pastel, I usually ask how often they wash their hair because if they wash it daily or every couple of days, it tends to rinse out faster, meaning it might not be worth their money,” says Torgerson. “I usually try to push for more of a brighter, richer tone just because they will get more washes and uses out of it.”

Colour For All With a rising demand for fashion colours, it’s important to be welcoming to anyone who expresses an interest in it—regardless of their gender.

“Pink is one of those fun colours that anyone can own,” says Torgerson, who offers a “safe space” for the LGBTQ2S+ community. “To me, hair and colour have no gender, so having an open dialogue is key. Be open to whatever conversations may come your way. With everything changing in the world now, including pronouns, I’m fully willing to have those conversations and be understanding of them, because I want to learn and gain more awareness so I can continue to share with people and practice what I preach.”

PRO TIP WITH ANY FASHION COLOUR, HAIR OFTEN NEEDS TO BE LIGHTENED TO A LEVEL NINE OR 10 TO ACHIEVE THESE SHADES, ESPECIALLY AS AN ALLOVER COLOUR. TORGERSON SUGGESTS USING THE INSIDE OF A BANANA PEEL AS A REFERENCE TO WHAT THE HAIR SHOULD LOOK LIKE BEFORE PROCEEDING.

“Pink is not just a ‘feminine’ colour anymore,” adds Lachapelle. “It’s not even a question now because people are asking for these kinds of colours, so it’s not like back in the day when you had to sell them on the idea of it. I have as many men asking for this colour as women. It’s all about having fun and being fashionable and optimistic about the future.”

salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 21

DISCOVER MORE– RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS BU I L D A R E WA R DI NG CA R E E R GE T T H E L AT E ST I N DUST RY N E WS S E E ST U N N I NG C OL L E C T ION S FIND THE T E CH N ICA L A DV ICE YOU CR AV E

salonmagazine.ca SalonMag Salon_Magazine salonmagazine SalonMagazine

1 salonmagazine.ca / September 2020

PHOTOS: HAIR: RAQUEL SAIZ & ULISES PELUQUEROS, SALÓN BLUE BY RAQUEL SAIZ, SPAIN, MAKEUP: NACHO SANZ, WARDROBE STYLING: QUATTRO, PHOTO: ESTEBAN ROCA

Hybrid Haircuts

From shags and shullets to wolf cuts and bixies, we chatted with industry experts about the latest haircutting trends and garnered insights on how these looks can serve as the perfect genderless style for any client. ➤

BY LAUREN FARRUGIA salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 23

24 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

on multiple characteristics of each style while changing other aspects to create an evolved hairstyle that is somewhere in-between the original two styles. “People need to be able to identify what they’re asking for and when you combine two styles to create one, they have a reference,” says Miller. “In essence, you’re creating a new haircut or a different silhouette from the two styles incorporated, but I think it’s more for the client’s understanding and the fact that it makes the cuts more relatable.”

“LONG GONE ARE THE DAYS WHERE YOU HAVE ONE STYLE THAT’S REPRESENTED ON A MODEL AND YOU TRY TO SHOEHORN THOSE SAME STYLES ONTO EVERYONE.” — PAUL MILLER, L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL AMBASSADOR AND OWNER OF JAX & KING SALON, VERNON, B.C.

The Consultation Every great haircut starts with a thorough consultation. “There’s a criterion of questions we ask to understand the client and what they’re looking for,” says Monika Lombardi, a Joico guest artist and owner of Moni Hair Boutique and Lombardi’s Classic Barbershop in Tecumseh, Ont. “We like to start the conversation by asking about how the client takes care of their hair, what products they use and how they like to style their hair.”

“The first question I like to ask is, ‘What was the most memorable (unhappy) moment they can remember from a haircut?’” says Marchese. “If the client can give me insight into a cut they weren’t happy with, I can stay away from what they didn’t like.”

Although the answers will differ from client to client,

the questions should remain the same for each person in your chair—regardless of gender. “A consultation is a consultation,” says Lombardi.

“These standard questions lead to so many answers for the stylists. We ask these questions because we want to get to know the client’s hair so we can help them leave our salon feeling good about their experience.”

“I’ve never really looked at the client’s gender when they’re in my chair,” adds Miller. “It’s not really about whether they’re male, female or non-binary; it comes down to their sense of style.

It’s head-to-toe and all about what they want to represent and what they want to achieve.”

PRO TIP ASK YOUR CLIENT TO BRING IN MULTIPLE PHOTOS OF WHAT THEY WANT. IT’S A GREAT WAY TO GET DIRECTION AND A SENSE OF WHAT THE CLIENT LIKES AND DISLIKES. IT ALSO GIVES YOU A REFERENCE POINT TO ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STYLE THEY’RE LOOKING FOR.

PHOTOS: PHOTOS: HAIR: PAULA ALONSO, SALÓN BLUE BY RAQUEL SAIZ, SPAIN, MAKEUP: MANUELA GIMÉNEZ, WARDROBE STYLING & PHOTO: ESTEBAN ROCA, INSTAGRAM, PHOTO BY LUTFI GANI AL ACHMAD, MEASURE BY CHINTUZA, HAIR CUT BY PROSYMBOLS FROM NOUNPROJECT.COM

With haircuts from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s continually becoming more in-demand, new variations of these retro styles have begun to emerge. Trends such as the shullet (shag and mullet), bixie (bob and pixie), shag and wolf cuts all perfectly combine classic elements from multiple hairstyles and enable stylists to create customized looks that enhance their client’s individuality, regardless of their gender or expression style.

“The reason I think these haircuts are so in vogue right now is because androgynous styles have never really been out of fashion,” says Paul Miller, a L’Oréal Professionnel ambassador and owner of Jax & King Salon in Vernon, B.C. “For example, I grew up in the ’70s and I remember looking at the teenagers as a kid and seeing them—both males and females—wearing these styles. Short shags are short shags, and they look virtually the same on everyone. I think they’ve always been part of our culture, but they’re becoming more mainstream because of the political and social feelings that come with them.”

“With the ever-growing trend of inclusivity, these haircuts—even in the past— have been worn by both men and women,” says Joey Marchese, a Toronto-based hairstylist at Bob + Paige salon, and an educator and ambassador for Schwarzkopf Professional. “I think the reason they’re resurging is because they’ve always been a genderless haircut, as well as the fact that they flow into fashion right now.”

The idea behind these “hybrid” haircuts is taking two different hairstyles and combining them into a new and modern style that falls somewhere in between the originals. These haircuts take

PRO TIP WHEN CUTTING A SHAG ON CLIENTS WITH LONGER HAIR, CONSIDER TURNING THEM AWAY FROM THE MIRROR TO PREVENT THEM FROM SEEING THE AMOUNT OF HAIR YOU’RE CUTTING, WHICH CAN APPEAR TO BE MORE THAN IT IS AND CAUSE THE CLIENT TO WORRY OR FEEL ANXIOUS.

1.

The Shag

Typically made up of layers that are feathered at the top and the sides of the head, the shag is a style that we’re seeing more and more of all over social media and on celebrities from Billie Eilish to Taylor Swift.

“Shags have always been around because they’re a lot of fun, easy and almost anyone can wear them,” says Miller. “You can play with the proportions; where the volume sits, where you want to collapse volume, and what you need to highlight in the client’s face and body.

Shags are like jeans; they fit everybody one way or another.”

