My Aveda NYFW Hair Transformation
bella | Sep 09, 2010 | Comments 87
I got to New York City yesterday afternoon and already got swept up into fashion week fabulousness! Last night’s first stop – a hair, makeup and pampering session at the Aveda Advanced Academy.
First – the BEFORE picture.
So many of my favorite beauty bloggers were in the house – it was like a fabulous class reunion! Kristin Booker and Reese of FashionStyleBeauty, Andrea Arterbery of The Glamazons (and Glamour, heyyyyy!), Amber AKA Glambr, Krasey Beauty, Eileen of Miss Whoever You Are, Felicia Sullivan, Dina of Eye 4 Style and Felicia of This That Beauty were all getting their dose of pampering. Mojitos and rojitos (made with pureed strawberries and agave!) were flowing freely, and organic hors d’oeuvres were there for the taking.
After a few moments of mingling, we were ushered over to the stylists where – we were informed – they’d be doing our hair. I felt a twinge of panic. My past Aveda experiences (which were before I even started blogging!) were not the best. But the Aveda stylists all smiled welcomingly and many of them complimented my hair. None of that feeling of oh-no-what-will-we-do-with-THIS. Everyone was down with the kinky coily naturalness of me. I had no idea that TWO award winning stylists were about to work their magic on me!
Aveda lead stylist – the award winning Allen Ruiz – sat me down in his chair and ran his fingers through my hair. “Well we can do a blow out, some smoothing…” he started out saying.
“Well, my blog is called Afrobella. So I don’t…”
“Gotcha! We’ll give you a scalp massage, shampoo, twist, and fluff it out.”
Allan got me right away!
A lovely gentleman at Aveda (whose name I unfortunately do not have, but we had a great conversation!) let me choose my favorite scented oil – that’d be the peppermint and camomile blue oil. Then he gave me a scalp, neck and shoulder massage to DIE for, before leading me to the shampoo sink.
Please note – before this all I’d tried was Aveda Rosemary Mint shampoo. I learned that is WAY too drying of a formulation for my hair type. Dry Remedy Moisturizing Shampoo and Damage Remedy Restructuring Conditioner are the way to go for naturalistas wanting moist, lush coils.
After that I was led back to Allan, and BOTH guys got to work on me. As it should be! Hayyyyyy **snaps in a z**
Allan’s technique can only be described as deft. He twisted my hair neatly and perfectly. At first I was like – I could do this at home! Then I noticed the precision and neatness of his technique and was like….some things are better left to the professionals!
Allan is FOCUSED!
Completed twists! And a concerned expression.
After my hair was twisted, they put me to dry under the craziest hair dryer I’d ever seen. It orbited around my head like the rings around a planet, emitting heat and drying my coils without overwhelming them with blasts of air. After my hair was completely dry… Aveda’s Creative Director, Antoinette Beenders, British Hairdresser of the Year 2004, styled my hair herself. YES.
The mastermind behind the hairstyles for shows such as Christian Siriano, who has worked with the likes of Alexander McQueen (and was wearing his signature skull scarf) – styled my hair and LOVED my hair. She made me feel like a princess, honestly.
Antoinette lovingly unfurled and unspiralled every twist, leaving me with a perfectly tousled head of ringlets.
From left to right – that’s Antoinette, me, the lovely man who gave me a massage to remember forever, and Allan. My new Aveda friends!
AND my AFTER pic!
(These pics were taken by so many different cameras! My camera, my phone, Felicia’s phone, Reese’s phone…thanks everyone!!)
I definitely let my new friends at Aveda know, I don’t think natural haired women of color realize that Aveda can work for US. And they wanted me to let my readers know it can! My Aveda experience last night was utterly amazing and changed my thoughts completely – they turned it OUT and I’m gonna do my best to keep this style flawless for the rest of New York Fashion Week! Thanks to Antoinette, Allan and the whole team for being so wonderful!
You look beautiful, they really did a great job on your hair. I love the texture of your hair, I have locs so I will not be running over to the Aveda salon near me any time soon, although I do use their Brilliant Humectant Pomade (moisturizes, defines coarse hair)and I love it! I also use their Aveda LoveTM Pure-Fume Absolute (perfume oil), it’s light and spicy.
@ Tasha- I cracked up!
Btw Afrobella you look great!
I too have flirted with Aveda products. I tried the dry remedy shampoo but the salon was out of the conditioner that works with it. I liked it. But was not wowed. I bet my hair would be breathtaking if I could use the full line or get it styled by them. But using one product out of the bunch, left me feeling ho-hum
OMG, the fact that they knew EXACTLY what to do has me wanting to run up and make an appt. Very impressive… how did you snag the pampering….
this is all kinds of awesomeness! i <3 what they did with your hair but even better, i <3 that they weren't afraid.
kudos to Aveda!
