Tuesday, February 25, 2014

LP Launch

Our growing luxelab family gathered together once again to welcome a new retail addition in the form of "LP". As longtime users and lovers of L'Oréal Professionel color, we are very proud and excited to now offer the industry leading L'Oréal Professionel Retail line in support of it.

A heartfelt thank you to the following LP artists and L'Oréal Professionel team VIPs that spent the evening giving us the LD on LP: Stephens Quarto, Sandra Showers, Amanda Howard, Tina Yasin, and Christin Ayotte, as well as our in-house LP Ambassadors and talented Stylists, Beth Montgomery and Eric Garza. 

We are thrilled to continue to provide the best our industry has to offer. Now with LP's at home solutions we are perched to pump out the on trend styles we know our clients will love! See detailed coverage of our LP launch hair party below.



Luxelab Bel Air Stylist Tonya Le working on a model



Stephens Quatro working on a model






Luxelab Bel Air Stylist and LP Ambassador working on a model




Luxelab Stylist and LP Ambassador Beth Montgomery creating braids



Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Eyes Wide Open

L'Oréal Professionel presented THE EXPERIENCE where 400 plus stylists and salon owners from across the country came together in the best possible way. Hosted at the beautiful Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel, L'Oreal Professionel treated everyone to a dramatic runway show highlighting some of their top talent and their incredible creations. This was followed with a weekend of hands on classes and inspiring presentations by the likes of industry icon James Morrison, Balayage expert Nancy Braun and International Artist and multi NAHA award winner, Anna Pacitto. LuxeLab was proudly represented by their owner and management team: David and Liz Abrams, Jason Lara, Phillip Manzaneres, Colette Simon, Alexis Ramos and Moises Molina, as well as newly appointed L'Oréal Color educators Amanda Gonsoulin and Megan Last. Not to be out done, we also had the privlege of sending luxelab's own up and coming stars Beth Montgomery and Eric Garza to work backstage. Their presence was positively felt behind the scenes as well as on stage and we couldn't be more proud. Thanks to Gloria Saponaro and the L'Oréal team for a fun and education packed weekend. Looking forward to the next one!


Owner David Abrams with luxelab babes Colette Simon, Amanda Gonsoulin and Megan Last





L'Oréal Artistic Team Member Pepper Pastor working her magic.

Hair hero James Morrison





Luxelab at the Glen's Eric Garza on stage with Anna Picatto and Tony Ricci

Luxelab's Beth Montgomery and Eric Garza backstage

                                                   The luxelab team with International Artist Anna Pacitto

Owners Jason Lara and David Abrams with James Morrison
















The always inspirational L'Oréal Artistic Team with luxelab Guest Artists Eric and Beth

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Hairstylist Boot Camp



(This blog is one of many you can find at luxelab Master Stylist Lauren Sill's A Little Snippy)

So I've been procrastinating about writing about my trip to New York for Kérastase TECH team training, partly because blogging is hard and I severely underestimated my tendency to check out intellectually the second I get home and sit down after work, and partly because my head is still swimming over everything we learned. It was amazing as always to have so many talented artists in one room, and the energy was so passionate and positive it was infectious. This training was for us as a team to learn the looks we'll be teaching in Kérastase salons all over the country, but it also was a chance for us to focus on raising our own level of skill and artistry. Doing hair next to 80 handpicked talented stylists makes you really up your game, which is awesome.






Our first day I received this Giving Key bracelet, engraved with the word, "Fearless", signifying a promotion to Level 2 educator along with some of my favorite team members. I've had such a great experience working with Kérastase and it was really humbling and meaningful to me to move up and help facilitate teaching the training for the first time, though there were a few styles I was so immediately obsessed with I was itching to get my own hands in the hair! Patience, cray cray. 



Our gorgeous studio overlooking the Hudson river



The air thick with talent and hairspray!


I couldn't agree more, Mr. Steinbeck.




TECH Artist Sarah Day's beautiful sewn-in finger wave, from our amazing "Needle and Thread" sewing class. This was when my crazy side really started to set in. When our Artistic Director Nina Dimachki was showing how to sew this look into place, which I have attempted before less successfully in the past without a stitch that brilliantly encouraged the direction of the wave the way this one does, I was desperately holding back my 4th grade teacher's-pet self from shouting, "You're amazing!" Must. control. the cray.



Luxelab's new addition to the Kerastase team, Tiffany from our Pasadena salon!



Dressing like Audrey for our icon costume party, "Decades and Do's". I 
never in my life considered having baby bangs or a pixie until this night. 



If I had known Craig was doing Marilyn, I would have gone Dita!



                                         



I learned nothing freaks people out more than a random head in an airport. I must have looked like such a little goth high school nightmare, with my all black outfit, red lipstick and clutching a head by the hair. Got upgraded though, so it'll probably happen again.

All in all, it was an amazing, exhausting, wonderful trip that made me excited for this year and everything I get to teach, and everything I have yet to learn. It was such a whirlwind of work and energy, and when I got home I found myself really grateful for all of my opportunities, but also for living in LA and loving the stylists I work with everyday, not just the ones I visit throughout the year. The next weekend, while NYC was gearing up for the second Polar Vortex, I went beach camping and witnessed the most incredible January weather/sunset, and 2014 seemed very promising.