“The shag is a variation of many things, and it goes back to the hair type and texture of a client as well as how they care for and style their hair,” says Lombardi, who adds that to create the shag’s signature feathered layers, she likes to use a variety of cutting tools. “I use and would recommend both scissors and a feathered razor. The advantage of having multiple tools is that this helps create the shag on any hair type or texture.

If someone has curly hair and wants a shag, I’ll use my scissors, but if they have super-thick and coarse hair, I’ll use a razor. It’s so exclusive to the client.”

For Caroline Carter, a hairstylist at The Grove Vancouver who specializes in texture and “precision

PRO TIP FOR DRY CUTTING, TRY USING A 6.5”-LENGTH SHEAR SINCE THE EXTRA WEIGHT WILL HELP PUSH THE HAIR LESS.

shags,” she says the look can be a lot more versatile than most people think. “I do think there’s this perception around that because the style is long, layered and shaggy, you don’t have to be as precise in execution and you can almost be sloppy with it,” she says. “It’s not like that at all.

You have to be aware of how things are flowing together, and I feel the need to be more meticulous with these haircuts.

I like to go back in when the

hair is dry to make sure that every single piece of hair is perfect because it only takes one hair to throw off how everything is flowing together.”

For longer shags, Carter says it’s all about a forward graduation. “I’m not coming out 90 degrees from the head shape. I’m doing it more like 45 degrees and overdirecting it very much forward and then connecting point A, where the fringe is, to point B, where the perimeter is,” she says. “I take each sub-section, overdirecting it to that one point in the front. Once the hair is dry, I will go into the interior and start lifting things up to make sure that everything connects, flows and that it has a smooth dissention within the sections.”

“I use a lot of disconnections to make the shapes work, depending on the client,” says Marchese.

“For me, it’s all about the proportions you want to create. That’s why my favourite way to cut this look is with a disconnected top section. I like to use a disconnected section on top of the head and then freehand cut the bottom so that I get a seamless blend.”

Considering all the layers in a shag, it’s important to keep in mind how the client styles and wears their hair on a daily basis. “I use undercutting, disconnecting and recreating hairlines to make a style exclusive to a client so they ➤ salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 25

2.

When cutting a shag on clients with textured hair, it’s important to consider your angles. “For curly-haired shags, I do a classic, 90-degree out from head shape, wetlayered blunt cut,” says Carter.

“You’re essentially creating a circle around the client’s head while making sure that you’re layering with enough of an elevation so there won’t be a short weight line. In the end, all anyone is going to see is everything falling seamlessly together.”

The Shullet

As its name implies, the shullet is a style that blends the characteristics of a shag and a mullet, and is perfect for clients who may not be able to fully commit to a mullet or the many layers of a shag. “I think the biggest difference with the shullet is proportions,” says Miller.

“Where the shortness is, the length, and how much layering goes with it. It’s not necessarily cutting right around the ear, which is what makes it more shaglike, but you still have that tightness and closeness around the ears and the elongated back, which makes

26 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

it like a mullet. It’s sort of a romantic and playful way of revisiting these styles.”

To create it, Marchese recommends disconnected sections, and only using shears and a comb. “I’ve seen it done with a razor and other tools, but I use a classic 5.2” or 5.5” shear,” he says. “I would use the same tools as I would for a shag or a wolf cut, but the shape will be dependent on what style the client is looking for. Before, you would put a square shape on a man and a round shape on a woman.

Looking at them now, if the client wants a softer look, it would be a round shape and if they want a more defined look, it would be a square shape.”

“It’s important to examine the density and texture of the client’s hair,” adds Marchese. “This will allow you to determine things like interior lengths and how to connect them to your overall length seamlessly.”

A key factor in creating a great shullet is the faceframing pieces of the haircut. A good way to go about getting this right is by separating those pieces and figuring out where you (and the client) want them to sit.

Another great way to achieve the perfect shullet is by separating the top section of the hair from the bottom and cutting them separately.

Stylists will often start by working on the hair at the nape of the neck, removing weight as well as length.

“Shullets are a lot of fun,” says Miller. “They’re a very technical type of cut. For the shag, I’m using the highs and lows of the haircut to create the softness, but when you move into a shullet, there are more technical elements through the top and the sides. It’s more of a graphic shape; you see the lines.

They tend to be a bit higher maintenance because they change more dramatically as they grow in.”

PHOTOS: PHOTOS: HAIR: RAQUEL SAIZ & ULISES PELUQUEROS, SALÓN BLUE BY RAQUEL SAIZ, SPAIN, MAKEUP: NACHO SANZ, WARDROBE STYLING: QUATTRO, PHOTO: ESTEBAN ROCA; HAIR: LANDRY AGRES, MILK SAN SEBASTIÁN, SPAIN, MAKEUP: LAIA TOST, WARDROBE STYLING: JUAN CAMILO, PHOTO: ESTEBAN ROCA; HAIR: FELICITAS HAIR, SPAIN, MAKEUP: VIRGINIA — KUKI GIMÉNEZ AGENCY, WARDROBE STYLING: VISORI FASHIONART, PHOTO: ESTEBAN ROCA, INSTAGRAM

achieve that trendy look they’re going for,” says Lombardi. “I think creating hairlines by removing hair that doesn’t shape the cut at the hairline is a great way to deliver the style my client is going for, and it’s an important step. I like to remove hair underneath the occipital bone, behind and around the ears and/or the side of the head.

These areas will have no connection of blending with the rest of the hair. I also cut into the sections of the hair that won’t blend with the rest.”

3.

The Wolf Cut

Some stylists may not realize it, but the wolf cut is another great example of a hybrid haircut—combining a shag and shullet.

“It has the finish of the shullet, with the length in the back and the shortness on the top, however, there’s not as much disconnection between the lengths,” says Marchese. “With the shullet, there’s a strong disconnection between the top length and the overall length. With a shag, it’s layered evenly throughout to give it more of a shaggy texture. The wolf cut is an evolution of both where the layers are consistent throughout but there’s still that shortness at the top with length at the back.”

“It has a more definitive corner in the front and not necessarily a fringe,” says Carter. “They tend to be a bit shorter with less of a bang than a shag. For a wolf cut, I would probably use a 5.5” or 6” shear and do a wet cut, lift everything up and then customize it afterwards.”

Another key difference with wolf cuts versus shags and shullets is the styling. “Wolf cuts tend to be a highly styled haircut that’s meant to look

Inclusive Haircutting

like it isn’t styled,” says Miller.

“The wolf cut is less lived in than other styles; it’s a little less organic in its finish. For cutting, I would use the shortto-long layering technique, but it’s a lot shallower and I would leave a bit more weight and length on top, so you’re creating more of a curtain feel around the face.”

Just like the other haircuts, this style can be customized to suit any client. “Square

shapes tend to be described as more masculine because they’re a stronger shape, and round shapes tend to be a bit softer, which is generally defined as feminine. So it’s about changing our terms behind those shapes,” says Miller. “It has very little to do with gender. It’s really about playing with the silhouettes, shapes and features, and what the client wants to represent and achieve.” ➤

Regardless of the cut your client is interested in, it’s important to focus not on their gender, but on giving the individual in your chair a style they’ll love and that will make them feel the most like themselves. “As a hairstylist, making each client feel very comfortable and being easygoing about it is the best part of my role,” says Marchese. “It’s your job to make the client trust you and to make them feel comfortable in your chair. We help people achieve what makes them feel the best on the inside and the outside from a look perspective and an emotional perspective. Being able to connect with and treat people equally without judgment is such a great part of our industry.”

