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.