Love it. I use Aveda Be Curly Curl Enhancer and I love it. I never thought to enter an Aveda salon though for fear that they wouldn’t take the time to twist my entire head (thick and dense hair).
Love the look.
The ‘after’ results were fantastic, but I do have to say that I think the ‘before’ do was pretty fab too. I live in Orlando, FL and had my hair cut by a student at the Aveda Institute. It was pretty unnerving, but I was pleased with the results.
WOW! WOW! WOW! I’m impressed that a) they weren’t scared of your hair and b) it turned out beautifully! So awesome!
And note how gorgeous your hair looked in the twists, too! You had nothing to be concerned about there. Your hair is lovely. Thanks so much for sharing this amazing AVeda exerience. Good for them for making their stylist education so complete. This is the way it could be everywhere.
Oh wow! I didn’t even know they did natural hair at their salons. They really did do an excellent job. I’d love to have them work their magic on me sometime! Which location was it?
What product did they use to twist your hair?
Beautiful!! Loved your hair before, and really loved it after!! I have my hair coloured at a UK aveda salon (Leicester) but usually don’t get it it styled there. It’s so disappointing because the stylists don’t seem to understand or care to learn how to style my natural hair without blow dry/flat iron, which I avoid.
The fact that Allan and Antoinette embraced and loved your natural hair is refreshing and inspiring.
looking great! glad you had a good experience. when you return from your travels, be sure to check out free your mane products -just launched this week. the best of nature and science. check out on facebook for more info. ps: they’re doing special launch promotions..check it out…i love the line. has anyone else out there tried it yet?
Beautiful!!!!! Ive been wanting to go to the Aveda Salons for A While now.. I wonder if the ones in Oak Brook can produce the same results!!! But its Simply Beautiful…
Gorgeous! I think we have a similar hair type. Maybe I’ll check out my local Aveda…
OMG! Love the after look…it’s gorgeous!
Looks great B, and it looks like you had a lot of fun too.
That came out really nice!! I should pay an Aveda store a visit sometime and see how it works out.
Awesome! I must say that I kinda wish you had worn the twists for a few days…you look so cute in them and your eyes just shine in that photo. Lovely results and I hope someone in charge of the Aveda Institutes sees this post and trains more of their staff in natural hair.
No need at ALL to look “concerned” at your coils/twists; they look AMAZING! I think this might be a look you could consider when doing a version of a “kept”/pinup/lower key/high fashion style. To these eyes? You look sweet, demure, pretty, and VERY “Harlem Nights” and Flapper-like, that is, old school glamorous!
I have never considered the Aveeda salon as a place to get my natural hair done. You look fabulous!
You look great! Can you please tell them to send some folks who can do that to the Aveda in Bethesda, MD?
Ditto that for the one in Rockville!!!
Double ditto for the one at Rockville Town Center
I’m a natural belle and currently a student at an AVEDA institute. We embrace all types of hair. Many of my classmates are so intigued by natural hair. If you get a chance check out the ddamage remedy daily hair repair (its a leave in I use about once a week). You’ll love it!
I’ve had my hair colored with Aveda products and it was the best color I’d ever had. They used 3-4 different shades and over the next year it just grew out like it was naturally lightened. I loved it. I’ve not used too many of the products, I remember the Black Malva shampoo being okay. Maybe I will go and try some new products now that I see how well they worked for you!
omg! i love your hair. i had my hair colored at aveda in 2009 and again this year. their color has never broken my hair off and i love it.
Those twists were sooo neat, and your hair came out so cute. I often think the same thing “I can do this myself.” But it somehow comes out a little extra special when the professionals do it (as long as they know what they’re doing). It’s soo comforting to find someone who gets it.
During FNO I was able to go to the Aveda store in Columbus Square. I’m transitioning w/braids underneath a HH wig. I leave out less then an inch of hair to blend in the wig & flat iron it 2x a week. They gave me a FREE full size of the Smooth Infusion, which aids in Heat protection.
I’ve been LOVING it and will look to other Aveda products after I complete my transition & BC in August 2011
Wow! That looked like an amazingly, pampering experience! They did a terrific job, though I must point out that the before picture was just as lovely!!
OT – But I’m curious what lipstick you are wearing in the before pic? It’s fabulous!
Very good job!! I loved it before they put you under the dryer. And I would love to know the name of that dryer and possibily get one for myself!!
They did a great job! Thx for sharing!
Hey, I love the style. It makes me supper excited because I will be starting school at Aveda in November. I was kind of concerned about their curriculum on African American hair. But I’m glad that I chose this school! Again your hair looks great!
Wow that looks really great! I hope I can grow out my hair and do that. It is really fantastic.
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Your hair looks great. I can not wait for my Aveda experience this weekend. I am going to get a color and let them style my natural hair. Hopefully I will learn a few tips to caring and styling my hair.
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