“As hairstylists, we can’t pigeonhole people,” adds Miller.

“We may think we understand what someone is asking for, but there are so many different variations of styles. We have to dig deeper with our clients and that’s the only way inclusion is really going to work.”

salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 27

4.

PRO TIP WHEN WORKING WITH CURLY HAIR, CONSIDER CUTTING THE HAIR WHILE IT’S DRY TO ENSURE YOU’RE NOT TAKING OFF TOO MUCH LENGTH.

28 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

The bixie offers the versatility of a bob with the shortness of a pixie. It’s a style that’s been particularly on-trend this year, as seen on celebrities like Kristen Stewart, Sarah Hyland and Gabrielle Union.

“It’s a fun little one,” says Miller. “This style is like an evolution because we’re seeing all these different shapes, and many stylists have cut a lot of bobs over the years. However, now those clients with bobs want to evolve and be a little bit more playful and are doing so with the bixie.”

“When it comes to these shapes that are fairly weightless, you need tools that will represent that, in combination with the hair texture of your client,” he adds. “For finer hair and very coarse, thick hair, I will almost always use shears because I feel like it gives me more control, while for very dense hair I would use a razor.”

When cutting a bixie, Miller recommends a soft point cut. “I tend to go for a 5.5” shear and I cut inside out so I always look for where I want volume and where I want a collapsed shape,” he says. “I first identify what needs to hug the head. If the client has a lot of hair, they can collect a lot of weight on the side areas above and

behind the ear. With the layering, it can get bulky through those areas so that’s when I’ll go in and engineer some disconnections or gentle undercuts to reduce weight and collapse shape. I will finish off by cutting the perimeter and adding a little bit of texture if I need to.”

When it comes to textured and curly hair, it’s important to tweak your approach.

“The difference would be some of the internal engineering in terms of reducing and collapsing weight and volume in certain spots,” says Miller.

“For textured hair, it’s the areas above the ear that you may need to collapse some weight, otherwise it can get too voluminous and can become too round. For the bixie, you want more of that square-round shape.

There’s more internal texture that needs to take place, or collapsing of volume.”

PHOTOS: HAIR: MELISSA TIMPERLEY AND MELISSA SALONS ART TEAM, U.K., MAKEUP: KIRSTEN B, WARDROBE STYLING: RUBINA VITA MARCHIORI, PHOTO: MICHAEL YOUNG, INSTAGRAM, HAIR DRYER BY PATH LORD FROM NOUNPROJECT.COM

The Bixie

GENDERLESS HAIRDRESSING From inclusive consultations and pricing to saferspace training, get to know six salon owners who are embracing the gender-neutral movement.

PHOTOS: DENIS DUQUETTE, JENN GHANEY

BY VERONICA BOODHAN

There’s no question that gender inclusion continues to be a challenge in the beauty industry. Considering it’s a field that employs a wide range of creative talents, it’s almost archaic for salons to continue to adhere to traditional men’s and women’s pricing models.

“The very notion of having gendered pricing always struck me as odd,” says Jenn Ghaney, owner of The Seahorse Salon in St. John’s, Nfld. “Why do we have this industry standard set around men’s and barber cuts versus women’s cuts, when people will often ask for the same haircut?”

Making a Difference

Working in the beauty industry for more than 20 years, Ghaney decided to open her salon five years ago to make changes she wasn’t seeing in other salons. “We initially wanted to offer gender-neutral haircutting in order to create a safer environment for everyone, especially within the LGBTQ+ youth community,” she says. “But for stylists, a pricing structure that moves away from gender inequities just makes more sense. Rather than have a day filled with only men’s or barber cuts—and staff who are requesting to do more women’s cuts [because they are priced higher]—strip all of that away and charge based on time.”

For those who haven’t heard of gender-neutral pricing, it’s based on the length of hair and the time it takes to cut it rather than on the client’s gender. For example, a short haircut would be priced around how long it takes to complete

the cut or style, which can often range between 15 to 30 minutes, while a cut for longer hair would take closer to one hour to complete.

“Now that we’ve been doing it for five years, I can’t imagine not doing it,” says Ghaney. “It’s such a simple process; it’s so easy to lay out the guidelines for how you charge based on length and time, and to include this info in your point-ofsale (POS) system and on your website, which makes it easy to discuss with clients. And in the end, it helps everyone make more money.”

With many clients having grown out their hair during the pandemic’s lockdowns, Ghaney says having a pricing structure that bases the cost on length and time rather than gender seems to be timelier than ever. “I think people are valuing stylists’ time more than ever.”

While offering a gender-neutral pricing ➤ salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 29

“FOR OWNERS WHO AREN’T SURROUNDED

BY AS MUCH DIVERSITY, IT’S ABOUT HAVING A MENTALITY THAT’S OPEN AND FREE, AND MAKING SURE YOU DON’T STEREOTYPE ANYBODY.” — JOSHUA BELAIR, OWNER, STUDIO COIFFURE PA, MONTREAL

30 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

Taking a Stance

Joshua Belair, owner of Montreal-based Studio Coiffure PA, decided to purchase his salon in 2017 to create an integrated, welcoming space that enables his staff to have a voice.

“By creating that environment in the salon, we noticed our philosophy started to attract clients that were more open and diversified,” says Belair, who introduced gender-neutral pricing in 2019. “We were starting to feel uncomfortable about asking a man with long hair to pay women’s pricing. That’s when we started to have the discussion together as a team to create a plan.”

He says it wasn’t as simple as changing pricing from men’s and women’s to short, medium and long. In fact, Belair and his team spent six months analyzing and categorizing their clientele based on hair length. The result: Six categories ranging from XXC to XL. “We noticed that we have a lot of barber cuts in the salon, as well as clients with super-long hair, so we needed to have two more categories,” says Belair. “For example, we need categories for fades and extensions because they take more time. We decided to go with a pricing model that’s more like clothing sizes.”

Belair says taking the time to analyze the needs of his clientele was not only helpful

in developing a gender-neutral pricing structure, but it also helped his entire team better understand their clients.

“When we were first creating the categories, we noticed some had fewer clients, which was an indicator for us to do more marketing around those cuts to get more clients in. For example, in one of the short-hair categories—a cut that’s done with scissors—I know there are a lot of women who still go to a salon with women’s and men’s pricing, and are paying more as a result. Since it takes less time for us to do shorter hair, which in turn makes the service cost less, we factored this into our marketing plan to attract more women.”

Like many salon owners who are apprehensive about changing (or raising) their prices, Belair was concerned about how men would adapt to the new prices.

“Some men are so used to paying less for haircuts, but educating them about the amount of time it takes and how and why we’re doing this has resulted in them being very understanding of the pricing changes.”

Adapting a gender-neutral pricing model has also helped his salon better serve more of their community.

“With our salon being located in Montreal’s Gay Village, we’re surrounded by many different types of people, including transgender or non-binary people, so our pricing model is something that attracts a lot of that clientele,” he says.

“We don’t judge based on what a client wants; it’s all about their inspiration and what they’re looking for as a style.”

