10 The Colorist
| MAY/JUNE 2016 |
thecoloristmag.com
communication is king
PHOTOGRAPHY
(CLOCKWISE
FROM
TOP
RIGHT):
COURTESY
OF
L'ORÉAL
PROFESSIONNEL;
COURTESY
OF
SPOKE
&
WEAL
Lotus Abrams
EDITOR IN CHIEF
labrams@creativeage.com
I
recently visited Spoke & Weal's San Francisco location for a haircut and
color, and was impressed by how cohesive the fi nal look came out. It was no
happy accident, however. Co-owners Jon Reyman and Christine T ompson
stress that collaboration and communication among team members is the
key to successful services. T is practice is particularly important given that at
Spoke & Weal, color services typically happen before cuts, which are usually
performed on clean, dry hair. "T e big pitfall could be a colorist placing color
that is afterward removed by a stylist," says T ompson, who serves as the
salon's director of color. "I want my work to optimize my guests' features and
desires. If I color progressively from the root to the end before a cut and the
lower third of the hair is then removed during the haircut, then my guest would
not receive the full eff ect."
To avoid this situation, T ompson says that the consultation is the best
time to make a plan. Ideally, she says, haircutters and colorists should do
consultations together, but if that's not possible, colorists should be prepared
to do a full consultation on their own. "It's essential to get a clear picture if
any major changes are happening," T ompson says. "We have to ask the
right questions about styling, length, and weight or density so that we can
determine where to place color, and if a precut would be helpful." For example,
if the client plans on going signifi cantly shorter, she says, the stylist can quickly
remove some length before beginning the color service. "T e ultimate goal
is that the cut and color are married, that they look cohesive and fl uid—'two
become one,'" T ompson says. "Asking questions, digging in, and ensuring I'm
informed allows me to maximize my time and the eff ects of my work."
upf ont
From top:
Spoke & Weal
San Francisco;
Jon Reyman
and Christine
Thompson