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REDKEN Certified Haircolorist
When did you know you wanted to do hair? My mom raised 5 of us a single mom. She took us to the beauty school for haircuts. I would sit in the lobby and look at the pictures of hair styles for hours while we waited and that’s where it began.
How long have you been doing color? 1988- in those 22 years I have been a master stylist, an owner, educator and also a mentor.
How would you describe your approach to doing hair color? My consultation has been the key to my success. I truly want to see my guest’s vision for their hair. Key factors are the lifestyle, eye, skin color, tone, and maintenance. I also consider your daily routine and what challenges you are having. I always ask these questions because my work depends on your answers. Visual aids also help. I then give my good, better, and best options.
What inspires your creativity? Many things inspire me. People has to be at the top of my list. Every woman has beauty and it’s my inspiration to find and enhance that beauty. I love at the end of my session when I put the blow dryer down and give my guest a mirror and they feel absolutely beautiful inside and out. That is my true inspiration and why I still love doing what I do!
What advice would you give someone considering coloring their hair for the first time? Once again for first time color guest’s consultation is the key! I love having someone in my chair for a makeover! When the whole look changes yourself perception it is an honor to be a part of that. I get just as excited when I see a client in my chair just wanting a subtle change. Hair color is an amazing tool. Life is not always black and white, put some color in it!
Do you customize a hair color service for each and every client? Everyone is unique. I always keep the fabric of the hairs integrity at the forefront because healthy hair is important to me. Everyone sees tonality of color differently so I like to use a visual to make sure we see the same tones and then I prep the hair to ensure I have a clean canvas that is ready to accept true rich color. Then off to the chemist lab… I love to be a mad scientist! It’s so fun to use the skills that I’ve learned from being a Redken Certified colorist. It just makes perfect sense to me that you have to customize everyone’s color.
What celebrity always has great hair? I think Halle Berry has the best short sassy hair and her color is so creamy brown like milk chocolate. Jessica Simpson has to be the best blonde, it is always consistent. Drew Barrymore’s hair is always changing.. Bold colors, long to short.. She rocks it no matter what!
What's your approach to returning haircolor clients? Your hair color speaks for itself. There are a few things I need to know to keep color rich, vivacious, and shiny. Number one you have to keep a good beauty regimen at home in between visits to the salon. This is the key! Number two how are you feeling about your color? Do you like what you see? Number three Beauty budget, what’s going to work for your color so you get the most bang out of your buck.
Describe your personal style: I would describe my personal style as cutting-edge, unique and highly artistic. I like to change my hair A LOT! I love to dress for work like I’m a celebrity stylist… Professional with some Parnelli flare!
When did you know you wanted to do hair? All my life! I remember when I was about 6 years old I loved to play for hours with my mom’s beauty school Mannequin! At 13 years old I started in a salon sweeping, folding towels and later shampooed other stylist guest! My junior year in high school I started beauty school and graduated with my high school diploma and hair license all at the same time. That was the best decision I ever made! When I'm styling hair, it doesn't feel like work. That's why I know I love what I'm doing!
How long have you been doing color? I’ve been coloring hair for 14 years!
How would you describe your approach to doing hair color? Hair is the canvas but the person's uniqueness is my inspiration behind the final decision. I consider skin tones, eye color, personality and lifestyle. Color should be FUN as well as functional and express your individuality! Your hair color should always accent your cut. I love believable hair color. My goal is for people to see my guests and wonder to themselves "Is that her natural color?" The highest compliment is when people can't tell exactly what you have done, but know it is absolutely gorgeous!
What inspires your creativity? Creativity to me comes from everywhere! Whether it’s a current magazine, history, a song, food or nature’s elements like a sunset at the beach. I always keep a keen eye; sometimes the most unlikely places or things inspire me. Most of all, my creativity is inspired by my love for what I do. I love to make my guests feel beautiful!
What advice would you give someone considering coloring their hair for the first time? Life is too short to wonder if... Step out of the box and live a little! This doesn't mean do something that isn't flattering to your look and lifestyle. It just means find a “REDKEN Certified Hair colorist” who cares about you enough to be honest and constructive. Together, create a look that brings out the best in you. Talk about the pros and cons, fears or bad experiences your friends & family may have had with color. Have an idea or pictures of what you like and don't like on others. Most importantly decide how much time and money you are prepared to commit to maintaining your look!
Do you customize a hair color service for each and every client? Absolutely! Hair color must always be customized! Every time you come in your hair is different from the last time. Therefore, your hair may not need the exact same color service it needed the last time. Every guest who sits in my chair gets a thorough consultation and evaluation of their hair. I educate everyone as to where they're at, where they're coming from and where they want to be so they’re aware of all of their choices!
What celebrity always has great hair? Hmmm… Where do I begin? There are so many celebrities out there today with the most perfect hair. Short and sexy is definitely Rihanna! She’s amazing and always looks beautiful. Katie Holmes can rock a stunning layered “bob” with bangs like no other! For gorgeous red curly hair, Debra Messing takes the cake! For long and chic, ideal feminine haircuts and color, no doubt, the best hair belongs to Jen Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Eva Longoria Parker, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Kardashian. Their hair color and layers are perfect and very flattering for their faces.