PHOTOS: MATT AYOTTE, JOSHUA BELAIR, JEN STOREY, YES AND ERROR BY ADRIEN COQUET, RAINBOW FLAG BY NITHINAN TATAH FROM NOUNPROJECT.COM, DANIELA PEREZ & NANCY HADDAD

structure is one step, it’s also important to think about providing clients with a more inclusive salon experience.

“Always keep your verbiage in mind,” says Ghaney. “Keep your entire team educated on the correct verbiage to use when you’re speaking to clients because even if you’re creating a safer space or you’re trying to suggest that someone have a longer hairstyle, if you say to a woman, ‘Would you like something more like a man’s style?’ it may insinuate to a woman who might simply want shorter hair, that she wants something that’s more ‘masculine.’

Proper verbiage is important, as is instilling awareness in your team members, which will help everyone better communicate with clients.”

And when it comes to working with clients who identify as non-binary (people who prefer to use they/them pronouns), Ghaney says it’s paramount to not put them in a box. “Some nonbinary people want to present a more feminine look one day and a more masculine look the next, so consider haircuts with fluid styles so they can still be transitionary for however they want to look.”

PRO TIP CONSIDER PARTICIPATING IN PRIDE-RELATED EVENTS TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WAYS TO BECOME AN ALLY.

Speaking From Experience

For Jen Storey, owner of Adara Hair and Body Studio in Edmonton, offering gender-neutral pricing has been an important part of her business for more than eight years.

“My wife has short hair and she would complain about having to pay for a full, hour-long haircut for something that would only take 20 minutes,” she says. “It was just something that was not sitting right with me. I later realized my front-end person and I had the same length of hair and we would have paid different prices for our cuts. It was a no-brainer to me that there should be consistent prices for set lengths, and it prompted me to take the time to think about our prices and menus.”

Storey also reached out to The Pride Centre of Edmonton for Safer Space

Consultation Prowess When it comes to consultations, words and actions matter. Here are some things to keep in mind (and avoid) when offering more gender-inclusive consultations.

DO’S Introduce yourself Ask questions about their hair history and preferences Ask for photos as style references

DON’T’S Assume your client’s pronouns or preferences Ask personal questions about themselves (or their coming-out story) Judge based on physical appearance, gender stereotypes or personal opinion/biases

Training—a program that educates businesses about pronouns and language to use.

“A lot of salons will do the price change but not follow up to make sure everyone uses the proper language that makes people feel comfortable and safe,” she says. “Changing the language in general and not talking about hair as a men’s or women’s haircut is a really good way to start. It goes back to hair schools; they should be changing the verbiage that we use right from the very beginning.”

During the pandemic, Storey took things one step further by offering “silent cuts,” an option that enables clients to have a service without talking.

“I noticed a lot of people were constantly talking about the pandemic and COVID, and there was just a lot of negativity going on,” she says. “Some people don’t want to hear about it anymore or talk about it anymore, and not everybody likes to make small talk while they’re getting their haircuts. We want everyone to feel comfortable and safe while they’re here, so if they’d like a silent cut, as soon as the consultation is done, we no longer make small talk.”

Breaking The Mold

While there continues to be a divide in the industry between salons and barbershops, there’s been an emergence of new spaces and studios now offering a gender-neutral experience.

For Daniela Perez and Nancy Haddad, co-owners of LES Studio in Toronto, which opened in July of last year, they wanted to create a space that was more inclusive.

“We decided to open a genderless studio because we’ve had difficulties with our own hair journeys,” says Haddad. “I remember that when I got my first short haircut it was so liberating to chop off all the hair, but it wasn’t exactly how I wanted to it to look and there weren’t a lot of people I could go to ➤ salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 31

— DANIELA PEREZ, CO-OWNER, LES STUDIO, TORONTO

Ways to Offer a More Gender-Inclusive Experience

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Update your booking system to enable clients to include their chosen name and pronouns. Also, remove gender honorifics (Mr., Mrs., etc.) or add a gender-neutral honorific (Mx.) Implement gender-neutral washrooms Incorporate gender-neutral interior design elements Use products with neutral scents and packaging Bring in educators to teach staff about gender-inclusive language and practices

and get the kind of style I wanted.”

Perez says that while she has always liked a more feminine style, her affinity for undercuts would have her visiting a barbershop for the undercut and a salon for the haircut. “Finding a person or place where you can go, sit down and know that they’re going to give you exactly what you want is super important for me. I always felt like I never really belonged when I worked in a salon or barbershop, so I wanted to create a place of belonging and acceptance for ourselves and other people.”

At LES Studio, not only do they offer gender-neutral pricing that’s based on length and time, but they employ a diverse team of hairstylists, barbers and specialists.

“We have a very open and inclusive staff with a range of ethnicities and gender expressions, including non-binary and allies,” says Perez. “For us, it was important to be able to provide our clients with different skill sets. We have people who specialize in colour, dreadlocks and braids, etc. I specialize in curly and textured hair, as well as shags, while Nancy is more on the barbering side.”

“If you have both skill sets and can 32 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

do short and long, you might as well open your space and promote inclusivity by charging by length and not gender,” adds Haddad. “That way, you can have a variety of people coming in but with the skill sets you’re comfortable with.”

While the idea originated from studios that Perez and Haddad noticed while living and working in New York, they admit it was risky to open up their own space in the middle of the pandemic.

“At first, we weren’t sure how well it was going to do. It’s been done before in Toronto but it’s a newer concept,” says Perez. “We just trusted that our passion project would turn into something that other people would feel happy with and passionate about, and it’s paid off. It started with a lot of word-of-mouth and now we’re really busy. I think the pandemic put things into perspective for a lot of us in the sense that people became more accepting of their hair, style and even sexuality. So, if people are willing to try and discover different things, and you’re charging by length and not gender, you give them the freedom to express themselves a little more.”

Forward Thinking

At Album Hair in Toronto, owner Dat Tran introduced gender-neutral pricing more than five years ago.

“I think being a gender-neutral salon is being human and it means that we look at each other beyond our external

PHOTOS: DAT TRAN

“HAVING GENDER-INCLUSIVE PRICING NATURALLY OPENS YOURSELF TO MORE CLIENTS.”

appearance,” he says. “We’re living in a time where there are binaries and we should be aware and be able to accommodate that. It’s the future of our industry.”

Throughout the past five years, Tran has adjusted pricing to reflect variables, such as extra-long hair, density or for clients who are requesting a major change in length.

Since many owners and stylists are nervous about increasing or changing their prices, Tran says it’s important to know your worth.

“Sometimes we overvalue or undervalue ourselves as hairstylists,” he says. “We want to be fair while keeping in mind that as a professional hairstylist, we want to be paid for our time and experience—and that’s okay.

For example, if a client has mediumlength hair and it’s thicker, I’ll charge it as a long. Or for someone with mediumlength hair getting a short haircut, I still charge a medium because going from medium to short is technically a change.

For me, I would still charge because of my experience, which is what creates the value in every service.”

To offer a more gender-inclusive salon experience, Tran says it comes down to education and communication. “If I can understand the client, I can better help them and create what they’re looking for,” he says. “How can I make them feel good about themselves? What are they looking to create? How do they want to be viewed? That’s how I look at things.”

There’s no doubt that the pandemic has impacted the way hairstylists and beauty professionals offer their services and interact with clients. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to be mindful of how people are treated from the moment they enter your salon or shop.

