Ready for my close-up!

March 21/12.

It's been almost exactly four years to the day since I last had my hair professionally done. Shameful. Yikes. (Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans - Thank you John Lennon). Here's the "before shot", entering the salon.

Illness, time, lack of funds for the most fabulous hair artist in the city, take your pick for the reasons I apparently didn't hit INI Hair Design at 559 Bloor Street West since March 28/08!

I asked office manager/receptionist/stylist assistant extraordinaire Amanda Clarke if she would take pics and chronicle the scary proceedings for me. She was happy to help.

Paul Taylor is a master hair designer/stylist. If you're at a loss about your look and need help, book an appointment with him. He's incredible. He won't cut a single strand without a complete consult. I've watched him work on dozens of people and have NEVER seen a bad cut. ALWAYS GORGEOUS. Everyone leaves happy. (but - HAVE to admit, he was a tad freaked - ha ha! - when he surveyed the sad, sorry shape my hair was in when I arrived at his station). Not a pretty sight. Brace yourself.
It gets worse!

After Paul looked at a whole series of pics I brought to show him what I do (and DON'T) want, the process began. He started with highlights - PINK foils! Kinky!

Then added lowlights and base colour on the roots. (very attractive).

When the colours were done,

next came the wash out, using GO colour method shampoo.

As Kramer would say,
,
"Look away, I'm hideous!" (at 1:00)

Ai carUMba! Gak. Had to laugh when Paul told me the conditioning treatment he chose to use after the shampoo is called MIRACLE! (yep, that's what I need).  FYI, the official name is 

Nourishing Vegetarian Miracle, for dry, brittle hair - (a Davines product from Italy), featuring the ever-popular, Hydrolyzed rice protein, apparently a life-saving ingredient for me! Paul says it replaces all the moisture that's been stripped away, and then instantly and hilariously, went into a vivid vocal impression of my hair, shouting out, "Thank GOODNESS! Yippee! At long last! I'm DRINKING it in!!" I couldn't stop laughing. We'll SEE, Miracle! I'm your biggest challenge to date!

But, AS ADVERTISED, Miracle was miraculous! Paul combed through my bird's nest with ease! 

Note to self: Buy some of this stuff! But he wasn't done yet. 

Paul also sprayed on a little I.C.O.N. Cure, (which I buy all the time), as well as some MESH moisturizing styling cream from Spain (also part of the I.C.O.N. line), and then added a pea-sized amount of Relaxing fluid Defining Line from Davines. Good grief. It takes a village!

Then he spent 15 minutes blow-drying and styling (only wish I could show his blow-drying technique. NO ONE can figure out how he does it!) - and, voila, presto, abracadabra, no problemo,  ta-DA!!

Thank you Paul! You truly are a miracle worker and a hair master!

As for what he actually did with the scissors, Paul says he had it all mapped out in his head beforehand, - worked out a "formula", then cut square layering all around to give lots of volume and movement and finally, angled layering in the front, around the face. When it was done,

he spritzed it with #7 Crystal Fixative lacquer by Davines (for Wizards - whatever that means). It smells SO good and feels very light. Leaves hair soft, not sticky or helmet-heady. (And ya, I bought a bottle). I mean, come on. After four years, I need a change!!! 

Thanks to the beautiful Jennifer Porritt, who owns INI Hair Design, and allowed me to shoot all these pics in her salon. She did my hair for many years (at various salons) during the golden Global glamour days and introduced me to Paul, whom she'd partnered up with at INI, telling me he's incredible. I went with her recommendation. (Boy, was she right!) Jen is an amazing young entrepreneur, brilliant as a stylist and mother of two young boys - (Danville, almost 5 and Solomon, about to turn 3). She ties with Paul as best hairdresser I've ever encountered.

And Amanda, love the shots you took! You're a doll.

Andrea snapped one more pic on the back, 3rd floor balcony at INI just before I went home, feeling happy about my hair for the first time in EONS! SO happy in fact, I've booked a new appointment with Paul on May 4th! (and my daughter, Kate, who also loves Paul, is seeing him next week for a new spring look)!