A cut above the rest

Meet Sam Henry, UNO’s new haircare expert, here to answer all your burning questions.

Words Hayley Barnett  |  Photos Salina Galvan

Sam Henry knows a thing or two about hair. She’s been in the hairdressing biz for more than 25 years, owns Shine Hair Co in Maungatapu and has just recently opened her gorgeous new salon, Studio May, in Ōmokoroa. 

Aimed at the discerning client who likes to keep on top of their hair game when it comes to style and care, Sam says Studio May aims to provide cutting-edge service in a relaxed, modern environment.

Here, Sam sits down with UNO to provide the answers to all those questions you’ve been dying to ask.

UNO: What’s the best way to restore damaged hair?

Sam: Our hair gets a constant beating from the sun’s UV rays, as well as combing and brushing daily, not to mention colouring and the use of heated tools. It’s no wonder 91 percent of Kiwi women have damaged hair! Unlike skin, our hair cannot repair itself. When the outside layer loses its lipids (the natural protective layer) the cuticle (inside the hair) becomes more exposed, resulting in flyaways and fragile locks. This is sometimes why your colour/toner fades quickly. There's nothing left for the colour to hold on to. You need a product that rebuilds the bonds inside the cortex, along with Omega-9 on the outside, to recreate a protective barrier for the cuticle. This is where you see that healthy shine. Ultimate Repair by Wella Professional smoothes hair and reduces frizz for up to 72 hours.

Do you really need to shampoo twice?

Have you ever shampooed your hair and wondered why it’s not lathering
up much? The first shampoo removes surface dust, dirt, styling product
and sweat. The second shampoo gets right into your hair shaft and deeply cleanses, now that all the build-up has been removed. Always follow through with a conditioner. Squeeze out excess water and apply your conditioner to the length only. For best results, leave on for up to three minutes, then rinse. Remember, shampooing without conditioning is like cleansing your face without moisturising. It’s a no from me!

Why is it so important to use heat protection?

In a nutshell, if heat protection is not used, your colour can “shift”, meaning blonde hair will go brassy and grey hair will go yellow. The cuticle becomes damaged and any weak spots in your hair shaft will break. It doesn’t matter if you’re drying your hair straight from the shower or you’re just doing a touch-up with the straightener – heat protection should be used every time. Wella Luxe Oil Serum is great for medium to thick hair and can be used both to protect it and give it shine. For finer hair, Wella Thermal Image is a light spray, protecting hair from up to 220°C heat. For our blonde babes, the Wella Luxblonde Bi-Phase is
a violet-coloured spray which prevents brassiness, as violet counteracts yellow tones.

Does a cold water rinse really make your hair shinier?

Yes and no. The cold water will smooth down the cuticle of your hair, giving it a glossy, sleek look as opposed to a frizzy, flyaway, dull look. However, your hair has no living cells and doesn’t react to cold or heat. Use serums to hydrate and smooth the cuticle and be sure to gently dry hair with a towel rather than vigorously rubbing it. 

shinehairco.co.nz studiomay.co.nz

Turning heads

A stylish new salon in Te Puna makes waves.

Words Nicky Adams | Photos Jahl Marshall

Opening its doors at the end of last year, Kevin & Co is a new hair salon based in the heart of Te Puna village. With its stunning fresh décor, wooden accents and spacious layout, the aesthetic is everything that owner/founder Amanda Sutton had envisaged when she set out to create a calm space where clients could relax and zone out.

Together with stylist/executive assistant and “right-hand woman” Hayley McCabe, Amanda has concentrated on setting the tone for a retreat-style salon. Using premium hair care products was hugely important to her, and she raves about luxury brands Oribe from the States and premium Australian haircare from Kevin Murphy. 

“In the colour range, the Kevin Murphy tints are honey based and ammonia free, so they’re super soft on your hair, giving heaps of shine, and are nice and gentle on the scalp – which is really important for people these days.” In addition, when it comes to colours, it’s “hands down the best powder lightener I’ve used in my life, although their colours are really good across the board.”  

I comment the brand must be good to have inspired the salon name – to which Amanda laughs: “It’s not actually after the brand; this tracks back to when I was a teenager, I’ve always wanted an English bulldog; his name was going to be Kevin, and he was going to be a salon dog – the salon just happened to come before the dog!”

Based in Hamilton until around five years ago, she moved to Tauranga, and met Hayley when they worked in a salon together. They formed such a great bond that when Amanda opened Kevin & Co, Hayley coming on board was a natural step. They are, says Hayley “very much a team.” They recognise the great synergy they share is important as they expand, which will be the next natural step. But while Amanda plans to take on more staff, maintaining the calm vibe remains central to her vision.

The atmosphere is zen, but the feel is modern. I wonder where each of their passions lie as stylists. Amanda says she thrives on finding that perfect hue for her clients – “I love anything colour related. I’ll figure something out for you – if it’s blonde, brown or copper – as long as I can make you feel good, I’m happy.” Hayley equally enthuses about the colour process, and she fizzes when she talks about blondes: “I love the transformation with blonde. It’s not just one shade – you can do so much with it – you can create dimension and you can make the client bright or creamy, cool, warm.”