“Mentally, everyone is exhausted from the pandemic,” says Tran. “People are looking at themselves more harshly than anyone else would. So, as a hairstylist, how can I neutralize that? People want to be healthy and aware of their mental health. We make people happy with how they look, which offers huge mental benefits. When you can create an aesthetic that someone wears every day and feels good and confident about, you’re positively impacting their lives.

And when it comes to beauty, I believe it’s universal and shouldn’t have genders associated with it.”

CO LLE CTIO NS

June

An inspiring selection of hairstyles that will motivate you to take your craft to the next level. salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 33

Collections — POP

With a bold take on ’80s-inspired session styles, this British collection combines pastel and rich tones with statementmaking looks.

HAIR Medusa, U.K. MAKEUP Jak Morgan & Paulina Siembor WARDROBE STYLING Ian Tod PHOTOS Jodie Mann

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salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 35

Collections — EXTRAORDINARILY NATURAL

Lived-in texture and colour are brought to life in this collection that celebrates the beauty of individuality.

HAIR Antoinette Beenders for Aveda COLOUR Bruno Elorrioroz MAKEUP Adam De Cruz WARDROBE STYLING Elad Bitton PHOTOS Damian Foxe

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salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 37

Collections — SO FRESH

This Canadian collection combines clean lines and naturallooking styles for a range of casual, wearable looks.

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CONTESSA 2022 FINALIST, MEN’S HAIRSTYLIST

Wan Wu, Tommy Gun’s Original Barbershop, Burnaby, B.C. MAKEUP Jocelyn Yaniv WARDROBE STYLING Sarah Prato & Wan Wu PHOTOS Mat Lo salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 39

Collections — SHAPESHIFTERS

Expert haircutting skills and textured styles are showcased in this Canadian collection.

CONTESSA 2022 FINALIST, CANADIAN SALON TEAM Zoom Hair Studio, New Westminster, B.C. MAKEUP Felicia Bromba WARDROBE STYLING Alleeneda Thamavong PHOTOS Benjamin Kwan

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salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 41

Collections — TRIBE

Celebrating the power of selfexpression, this Canadian collection takes aim at the commercialization of fashion with sharp lines and grunge-inspired styles.

CONTESSA 2022 FINALIST, SESSION HAIRSTYLIST Kathy Simon, Mekka, Montreal MAKEUP Olivier Vinet WARDROBE STYLING Kathleen Laronde PHOTOS Justine Latour

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salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 43

Collections — FREEDOM

Inspired by the desire to escape today’s chaos, this Australian collection exudes style and attitude with a range of high-fashion cuts and on-trend textured styles.

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HAIR Adam Ciaccia, Axis Hairdressing, Australia MAKEUP Sanaz Fakhra WARDROBE STYLING Emma Cotterill PHOTOS David Mannah salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 45

Collections — PSYCHEDELIC

The eyes are the window to the soul in this Calgary-based makeup artist’s collection that demonstrates masterful colour placement and blending techniques.

CONTESSA 2022 FINALIST, MAKEUP ARTIST Breanne Gershon, Glam Breanne, Calgary PHOTOS Rachel Senneker & Paula Tizzard

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salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 47

Collections — ME

The beauty of diversity and inclusion is at the forefront of this British collection.

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HAIR Hooker & Young, U.K. MAKEUP Megumi WARDROBE STYLING Clare Frith PHOTOS Michael Young, courtesy of FPA salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 49

Collections — THIS IS ENGLAND

This Vancouverbased hairstylist pays homage to her homeland with a collection that garners inspiration from music and fashion for an effortlessly cool range of textures and shapes.

CONTESSA 2022 FINALIST, MEN’S HAIRSTYLIST Hannah Hewitt, Hair by Hannah, Vancouver MAKEUP Colleen Barber WARDROBE STYLING Janet Ross PHOTOS Kale Friesen

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salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 51

PRESENTED BY

#ContessaAwards #Contessa2023

RAISE YOUR GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL ENTRY DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 GALA NOVEMBER 20, 2022 Westin Harbour Castle Conference Centre, Toronto FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR RULE CHANGES AND NEW CATEGORY IN OUR 2023 CONTESSA AWARDS ENTRY GUIDE!

Contessa Gallery — CONTESSA 2022 FINALIST, SESSION HAIRSTYLIST

Anica Iordache Growing up in a small town in Transylvania, Anica Iordache’s journey into the hair industry is far from conventional. “I was about 12 years old when I learned hairdressing from a man who cut all the men’s hair in my village,” she says. “After learning how to cut men’s hair, I moved to cutting women’s hair and then decided to take a course on hairdressing without my parents knowing.”

Fast forward to today, Iordache is an Ottawa-based salon owner and an awardwinning hairstylist.

54 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

Au Naturale Iordache’s 2022 finalist collection for Session Hairstylist was inspired by the natural beauty and hair textures of her models. “The faces of the models really inspired me,” she says. “I wanted to create an inclusive collection that was fresh, modern and that focused on the faces of the models, making the hair complement them.”

She played with the cut and colour of each look to amplify each model’s natural texture. “I wanted to emphasize that it doesn’t matter what textured hair you have; you can wear it whatever way you want. You can wear any colour with any haircut.”

Iordache also wanted her collection to be more environmentally friendly,

Better Together Iordache featured two models in each photo to reflect society and because she thought the models would complement each other well. “In our society, we have so many different cultures, skin tones and hair textures,” she says. “I believe it’s mandatory for us to amplify this through our work and that we should showcase everyone.”

A fan of the adrenaline rush and the research that goes into competing, Iordache says they also help elevate her creativity. “I love to keep up with trends in the beauty and fashion industries, and competitions allow me to do that,” she says, adding that they also enable her to have fun and work with her team.

The Session Hairstylist category holds a special place in Iordache’s heart since it allows her to step outside the box. “I can decide on makeup and clothing, and I think with this category I can keep it a little more contemporary.”

Next on Iordache’s to-do list is getting into education. She’s currently in the process of beginning to brand herself and work on her curriculum so she can offer very niche training to the next generation.

TEXT: LAUREN FARRUGIA, PHOTOS: HAIR & WARDROBE STYLING: ANICA IORDACHE, MODMOP HAIRDRESSING, OTTAWA, MAKEUP: ANTHONIA BEJIDE, PHOTOS: SALMA JAMMAL

so she purposefully curated wardrobe items from a local thrift store. “We cannot continue to consume the way we are right now. We have to be mindful of the environment,” she says, adding that she wanted to find clothes that looked like a uniform. “I think that we tend to hypersexualize models, so using a uniform muted that part of the styling and just focused on the hair and the faces of each model.”

“We can’t limit ourselves and our clients. We have to be able to know how to do all types of hair.

Being able to accommodate any client that walks into the salon is so important.” salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 55

Discover how Los Angeles-based barber Sofie Pok is shaking up the beauty industry with her approach to her craft. Plus, learn about the gender-neutral grooming brand she co-created.

BY VERONICA BOODHAN

How did you get your start in the industry? Did you always know you wanted to work with hair?

My family came to America [from Cambodia] during the war in the 1970s.

Being born first-generation, they were always pushing us towards the academic route; a very typical upbringing. I started college to pursue business admin and there was just something in me that was questioning that decision. One day after class, I was talking to a friend and she asked me to give her a trim; she had long hair and just wanted me to dust off the ends. Prior to that, I had no experience in hair and nobody in my family does hair. I used paper-cutting shears in my mom’s backyard and my friend suggested that since I was undecided [about my profession], I should consider hair school. It had never crossed my mind before but I decided to try it out.

