
Rodrick Samuels on The Silent Work, Modern Beauty Education and Why Empathy Wins
MODERN SALON sat down with Samuels to discuss the book, beauty education, mentorship and the habits that help beauty professionals thrive.
Alyssa Wiener (@lysseon) is a wonderfully talented artist who creates magic regularly at Sylin' Salon in Norwalk, Connecticut. Here she shares her latest transformation:"Victoria came in for her consultation a couple months ago, ...




Alyssa Wiener (@lysseon) is a wonderfully talented artist who creates magic regularly at Sylin' Salon in Norwalk, Connecticut. Here she shares her latest transformation:
"Victoria came in for her consultation a couple months ago, wary of trying something, or should I say someone, new," Wiener says. "She gave me the back story of her hair - in winter she'd use a dark brown box, summer she'd use a blonde. Sometimes she'd go black, sometimes red. She had NEVER had her color done professionally. Luckily, this time, her hair wasn't...terrible. Bright and brassy. We booked for my next available slot for 3 hours, and I sent her home with Shimmer Lights shampoo in hopes of minimizing the bright orange."
When Victoria came back for her appointment, she made it clear she wanted to be BRONDE: "Not too light, not too dark...a healthy mix of light brown and blonde tones. Because this was her first time getting professional color, she was definitely anxious, but she said 'I trust you' which are my 3 favorite words to hear!"
Here she shares the HOW TO:
Prepare 2 different formulas:
Formula 1 - Scruples Color Art - 1oz 8BG + 1/2oz 8G + 1/2oz 4G + capful 3BV + capful Primary Equalizer ("I use the PE in corrective situations because it keeps the final color from being muddy.")
Formula 2 - Scruples Blazing Pale Vanilla Blonde (1/4oz 8G + 1/4oz 12V), 1/2oz blue oil, 3 scoops and 20 volume.
Wiener used Scruples' "Wet on Wet" technique, which allows the color to process simultaneously.
Step 1: Apply Formula 1 to root area.
Step 2: Separate the front from back. In diagonal forward 1/2"-1" sections, bring the formula down mostly all the way, leaving the very ends out. Once this is done, paint Formula 2 in deep V's for a blended look, saturating the ends. Do this for the front, occasionally leaving some pieces out. "I like to keep the top layer and around the face nice and bright, like it was intentionally done by the sun." Separate each section with plastic wrap as gel color may bleed.
Step 3: Bring color through the back of the head. Do some deep V's every 2 inches or so, and then the top layer.
Step 4: Process for half an hour under heat. At the sink, emulsify formula one at the root as to tone and blend the very top of the hilites. Process for 3-5 minutes. Wash with Scruples Platinum Shine and finish off with Scruples Quick Recovery. Blow dry using Scruples Smooth Out and "a lot of elbow grease!"
Wiener adds: "Victoria said she will NEVER look at a box dye again, wouldn't stop flipping her hair and running her fingers through it, and said she was so very happy and it came out better than she could have ever imagined. I'm so happy to have her walking around, representing our industry! What's also great about this color is we matched as well as we could to her natural, so she won't have to worry about roots. Our next appointment will just be bringing some blonde back up, whenever she's ready."

MODERN SALON sat down with Samuels to discuss the book, beauty education, mentorship and the habits that help beauty professionals thrive.

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