I just returned from the hairdresser's and can breath a sigh of relief that my colorist finally returned from her parental leave (an option for French moms to take up to three years off with a small monthly government assistance and a guaranteed job when they return). She has the magic touch with blond highlights that surprisingly few seem to have in Paris.
When I was preparing my move to the City of Lights I had imagined that I was going to find the best of the best to help me in every area of beauty and style. For the most part that has been true but one thing I neglected to think about is the fact that most French women have dark, gorgeous hair and prefer to keep it that way. Blonde just is not in high demand, so many colorists never perfect their highlighting skills, well at least in the golden range.
I tried everything from home coloring with a friend doing the honors, to hair schools, to the very hippest salon in all of Paris and nothing seemed to work. The highlight of all of this trial and error was a session where I ended up with a head full of gray hair! Tears came to my eyes but five hours later I was finally back to a somewhat blonde state.
I finally found someone who knew what she was doing with the color blonde. I knew it the moment I walked in the salon and saw a head full of lovely golden highlights. When the salon employees trust the colorist to handle their own hair, it is a very good sign. I walked out of the salon and was thrilled with the color but devastated to learn that the very wonderful but pregnant colorist was about to go on leave for three years. Somehow I survived through another bout of trial and error but it was music to my ears when the salon told me that my favorite colorist was coming back.
Here are a few tips if you happen to be in a new town and are looking for someone to take care of your crowning glory:
1) The moment you see someone with hair the way you would like yours to look, ask them where they get their hair done. Don't worry this is a great compliment you are paying so she will surely share her precious information.
2) Seek out info on the internet through forums and sites that offer a consumer's point of view, like Angie's List you can often find a reliable reference.
3) Go by a few salons and see what the clients' hair looks like. There is nothing like seeing the finished product.
To your Spirited Style,
- Dawn Z Bournand www.fabulouslysuccessful.com
Click here to read more of Dawn's posts.
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