Hair Amour By Lesley Barker
“Do you love hair? Join the club! I have always been fascinated by the thousands of tiny strands, which emerge spontaneously from just about everyone’s noggin. There is a select breed of people like this, and they are usually called hairdressers. Some prefer 'hairstylists' or perhaps even 'hair heroes', but the common factor is -- we all love hair. Let me tell you a bit about the fun I had becoming a hairdresser and what I did once I got there.
Because I always had such a curiosity about hair, I tried to get involved with as many hair-related venues as I could and just tried to soak-up everything like a dry little sponge. From a young age, I had a lot of fun volunteering for theatre productions and other venues doing the hair and wigs. I learned a lot from spending time at Yoka’s Stylists and a wig shop called About Hair. Competing in Vancouver Island University’s Fantasy Hair Competitions were really exciting events -- especially when I took home a 2nd place prize!
At last! I was finally old enough to take the Hairdressing Program at Vancouver Island University. What a great facility, program, and faculty! My experience was great there, from my first snip to my last blow dry. The program is designed to give a budding hairdresser a thorough foundation, and promotes extra-curricular activities, which spawn new ideas that build on original teaching. One of these extra activities was the Allied Beauty Association’s annual hair show in Vancouver -- my first hair show!
At the tail-end of my hairdressing program I had the good fortune to attend another hair show. This time it was the spectacular Salon International in London, England! It was such a fantastic experience. The three-day hair show. and extra seminars just had so much to offer; I was hard at work, soaking-up all I could! I would highly recommend this experience to anyone with even a spark of “hair amour” -- you will be so inspired. A highlight of the trip was going as a hair-model to Vidal Sassoon’s Master Academy. The new cut was just in time for my hairdressing graduation the day after I returned home!
After graduating, and happily coming out with three awards, I promptly dove into the hairdressing workforce. I was fortunate to receive a job offer from the salon where I completed my practicum, and have been merrily working there ever since. Time sure flies when you’re having fun - it’s already been a year and a half at Maffeo! I learned, and am still learning, a lot from working with other stylists with so much experience: my boss and other co-workers. After working there for several months, I was sent with another stylist to Los Angeles for advanced hair training at the Institute of Courage. And then I had fun competing in that year’s ABA hair show. in Vancouver. Never stop learning!
Well, I’m doing my best to take my own advice there, and keep up my training wherever I can. With weekly “training night” at work and an advanced hairdressing course at VIU, I’m sure I will never get bored with hair. I still enjoy volunteering when I can for local theatre productions and such, which also keeps hairdressing fun and exciting. I still have trouble comprehending the fact that I actually get paid to do what I love to do! Well, it’s been fun to look back and remember all the great experiences that I encountered or stumbled-upon along the hairdressing path. Thanks for reliving my hair amour with me!”
Photo: “This is one of my mannequin heads from the Los Angeles course, cut with the 'Sexy Hair' techniques I learned (mine was the only head our teacher took to show to all the other instructors -- I was pretty happy.”