Where are you located?

I live in Merville and work at The Common Place salon in Comox. I do house calls for most areas.

What are your credentials?

I began hairstyling when I was 18 years old, I am now 63. I have worked in some of the best salons in Calgary including The Ginger Group and Angles, as well as my own salon, Flow. I have worked with many very talented hairstylists and learned much from them, including a long time manager of Vidal Sassoon Toronto, who I opened a salon in Calgary, and worked with, for 6 years. My original training was in the methods and techniques of Vidal Sassoon, which I remain exceedingly grateful for (as are my clients).

What are your values as a stylist?

I care about the people I am serving and what I’m doing. Hairstyling to me is an art, and to truly be an artist one must care more about quality than quantity, so I don’t rush or attempt to do five things at once. I deeply value listening and clear communication. I also love and value beauty in all of its genuine, natural forms and endeavor to bring that beauty out in my work, be it in hairstyling or art.

How would you describe your overall approach to hairstyling?

If I am to use one word it would be “natural”. I don’t fight the hair. I don’t beat it into submission. I become familiar with it, respect it and find ways to cooperate with it, just as any good gardener would do with the elements of their garden. The same can be said for a skilled sailor who knows that not cooperating with the wind and waves is foolish and self defeating. I also do what I can to make my salon as healthy an atmosphere, both physically and emotionally, as possible. For more information on my approach, and to understand more fully what I mean by "a natural way of cutting hair", go to the "a natural way" page on this website.

What sort of products do you use?

I lean strongly toward more natural, less toxic products, both for my clients well being and my own. This is not to say I do large amounts of research into specific chemicals and such, just that I use products from companies that create healthier products. For hair colour I use a low toxicity brand called Naturlique . To learn more about this, please go to the Hair Colour page on this site.

Can you cut fine, curly and hard to deal with types of hair?

It may sound less than humble to say I can cut any type of hair well but it’s no different than being a good cellist who can play pretty much any piece of music put in front of her, or a skilled chef that will find something wonderful to do with anything you put on his cutting board. It’s not bragging, it’s simply the natural outcome of most anyone doing anything they enjoy, plus a little natural talent, a lot of dedication and a good deal of experience. We all have our own gifts and potential. This is not at all to say that everyone will like my work, “good” is a very subjective thing.

Are you a Master Stylist?

This is a term that has become popular in the industry in recent years but has no actual basis, anyone can call themselves a "Master Stylist". Given my level of training and experience I suppose I would call myself a Master Hairstylist, but it's just words, so it doesn't mean much to me. It can however help to differentiate newer stylists from more experienced ones in a salon.

Are you a Red Seal stylist?

Red Seal (in my understanding) just means you have completed a training in hairstyling recognized by the government, as opposed to just buying some scissors and calling yourself a hairstylist, so yes, I'm a licenced stylist and have been since 1979.

Are there any hair services you don’t offer?

Yes, Because I am an empath I unfortunately cannot service ill people. If you are not aware of what an empath is, you can find out (which may help you or others you know) by clicking this link https://drjudithorloff.com/top-10-traits-of-an-empath/ to a doctor who is an expert on the subject. I also don’t use a lot of bleach (also known as lightener) due to its toxicity. I have other, less toxic methods of lightening hair for foil highlights. If someone asks for a full head of bleach foils, I either try to get them to switch to this other method or recommend them to another stylist. I also don’t do wedding updo’s, mainly because I’m lousy at it and have never had any interest.

What are your other interests?

I am a musician, sculptor, painter and poet. I also meditate daily, walk in the forest and live a spiritual lifestyle.

Have some questions about your hair? Going to “Ask an Expert” will bring you a wealth of useful information on everything from colouring to washing to buying a blow dryer and much more.