When I finally made the decision to pursue hair as a career, my family didn’t approve. I actually had a small falling out with them to pursue something that I felt like I needed to try for myself. I had no idea where it would take me but I just continued going to school, got licensed and I tried the salon route for a year but wasn’t quite happy. I was struggling a lot; there’s a lot of pressure at a young age to figure out if you want to be master cutter or colourist. Before giving up, I decided

56 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

to try a barbershop. I found a local one on Craigslist and the owner really liked that I was eager to learn; I wasn’t very good, I was just interested. He took a chance on me and that’s kind of where I ended up for four years—just really fine-tuning my initial skill sets. There was something about how difficult it was that intrigued me. I found cutting short hair and sculpting tight hair to the scalp to be very therapeutic. It was challenging and motivated me to keep going. It was more fast-paced and fun.

Would you say that your hairstyling skills have helped you become a better barber?

Yes—100 per cent. I think in beauty school, they teach you a lot more structure in terms of the way you handle your business. I remember in the first barbershop I worked in, anyone that had a cosmetology background was almost more favoured because of a double skill set. Clients shared that they were tired of going to a stylist for the top and a barber for the sides, and being a “hybrid barber” meant you could cater to more people because of your varied skills and experience.

You mentioned that you had a falling out with your family over your decision to pursue hairdressing. What helped change their mind?

With traditional parents, you can’t really explain to them why it works—you’ve got to show them. It took years for me

[to prove myself]. I needed some sort of physical proof, like magazine articles, that I was going to be okay and be able to take care of myself.

My mom didn’t know that travelling and teaching meant that I was being paid.

The magazines helped her see that people were writing stories about me. The first time she saw me at a trade show was in 2019 at ISSE [International Salon & Spa Expo] in Long Beach. It was the first time in the 11 years that I’ve been in the industry that she finally saw me on stage and she could finally understand it. It was just the cutest memory. I almost cried!

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as a woman in the barbering industry and how did you overcome them?

Working in three to four different shops in the early stages of my career, I was always the only female there so I was always challenged by being singled out. It was always a part of my fight.

There were a handful of times when guys would walk in, see a shop full of people and if I was available, they would question why. Was I not good? Do I know how to fade? Or they’ll consider me to be only a stylist. A majority of my work is barbering, but because I’m a woman, it’s assumed that I’m a stylist; someone who works with long hair and doesn’t use clippers and razors.

It used to bother me early on, feeling pressured that I had to ask people to give me a chance. It’s actually how I got on Instagram; my presence there was a way for me to build an online portfolio to avoid those conversations. I could ask clients to look at my work before they made any judgment or decided to sit in my chair. It was the start of building my clientele.

I’ve seen a shift; When I first started, it was very traditional and masculine.

I left one of the first shops I was in because I felt like I couldn't be myself.

It was in Orange County and we had a lot of LGBTQ+ customers who felt very uncomfortable about going into barbershops, so a lot of people started coming to me because they had different labels and I never made people feel uncomfortable; I was always very welcoming. I think what happens is that some guys may feel uncomfortable

PHOTOS: STMNT GROOMING GOODS

Profile – SOFIE POK

A Cut Above

not “men’s grooming” but “grooming goods.” It was very important to us because STMNT is for all walks of life; it’s for being able to customize your looks differently because hair has so many elements that make it different.

The products all work in harmony so you can create custom formulas for every person who comes into your shop.

The layering effect is not something that I’ve seen highlighted with other product lines. Whether you’re in a salon or barbershop, it’s so necessary just to know that there are products you can layer that aren’t going to cancel each other out.

or not know how to handle it, so it comes off the wrong way or like they don’t want to serve somebody. Now more than ever, salon culture has to be welcoming to everyone. If you don’t make people feel comfortable as a whole, those are the shops that will weed themselves out. Hair is genderless; whether you’re cutting off a lot or a little, hair is hair.

Congratulations on STMNT Grooming Goods, a brand you co-created with Julius Arriola (aka. Julius Caesar) and Miguel Gutierrez (aka. Nomad Barber) that was launched in the middle of the pandemic. Tell us about that.

We actually collectively came together around 2016, when the ideas start to form, and in 2017 we fully got involved.

Oftentimes as a barber, we’re approached by brands that are already existing and you kind of slap your name on it and then you become an ambassador. This opportunity was different because we got to create everything from scratch— the packaging, formula, name and what it means to us. It’s special because we made a decision on every part of that process.

We wanted to make sure that this was a gender-fluid line and that’s why it’s

You mentioned that you wanted STMNT Grooming Goods to be gender-fluid. We’re also seeing a shift to more gender-neutral pricing, salons and barbershops. Why is that important to you?

It’s the times we’re living in. I think it needs to be stamped even harder that there’s really no room to just create one lane for people anymore. As individuals and as a brand, I think it’s so powerful to lead by example because it helps other people be more open to the idea as well.

I’ve had people reach out to me from areas that are struggling with this concept, and where people can’t even get service because of how they look or what they identify as. We try our best as a company and a brand to make sure people know this is what we believe in because this is the way it should be.

Hopefully more people will feel inspired to just be more curious and think about something that may be a little different than what they’ve always known.

What’s next for you? Anything you have coming up or that you’re working on?

We’re actually working on a second batch of products for STMNT and trying to add a couple of new things to what we currently have. I’m also working on an online barbering academy. I’m super excited about it and have wanted to do it for a while; the pandemic made me think about it even more. I feel like 50 per cent of people want to travel and learn while some are too afraid, so being able to create a way for people to learn from wherever they are—being able to deliver high-quality videos and lessons to a variety of people—would help the industry grow. It’s also an opportunity for me to teach things I’ve learned throughout my career. salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 57

Business —

Mental Health Check Navigating the beauty industry can be difficult in the best of times, but factor a pandemic into the mix and challenges can reach new heights. We spoke with industry experts about how to address mental health issues inside the salon so you can create a healthier work environment for your team.

58 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

Are You (Or Your Staff) Experiencing Burnout?

Most of us have heard the term (and have even experienced) “burnout” both pre- and post-pandemic, and it continues to be a real issue within the beauty industry. Burnout can happen when you overtax yourself or when you continue to work under stressful conditions that can make it difficult to manage your mental health. It can also cause you to feel unhappy with the work you’re doing, make you feel like you want to stay in bed all day, or can even impact your desire to socialize outside of work.

“Burnout means that we’re avoiding something that needs to change,” says Bettencourt. “Whether it’s your scheduled work, how you communicate, not having your systems in place, or who and what you’re saying ‘yes’ to, we’re avoiding the real solution to a problem we have.”

Take A Break “Reset yourself, take some time off to actually relax, reset, recharge and disconnect from technology,” says Kezar.

“I think stylists keep pushing along and then eventually get to a point where they start to resent what they do.”

Trying to determine the root cause of what’s causing feelings of burnout is also important. “Find out what the problem is and determine if it’s flowing into other aspects of your life,” says Bettencourt.

THE EXPERTS

Jody Kezar is the coowner of Evolve Hair Studio in Toronto, and is a salon coach and colourist specializing in colour and extensions.

In 2019, she co-founded The Elevated Stylist, a wellness retreat for hairstylists and salon owners.

