Hair Restoration

Hair Restoration

            Need a haircut? Perhaps just a touch up, or a complete transformation with new color? In the shopping center on Easton road, Carmine and Company is just the place to do it. A high quality salon, fairly new, founded in 2001, will do it all. A small but classic cute little shop, will help you when you need a trim, or to get you ready for your marriage day with an updo. The employees have been in the business for years and ride off of experience and personal customer service.

            'Walk all the way down and that's my area', Steph claimed, an employee of the salon trying to work her way up on the promotion ladder. Standing at five foot three inches tall with a big grin on her vibrant face moving her chubby cheeks, fingernails always done up to perfection with white tips, complementing the dark wings on the side of her wide hazel eyes. Although she started a year and a half ago, since it is a high class salon, and being a young high school graduate, she is not yet authorized to cut hair yet. 'I've had my cosmetology license for a while now, so I can't wait to move up.' Her day right now is fairly boring from cleaning towels to washing hair, and coloring. Mainly, she'll stay in the back of the shop where there are four sinks with chairs, ready to wash and color.

            A hair stylist is alike to a dental hygienist, how do you ask? They are so underrated and underappreciated. At least, that is what my experience has taught me. The experience that this profession demands from most the employees is quite impressive. For Steph to be hired was a big accomplishment in itself, but in this case, nothing short of impressive and a start to only move up higher in the field.

               Carmine and Company is so upscale for what looks like a little shop from the outside, surrounded by a supermarket and a pizza joint. Step a foot in and get surrounded by smiling faces, to the right sign in for your appointment at the receptionist desk attached to the make-up station and take a seat in the row of five cushioned reclining chairs, luxury for their loyal customers. If you need a color done clean smocks are straight forward in the closet. Make up products of Redken Company, jewelry and other retail products are sold here as well on the shelves in front of the closet. The shop is actually quite long, fitting twenty stylist station. Ten black leather chairs on each side, with combs scissors and all materials in a hair stylists arsenal sitting on the shelves in front of the mirror hanging from the brown wall. If you grabbed a smock in the beginning, the color bar is located in the back of the salon, complemented by a little hair dye stains on the tile floor in front of four shampoo chairs. Bamboo plants in decorated vases on the shelves across from the chairs really maintain the zen vibe of getting a wash and overall relaxed feel of Carmine and Company.

            'I absolutely love watching brides get updos and such for their wedding, it’s always so cute and a warm feeling that they are coming to my place of work in preparation for such a big day. Also, the transformation a different cut and color can make on a person is huge and it's really cool to witness.' Although Steph isn't content with her low pay right now, making mostly tips, she embraces the environment she's in and the beneficial factors of her workplace, she states positively that she can only move up and is motivated to do so. Even if some of the hair dressers can occasionally act like divas, since people in her position have the job of cleaning up after them. 'It's all just more motivation to move up', she claims humbly.

            Most of the customers being younger, Stephanie claims dealing with the older ladies that come in can be a challenge. She said while chuckling that 'We have to keep them happy while washing because they don't sit still! Sometimes they are even too short for their necks to reach the sinks or they have back problems, we get a couple that come in and are just plain too overweight to fit in the chair!' Just the other night she had an experience like this, except a little more extreme. 'An older woman was dropped off by her daughter to get a color and she was gone for twenty minutes, ten minutes went by after she left and as I’m washing this woman's hair she starts freaking out cursing out of nowhere! I had no idea why but as everyone stared she explained she needed to go to the bathroom and her daughter wasn't there to take her so she just had a frustration attack I guess. Luckily her daughter showed up quickly after the scene and we all had a laugh about it. I felt so bad at the time, but I did have to laugh afterwards, working under everyone has its benefits I suppose!' She states while bursting out into laughter from nostalgia of that recent night.

            The woman actually ended up coming back the next day to apologize. The employees were immediately forgiveful and showed amazing personal customer service that night and followed up on it the next day. The small salon thrives off of this. Calling her by her name, the receptionist booked Dee for another appointment next week. 'Of course, we all just did our job', Steph went on, 'she will most likely return weekly now and become another regular, it's a great way to get business, and really simple.'