What's your approach to returning haircolor clients? I always let my guest know I’m about change and the latest trends but not at the expense of why they fell in love with my work in the first place! Every visit is an opportunity to change, fine-tune and tweak your look. It’s also a great time to plan what we will do or work towards for future visits.
Describe your personal style: My personal style is business laid-back. I lean more to the laid back though. I love mixing outfits with femininity and a masculine edge-- classic looking clothes with one unusual item to add a bit of a twist and color to POP my look! I also love wearing comfortable jeans with sexy different types of tops and cute shoes! :D
When did you know you wanted to do hair? I grew up watching my mom do hair. She was a hairdresser back in the 60's and had her own salon in Puerto Rico. I always styled my friends' hair. I loved to style my own hair and be different. I was always told I would be a great hair dresser. I started by doing my boy's hair and loved it! As the years went by, my hair dresser and nail tech would constantly encourage me to go to school for hair because of how militant I was with my own hair and my attention to detail. Once I started I knew this was the career for me. I always wanted to do something to make a difference in people's lives. I wanted to do something where I can help someone and make them feel good about themselves. When life brings you down sometimes the way we feel about ourselves is what lifts us up and makes us want to keep going. I do not only do hair, I help people. I love what I do. I love the creativity part of it, as well as the pleasure of making a difference in people's lives.
How long have you been doing color? I have been doing color for three years. Some may say it's not a long time, but when I decided to do hair I fell in love with doing color. It gives me a chance to expand my creativity. I have always been an artist at heart since I was little. When I look at someone I automatically see their color and create a look in my head for them. When I see a cut I look at how color can complement the cut they have. It definitely is an art, and I love being the artist!
How would you describe your approach to doing hair color? When I have a guest sitting in my chair it is not just about their hair. I love to provide a great experience. Most people are nervous, and reluctant to have someone new working on their hair. I love to make the guest feel like they are with a friend, a friend they can trust. Hair color is an art! I love to create a harmonious color that looks natural, vibrant, and shines. Hair is our permanent accessory so we can be unique with it and match our style and personality.
What inspires your creativity? Creativity comes to me from everywhere. It is each individual's personality that inspires me. I believe a person's hair should fit who they are. If you are spunky and fun, then maybe some fun highlights or block coloring, a pop of color. Creating a look that stands out and wows people. If they are conservative then a natural look might fit them best. I make sure that I find out what exactly fits that client's personality and style. When I have a guest that wants the natural look, what inspires me is looking at a little girl's hair. By looking at a natural blond, four year old, you can see what highlights should look like, highlights that were created by the natural sunlight. For a spunky colored person that wants to stand out, I look at magazines and runway shows and see what's the latest. What's hot!
What advice would you give someone considering coloring their hair for the first time? I would find out exactly what type of hair they love. I would advise them of what looks best with their skin tone, face shape and personal style. I always advise my guest to take baby steps. We don't necessarily have to completely change their look. A little bit of color goes a long way. We can do some highlights and when they love it, then we can add more and alter it as we go. Also block coloring is a great way to have a change. I can create a variety of browns if placed correctly it looks very natural but creates an outstanding dimensional color with depth. I can use medium, dark, and light browns or a variation of blonds, or reds.
Do you customize a hair color service for each and every client? Always! When I sit down and have a consultation with my guest I make sure that I know what their needs are. It's very important to know what kind of look they are going for, subtle and natural, or wild and outgoing. I never assume that a guest wants to stand out or vice versa. It's important to know how they style their hair at home so that I can educate them on how to recreate the look at home. I always take time to have a mini class with my guest and instruct them on how to apply the product. I show them how to blow dry and the best way to use an iron. I also customize their color according to the type of cut they have.
What celebrity always has great hair? Definitely Jennifer Lopez! She has gone from dark, to medium brown, and even to blond. Her hair always looks healthy and flawless. Rihanna has great short spunky hair and I love that her hair is versatile. The Kardashians are definitely trend setters, and win the prize for having hair that illuminates and stands out.
What's your approach to returning haircolor clients? My approach to returning hair color clients is to create low maintenance healthy hair. I believe you can have an amazing color that is healthy. There are many hairdressers that will do the whole hair color process every time. I believe in doing only what is necessary. So if you get a full head of highlights, that is not necessary every time, maybe a partial every other time. I believe in maintaining hair at home with the right shampoo and proper treatments to keep the integrity of your hair at all times. I always tell my guest, "Let's let your hair do the talking, and tell us what it needs when you come in." Depending on how the hair looks and what is needed I go from there.
Describe your personal style: Trendy, but I keep my style classy and professional.
What does Redken Haircolor offer?
Whether you want to take a few years off by blending away gray, or you're looking for a fashionable new look, Redken Color products, along with your stylist's expertise, will get you the results you desire. Your Redken Stylist will work with you to develop your custom color formulation following your color consultation.
Color Your Hair In a Salon Because...
- Your hair is your best fashion accessory—when it looks amazing, so do you.
- Salon color offers you versatility and customized options to deliver the look you want.
- Coloring your hair not only makes it shinier and sexier, it can even improve its condition.
- You don't need to make a drastic change—even a subtle color enhancement can make a big difference in your look.
- Your Redken Stylist is focused on the latest trends and has the skill and creativity to customize the look for you.
- Using professional products in a salon setting gives you access to the newest techniques and advances in color science.