Shelby Bettencourt is the owner of Makers Loft in Miami, and is a coach, educator and the host of the podcast, Healthy Wealthy Stylist.

IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR MINDSET AS A STYLIST OR SALON OWNER, CHECK OUT THE ELEVATED STYLIST RETREAT. THIS ANNUAL RETREAT RUN BY KEZAR AND HER BUSINESS PARTNER, SONIA YARKHANI, COMBINES MINDFULNESS, ART THERAPY, YOGA AND MEDITATION, AND WAS CREATED TO HELP REDUCE FEELINGS OF STRESS, ANXIETY AND BURNOUT. THIS YEAR’S RETREAT IS GOING TO BE HELD IN CALEDON, ONT., FROM AUGUST 19-22. TO LEARN MORE, VISIT ELEVATEDSTYLIST.COM.

PHOTOS: EXHAUST BY NARAKORN CHANCHITTAKARN, COMPETITION BY EKO PURNOMO, IDENTITY BY FORGET ME NOT, ALONE BY AUTTAPOL, ENERGY BY LIA RAHDIAH, HYDRATION BY YUGUDESIGN, EXERCISE BY PROSYMBOLS, LUNCH BAG BY GREG BECK, READ BY DINOSOFTLAB, PAST BY KNUT M. SYNSTAD FROM NOUNPROJECT.COM

With hairstylists and beauty pros constantly talking to people, working on their feet and sharing their energy with clients on a daily basis, it’s not unusual for some to feel the weight of their job—both physically and mentally. For salon owners, it’s important to recognize these challenges while helping to find appropriate solutions.

“We’re filling up everybody else’s cup, while giving—all day, every day—and it’s draining for us,” says Jody Kezar, a hairstylist, salon coach and co-owner of Evolve Hair Studio in Toronto. “Mental health is so important for us because if we don’t keep up with it, we can become so tired that our careers in the beauty industry can be short-lived.”

Although everyone is different and may face mental health issues that are unique to them, there are some very common issues shared by many in the industry.

“We have such a ripple effect on people,” says Shelby Bettencourt, a hairstylist, coach, podcast host and salon owner based in Miami. “Clients look forward to coming to see us and they’re excited to get their hair done, which is the way it should be. But in order for us to show up and care for our clients in the best way possible, we have to take care of ourselves. If we’re unhappy, it’s not only going to affect us, but also how often we see our clients and how many clients we have.”

“Ask yourself the right questions to come up with a solution.”

Another good way to help reduce burnout is by setting boundaries for yourself. As hard as it may seem, it’s okay to leave work, at work. “You have to make sure that you’re shutting it off at night and when you leave the salon,” says Kezar. “Enjoy your life and don’t think about your job when you aren’t there. Creating those boundaries for the hours that you work and the hours that you experience joy is important.”

Is There Competition in the Salon?

Whether you work with a big or small team, it’s very easy to compare your work with others, which can cause a lot of daily stress and anxiety.

“It’s an industry where we’re constantly being judged; by ourselves, by our peers and by our clients,” says Kezar.

“This can negatively affect us, our work, the success we have behind the chair, as well as our personal lives.”

In addition to competition in the salon, stylists can often feel the weight of the trust clients put on them. For some, this may result in overthinking a style they’ve created and even worrying about whether or not the client likes the end result.

Check In With Yourself (And Others) “Check in yourself and be aware of what you’re thinking about and how you’re feeling,” says Kezar. “Try waking up in the morning with a routine. I start my day with an hour off my phone and I meditate for at least 20 minutes, which is something I have built up to, but any type of physical activity to move your muscles and awaken your body so that it knows it’s ready for the day is a great place to start.”

While it can be difficult to know exactly how to help your staff or colleagues with emotional or mental difficulties, sometimes the easiest place to start is to make it known that these issues are okay to talk about.

“I think an open-door policy is the best way as a salon owner to help others with mental health problems,” says Kezar. “Everybody at our salon knows that they’re welcome to come talk to us.”

“When they take that step and initially approach us with an issue, we tell them that if they ever feel unhappy, they should come to us,” adds Kezar. “When

they first come to us, we talk to them about some different options and offer them support, and if it’s bigger than that, we tell them to take the time off and find the support that they need.”

Do You (or Your Colleagues) Struggle with Self-Identity?

Also keep in mind that while it’s normal to have a deep love for what you do as a stylist, separating yourself from your work identity is crucial. “After quarantine, I noticed a shift in my mental health and began thinking ‘If I’m not a hairdresser then who am I?’” says Bettencourt. “That changed me as a person because I had to figure out what I liked to do outside of the salon. Now, when I’m here, I’m a more well-rounded person.”

“Our sense of purpose is something that I think stylists really thrive on, and when that’s taken away, people feel lost,” adds Kezar. “I think that during the pandemic, people felt like they didn’t have a purpose or a sense of belonging. People need to feel that sense of community.”

Do What Makes You Happy “I have a fun day each week where I don’t check emails and I don’t have to be by the computer,” says Bettencourt.

“I just allow myself to do what makes me happy and what’s fun to me. I allow myself that time so I can show up and be ready to do the work with a clear mind.”

“We have four-day work weeks at our salon,” says Kezar. “Our staff has three days off to make sure they’re recharging and doing things that feed their joy.”

Reach Out Sometimes you may need outisde help, and it’s important to feel okay about asking for it. “Seek the answers you need. If you know there’s a portion of your business that’s causing you stress or anxiety, go and find somebody to teach you how to better understand and/or manage it,” says Kezar.

“Once you invite other people to help and support you, that’s when the magic happens. It’s also when your business will run smoothly, your staff will be happy, and you won’t be wasting time trying to do everything yourself.”

“Tap into your mental health by asking others for support and figure out what’s working and what isn’t,” adds Bettencourt. “Going to experts that can help is really important. Sometimes you may feel like you’re doing okay, but once you sit down with someone else and start talking about how you’re doing, they’re able to ask the right questions to get to the root of a problem you may not even know that you had.”

HHH Challenge If you’re looking for a way to start improving your (or your staff ’s) mental health, try the Happy Healthy Hairstylist (HHH) Challenge.

Bettencourt created this 45-day challenge because she believes these five habits tap into a hairstylist’s mindset, movement and nutrition. She says when these areas are in alignment, success is created.

RULES If you miss any task(s), you have to start again at day one.

THE CHALLENGE Drink half a gallon of water every day.

Are You Feeling Alone?

When it comes to salon owners, it’s easy to get into the mindset that you have to take on the world by yourself. “Salon owners can feel like they don’t have the support, and that no one knows how it feels,” says Bettencourt. “They hold onto the idea that they have to do everything alone and that they can’t ask for help.”

“I think a lot of salon owners feel like they have to do everything perfectly,” adds Kezar. “That’s a really lonely and stressful place to be in.”

Perform 30 minutes of movement (eg. go to the gym, walk, stretch, bike, etc.).

Pack a lunch for work—no takeout.

Read 10 pages of an educational or inspirational book.

Arrive at least 15 minutes before your first client.

salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 59

Interiors — BAZ AND BANKS

CondoStyle With purpose, passion and a little bit of luck on their side, learn how these Toronto-based business owners and BFFs opened their dream salon.

With parents who owned a haircare distribution company, Desiree Catana grew up in the beauty industry. From attending hair shows to running around salons to using products her parents would bring home, she knew it was an industry where she belonged.

