BEAUTY

Blonde Ambition at Studio 101

Going for gold at a downtown salon

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I was a virgin. My long, curly brunette locks had never been touched by a colorist’s magic touch. I dreamed that one day I would have the cojones to do something drastic, something beautiful. “Go blonde,” said a voice within. Well, it took about three years to listen to that voice, and then it could no longer be ignored. I saw celebrities and friends go blonde, and I knew that now was the time. Summer was coming. And for the first time in my life, I would lay on the beach as a blonde.

So, that’s all there is to it right? You want a drastic change in your hair and it happens in an instant, right? Wrong. Good thing I was in the experienced and creative hands of Kristen Lazzareschi from Studio 101. Located in the heart of downtown Providence in a converted art gallery, the hardwood floors, crystal chandeliers and stone walls set the stage for the upcoming transformation.

My consultation with Kristen was the most important step of the whole process. She specializes in color and hair trends and has been doing this for 18 years. As much as hair coloring is a science, it is also an art form. She took into account all that I was looking for and how that would translate into something that would work for me.

Then she got to work. To make my blonde believable, she created a dimensional look by applying multiple layers of balayage, working in shadows to pop the highlight - because negative space is really important in softening a blonde - and working gloss at the ends to make the blonde bits look more believable.

As I sat in the chair I couldn’t help but to try and contain my excitement as I patiently waited to see my self-described “sexy lion’s mane.” As she works she tells me that I should get a water filter for my home shower.

“Water filters are really important for keeping chemical and mineral deposits off the hair. The deposit can make the hair feel really dry and rough. Often clients don’t know why their hair feels so bad and once I clarify it off it feels like new hair,” she says. So we made a deal, I would get a water filter before our next visit. She also sends me home with a Shu Uemura conditioning mask. After having my hair challenged, it would need repair and moisture. I’ve tried so many conditioners over the years, and this is the most luxurious I’ve ever experienced.

Work with your stylist to get the right shade of blonde you’re looking for, but remember, this type of transformation is a process. On my next visit she took my hair even lighter. And on the next she gave me a conditioning treatment and cut it to perfection. The conditioning treatment helps to repair broken, damaged hair, lock in color and make the hair silky and shiny. After all Kristen’s work, I looked into the mirror and she had done it. I was sunshine incarnate. I’d gone from a rich brunette to a sultry blonde.

“In the end, hair is all about how you feel,” she says. Well, I feel amazing. My hair has never looked this way, and to be honest, I’ve never felt this good after leaving the salon.

101 Orange Street, Providence. 808-6777.

hair, hair color, hairstyle, salon, studio 101, brunette, blonde, beauty, providence monthly,

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