I feel good, y'all. You know why? Because I think I've found my new hair home!
I've found a stylist who works with my hair SO WELL - and the results are always on point! Allow me to introduce you to the work of Keren at Pearson Lanes Hair Studio in Whitby, ON.
I first met Keren back in April, when she was hired to be the hairstylist for my cousin's wedding. As I was a bridesmaid, she hooked me up with an awesome side-swept style with luscious curls (see pic 1 above). My hair was already flat-ironed, and she whipped that style into shape in no time. Whatever tactics she used enabled the style to last for DAYS, and my hair had zero heat damage.
For my own wedding in August, I knew I had to have Keren on board. She came solo and took care of myself and the bridal party with no problems. She was able to manipulate hair of various texture (natural, weaved, permed) into gorgeous styles that held up on that hot summer day. You can see my retro curled updo in pics 2 and 3, and my niece's cornrow/twist combo in pic 4.
This weekend when I needed a trim, I decided to head east to Keren's shop. I had no issues booking an appointment with her earlier in the week, but it was something she did on Saturday morning that really impressed me:
My appointment was for 2pm. Keren gave me a call around 11:30am, stating that she was running a bit behind with other clients...would I mind coming in half an hour later? I had no problem with that, and was very impressed that she had the forethought to call me in advance so that I didn't show up at 2pm and then twiddle my thumbs for 30 minutes.
The cute, quaint, and clean shop is easy to find - just a few minutes drive from the Brock Street exit off the 401. I showed up, and Keren was ready to go! Let me tell you, she did not disappoint! I went in for a simple wash, style, and trim, but the care and knowledge that Keren used made all the difference. No yanking my hair to detangle, no scratching the hell out of my scalp while washing, no burning my hair off with high-heat appliances, and no mistaking a "trim" for a "haircut"!
I almost let out a sigh of relief when I left the salon (did I mention that I didn't leave broke either?) - I felt like I finally found a professional who I can trust with my hair, and THAT is hard to find these days. Next up for Keren and I? My long-awaited colour...in light of the recent news about harmful PPD products in hair dye (like my girl Ro talked about here), Keren confirmed that all of her professional hair colour products are PPD free!
If you're looking for a versatile stylist, especially my natural-haired ladies, you might want to give Keren a try! Check out Pearson Lanes Hair Studio's Facebook page here, and if you have any other questions, feel free to hit me up!