Hair Share

On a sunny, crisp morning last fall, I walked through the doors of the Tony and Guy’s academy in Newtown, Ct., ready to share my skills with exuberant cosmetology students eagerly awaiting the hand painted method of highlights every colourist needs to master.

Ricci’s Toni and Guy Newtown Academy are enthusiastic and gracious. Magical moments are meant to be shared.

This location is particularly special to me. Last I entered as a teen in ripped jeans, leather jacket, and big hair ready for its trim. Now, many years behind the chair later, Sassoon educated, balayage master, I arrived excited to share everything I know to help inspire and succeed the next wave of hairstylists.

A good mentorship sees a mentor in their mentee. Can you follow, cause these two young talents are for sure my mentors and push me to be my best.

Hair Matters

On St Patrick’s Day 2020, Connecticut restaurants and schools announced a two week closing, with orders of corned beef and droughts of Guinness wasted and school busses nowhere in sight, all with special thanks to the coronavirus. Meanwhile, at Hair…

My client walked in that eerie day, afraid to venture out in the world but decided her hair was worth the risk. She sat with bloodshot eyes, checking her phone and clinging to the news while the air around us filled with uncertainty. Little did I know it was to be my last cut at the salon for ten weeks…

June 1st hairstylists finally went back in and got to touch people again, as a stream of Black Lives Matter protesters paraded past the salon in peace for change.

This St. Patrick’s day brings light. It is time to bring on the new, watch the trends of leggings fleeting, wispy bangs and face frame layers peeking around bright eyes brimming with hope and greetings.

Buzz on Bumble

Last August, as the heat poured down 5th Avenue and sun rays sizzled the pavement, Cate and I made our way to New York City’s Meatpacking district for an intimate evening at the Bumble and Bumble hair salon. Co-founder of social media platform Hairbrained, Gerard Scarpaci, took his mix of networking, technique-driven, cocktail chillin’ event he calls “Teach In” on the road, inspiring stylists east coast.

Before the cutting began, we grazed through a hallway of iconic editorial work: high fashion magazine covers including Vogue and Elle, including a picture of the trendsetting headband bra of the ’90s, and a photo of Madonna, cropped and textured, Bumble style.

A host continued the tour as we caught a glimpse of the events hair models, yellow and pink tones caressed layered, bouncy, blonde locks, short, curly brunette ringlets were prepped to be shaped, and a chin length bob awaited the razor for a bold, jagged edged bang.

We mingled over cocktails and hor d’ourves after class on the salon floor which boasts a selfie station, available for guests to snap their new do, a color room where bowls of iridescent bottles lingered and on the open chair plan gave us the space to chat with Bumble stylists and Gerard himself!

Inspiration acquired, check.

The Elite

With heels on, hair did, and phones out, our Hair crew bounced out of the Big Apple hotel onto the city streets ready to capture bonding moments. Taking in the skyscrapers, we did a headcount all the while flapping our wings with excitement like birds out of their cage.

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After a day of bouffant runway hairstyles, a rodeo cowboy motivation speaker and the do’s and dont’s of social media, we were ready to celebrate Hair’s co-owner and mentor Cate Mastrianni’s induction into the elite group of hairstylists, Intercoiffure, that held the extravagant event.
The particularly warm fall air this early October evening had us free from jackets, keeping our bodies as light as our spirits.

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Cate was trained by many trade masters; Hair founder Charles Tuozzoli, Vidal Sassoon protege Roger Thompson, and razor cut guru Nick Arrojo to name a few. She was a first of Rusk educators and platform artists and continues to mentor the Hair team.

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Hair, the Salon

I slay hair at Hair. The salon aptly named after the hippie Broadway play released in the powerful year of 1969.
Twenty-six years ago I walked into a cozy, energetic home with eleven bold stylists and friendly support staff. The owner, Charles Tuozzoli, sat me down for two hours in the basement to give me the rundown. No chewing gum. No personal phone calls. No wearing denim to work. It was spring, the scent of fresh floral blooms filled the air around the ivy-covered fence surrounding the enchanted little fortress I had just become a part of.

The original sign, an easter egg for you all

The magic of Hair is sprinkled about the salon in its culture. Sharing clientele and encouraging education, promotes a grand camaraderie that extends to summer picnics, yearly Holiday parties and jokes in the break room. With no enforced uniform, we stylists express our individuality and although trained in similar techniques each of us has a unique flair.

26 years from my life-changing moment, Hair celebrated 50 years. With its decor updated, staff tripled and ownership wand passed magically without a blink of the eye to three master stylists who together seamlessly carry on the sword. Of course, we will miss our founder, our guru, our father figure who taught us well. The enchanted realm he started lives between the neutral-toned walls and forever bustling environment.

1994?