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.