In the past year, Sam, one of our up and coming stylists here at VAIN, has made the journey from apprentice stylist to full blowin’ stylist before our very eyes. Since her debut, she has been getting rave reviews from all kinds of clients for all kinds of style types, from soft to punky, as well as straight and curly hair alike. We think it has a lot to do with her ability to lend a good ear and her sense of adventure. We took some time to chat with Sam to dig deeper into her methods.
Nothing like a smile from Sam to brighten up your day!
Giving good consult
Sam believes that the success of any cut relies on meeting eye-to-eye during a consultation. Those first 5 minutes or so (before any hair is washed or scissors grasped) form the path of her approach - Sam isn’t just listening to what the client wants as an end result, but really tries to understand the natural behavior of both the client’s hair and regular styling habits at home. She also isn’t afraid to suggest options that might work better for a certain hair type or level of maintenance. In her own words: “I think it’s a disservice as a professional to not listen to the clients’ wants and needs.” Sam strives to make sure that her clients can accomplish their new looks without straying far from what they normally like to do every day. She further explains that she likes to be challenged by the diverse looks that people as individuals bring to her. “I like to be inspired by everyone and everything out there, rather than feel like I’m pushing any standard look of what’s cool.’”
Curly hair? Bring it on!
Sam has her share of trying new looks on a regular basis. In any given week, you can see Sam with a head of bouncy blonde curls one day, spiked out and teased the next, and then 3-feet-long, colorful extensions passing you by in a flash the day after that. “I’m always trying out a different look. I want to learn from a personal prospective what I need to do to make a look work from day to day, so that I can pass on that advice to my clients.” Her sense of adventure has also played a huge role in her ability to grasp the concepts that allow for curly hair cutting. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Sam took to the task by listening to her curly haired client’s needs and issues, and using a combination of learned technique, experience, and her instinct to form a look that is natural (no pyramid head here!) and easy to take care of.
We truly love Sam, and can’t wait to see the new challenges she takes on in the future!
To book an appointment with Sam at VAIN downtown call 206.441.3441 or visit us at 2018 1st Ave, Seattle