They are both aware that part of hairdressing is being up to speed with the latest looks, although most “new” trends have been done before. “All the grunge, and the 90s is coming back – the wolf cut, undone, messy – it’s following the same curve as fashion.” I wonder what their dream style would be to create. Amanda would go for the total redo “100 percent! People do their best work when they are left to do it; bring in your inspo pictures and we’ll dive in and figure out what you like most out of each picture, but the creative freedom to bring it to life is amazing. I also love colouring, a lot of people don’t take into consideration eye and skin colour – all of that comes down to what kind of hair shade they should have.” Hayley, on the other hand, is all about the cut – “I love a good blunt long bob. If someone comes in and wants it, I’m like, ‘Let’s do it!’”

For those people who have tricky hair, or who may be reluctant to try a new style or salon, Amanda agrees it can feel like a big step. “We offer free consultations; for anyone who is second-guessing, that’s a really good tool. You can come and scope out the environment and space and see if you feel comfortable here – talk to the stylist, see if you form those connections. We would cover everything from past experiences, products used, styles tried, then we can hone in on what you’re after.” Excited about the journey, both stylists are committed to staying ahead of the curve. As Amanda rounds off, “The second you stop wanting to learn as a hairdresser, you should stop hairdressing”. 

Amanda’s top haircare tips

• Start with a good foundation, to make sure you get the best out of your new hairstyle. A personalised shampoo and conditioner will make dealing with your hair on a daily basis much easier.

• Protect your hair when heat styling. Heat protection comes in many forms, such as a spray, cream or foam, and is essential to ensure minimal damage.

• Maintaining colour between appointments is easy: For blondes, use purple shampoo, and brunettes, pigmented conditioner. Some shampoos even have UV filters to protect against sun damage.

• Keep hair healthy with a weekly treatment. My favourite is a scalp scrub followed by a deep-conditioning treatment. It keeps my scalp happy and my ends lush.

• Maintain long hair with a micro-trim every six to eight weeks. Taking off the smallest amount promotes health and ensures it grows happy and long.

Kevinandcohair.co.nz

Great hair day

WORDS TALIA WALDEGRAVE PHOTOS TRACIE HEASMAN

Tucked into the burgeoning creative hub on Totara St, Talia Waldegrave celebrates with hair salons Ivy and barber shop Havana.

LAUNCH NIGHT

As far as first impressions go, Ivy and Havana have me sold. Brimming with young up-and-comings, local business owners and budding hair professionals, the launch night is a damn fine party. Down to earth glamour is how I'd describe it: smiling, handsome barbers hand out steaming slices of delicious pizza from The Pizza Library next door, and the bar is set up with a tangled web of mint leaves, a mountain of lime wedges, and buckets of ice to make Havana Rum cocktails. Two ultra-glam ladies kick back in barbershop chairs, pizza slice in one hand, champagne flute in the other. This is a family unit, blood relative or not.

THE GURU

On my second encounter with the Ivy Havana crew, I’m early, but am instantly greeted warmly before I've managed to get inside the door. With time to kill, I wait in the communal kitchen at the table where I’d gobbled pizza just a few nights earlier. The kitchen epitomises the Ivy Havana vibe: the fit-out has had someone with a sharp design eye oversee it, and it's fully functional too (the washing machine is tucked neatly away in the corner). Best of all, this space joins Ivy: the ladies' salon, to the Havana: the barber. Staff make themselves a cuppa and chat to clients waiting for a colour to take, or anyone else who happens to be there for a chat.

Each person passing by gives me a nod, a wave or a ‘hi’, and I wonder if they’re trained to smile this way, because it’s incredibly welcoming. 

I’m here to meet Ruth, the matriarch of the family. After 45 years as a trainer, she’s a bit of a legend in the industry. “My mother-in-law opened one of the first hair training schools in New Zealand and that’s where I started. From the beginning, I’ve enjoyed watching how life changing it is for young people and I still love every second of it.”

Ruth and her team have recently refurbished the Hair2Train building on Totara Street and created beautiful salon Ivy, and brother barbershop Havana. The branding is cutting edge and the décor contemporary cool; it’s unlike anything Tauranga has seen before.

"We wanted to offer something completely separate from the training school where people could come, sit at the table, read the paper and have a coffee. It’s about offering the whole experience, with service and consistency.”

IVY

Put simply, Ivy is beautiful. She's quintessential salon luxe with gold candles and ornate décor. It's the place to be pampered in all things hair, from cuts and styling to indulgent treatments for luscious locks.

HAVANA

The recent resurgence in the old school barbershop has brought back the traditional cut throat shave, injecting some va va voom into men's grooming and Havana is just that. The décor is all blokey and the corrugated sliding door to the car park is reminiscent of a 1950’s James Dean biker gang. 

But what makes this place tick is the people.

“Because we are aligned with the training side of things, our attention to detail is impeccable, we are good at communicating with our clients but most importantly, but what we do best is customer service.”

On my way out, I book an appointment. I can't wait to go back, I already feel part of the gang.