What solidified her love of beauty was working at Brittney Banks’ original location: Hair by Banks. Not only did the experience confirm her passion for the industry, but it also birthed a desire to have her own salon one day. And last year, that dream came true when she and Banks joined business forces and opened Baz and Banks.

“The birth of our salon came very organically as Brittney was so supportive of my dream to open my salon, and having her alongside me through the process is a dream come true,” says Catana. “Our vision for the salon was for it to be an inclusive space for all and to inspire other women in business at any age.”

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Mirror, Mirror From its beachy aesthetic to its “Instagram-worthy” bathroom, the trendy 1,400-square-foot salon in Toronto’s Liberty Village has many enticing features but perhaps most interesting is what’s missing. Namely, mirrors in front of stylists’ chairs.

“Since our vibe is very relaxed and informal, we have our guests facing the bar and TV instead of mirrors to encourage a condo/homey vibe rather than that of a traditional salon,” says Catana. “No one wants to stare at themselves in a cape with wet hair for three hours. The time goes by quicker for clients sitting and processing when they’re watching the women of The Real Housewives or RuPaul’s Drag Race on TV.”

Make Yourself at Home If tuning into reality TV isn’t enough to make clients feel comfortable, they’re also welcome to take the edge off at the salon’s fully stocked bar. “We offer drinks that range from a glass of Prosecco to seltzer to IPA beer,” says Catana. “When we say we want you to feel like you’re at your friend’s condo, we really mean it!”

“It’s even decorated with that aesthetic in mind,” she adds. “The decor is similar to what you might see in someone’s condo. The furniture is super comfortable, with lots of rugs to create a home-like vibe. We chose super-neutral furniture and paired it with printed throw pillows, rugs and blankets. We also incorporated lots of accent walls with different Moroccan-inspired tiles and woods to warm up the space.”

PHOTOS: KATRINA STARKE PHOTOGRAPHY, BRANDON DACOSTA, BAZ AND BANKS

BY SAMI CHAZONOFF

salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 61

Location, Location, Location While having a cozy and inviting environment was important to the duo, being located in Toronto’s Liberty Village was also a must.

“It was a no-brainer for us,” says Catana.

“Liberty Village is a community filled with tons of condos, young professionals and people who don’t want to go very far to get their services done. It has a large population with just two very small salons before we launched. We wanted Baz and Banks to emulate Brittney’s other salon, Hair by Banks—trendy, cozy, serving up drinks with a very young and fun vibe, and there was nothing like it in Liberty Village until now!”

PHOTOS: KATRINA STARKE PHOTOGRAPHY, BAZ AND BANKS

Inclusivity is Key In addition to her dream of being a salon owner, Catana has always wanted her salon to be an inclusive space where everyone can feel completely at home, which is also why they’ve implemented a gender-neutral pricing model.

“We provide haircuts based on length, not gender, which is a way we help keep our space more inclusive,” she says. “The world has evolved and is continuing to evolve, and we want to make sure we are keeping up with the change. Supporting our friends in the LGBTQ+ community and providing a safe and welcoming space for them was a major priority of ours.”

62 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

DETAILS Opened in 2021 DESIGN Maddie Clarke Interiors SPACE 1,400 square feet TEAM 12 BRANDS Schwarzkopf Professional Moroccanoil UNITE amika INSTAGRAM @bazandbanks WEBSITE bazandbanks.com

salonmagazine.ca / June 2022 63

Events —

| Among the attendees was Peter Alexander, owner of Maritime Beauty Supplies, whose team also received several awards for their top-performing distributor sales consultants.

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Anne-Laure Sardais, Matrix’s general manager, hosted the event with her team, including sales director, Judi Lee, sales director, group marketing manager, Eva Zhu, and education director, Joshua Balint.

| Graham Kenny, owner of International Beauty Services & Supplies, and his team won the award for 2021 Distributor of the Year.

It’s Showtime at Matrix + Biolage’s 2022 NSM! With a circus-themed 2022 national sales meeting (NSM), Matrix and Biolage pulled out all the stops for more than 200 attendees, including distributors, sales consultants and associates from across Canada. The three-day event featured stage presentations from the brand’s leadership team, artists and educators, along with a Met Galainspired awards ceremony and party to honour their top sales performers. | Matrix’s artistic design team took the stage to showcase their cutting and styling skills with an extravagant presentation.

64 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

PHOTOS: MATRIX CANADA

When & Where: April 30th to May 2nd, Montreal

| Salon’s former publisher and president, Laura Dunphy, also received the Key Opinion Award, a special accolade honouring her retirement after 25-plus years in the industry! The award was presented by Stephan Arsenault, president of L’Oréal’s Professional Products Division.

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Also, find a comprehensive list of Canadian manufacturers and distributors.

@Strandsfortrans

Educating and empowering the beauty industry to create more gender-neutral and inclusive spaces for all is important to ensure we’re doing everything we can to be the best allies for the LGBTQ2S+ community. Here are a few local organizations that are going the extra mile to support and spread awareness.

Saferspaces.ca

@Thedresscodeproject The Dresscode Project is a global alliance of salons and shops that are committed to providing positive and gender-affirming services for LGBTQ2S+ clients. Founded by Toronto-based hairstylist Kristin Rankin, the organization motivates hairstylists and barbers to give clients cuts that can help them look the way they feel while making their salons inclusive and safe spaces for all. The Dresscode Project’s website also features a services locator that promotes salons and shops that are members of the organization to help clients find a location near them.

Safer Spaces provides professional development workshops, consultation services and organizational assessments to create more inclusive workplaces for 2S-LGBTQ+ communities. The Safer Spaces program is designed with best practices in mind for creating and delivering 2S-LGBTQ+ cultural competency trainings to help increase knowledge and skills while encouraging the shifting of attitudes when working with members of the 2S-LGBTQ+ community. Their website features a map to find businesses that have completed their workshops and are taking steps to becoming a safer space.

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REMEMBER TO REACH OUT TO YOUR LOCAL PRIDE CENTRES ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT LGBTQ2S+ CLIENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN YOUR REGION.

@Egalecanada Egale is an organization that aims to improve the lives of 2SLGBTQI community members in Canada while enhancing the global response to 2SLGBTQI issues. Through research, awareness, and education, Egale is striving to make Canada a nation without homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and offers workplace inclusion for gender and sexual diversity training and development to help companies develop an inclusive and safe work environment.

66 salonmagazine.ca / June 2022

Strands For Trans is a global registry of more than 7,000 trans-friendly and discriminationfree barbershops and salons. The organization has an online directory of trans-friendly hair and beauty businesses across Canada and the world. They’ve also created a free pink, white and blue barber pole sticker (representing the transgender flag) that barbershop owners can download and add to their business to symbolize change and support for the trans-community.

@Kindspaceca Kind Space is an Ottawa-based organization that supports the 2SLGBTQ+ communities and provides accessible resources, events, social and educational programs to celebrate and support people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions. Kind Space gives people a safe place to be who they are while providing helpful information and resources. They also have a community resource referral service (with a section for hairstylists and salons) where community members can submit their recommendations for services providers that are 2SLGBTQ+ friendly.

TEXT: LAUREN FARRUGIA, PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE): STRANDSFORTRANS, SAFER SPACES, KINDSPACE, EGALE CANADA, DRESSCODE PROJECT

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