Color Talk with Stylist Leila

Source: @thepincurlqueen on Instagram

You’ve had the unicorn Frappuccino, (just to see what the hype was about, of course) and successfully channeled your inner mermaid poolside. We can’t help but feel inspired by the bright, bold colors of the summer—and we’re thinking our hair should reflect that, too. While pink hair may have been frowned upon in elementary school, these days, it’s encouraged (and envied)!

Enter fashion color, a trend we’re hoping sticks around for a while. To learn more, we sat down with our amazing stylist, Leila, to chat about color and her budding passion.

A post shared by Leila M (@thepincurlqueen) on

Q: How long have you been doing hair?
A: I came to work at Scott J 10 years ago, when was 18 years old.

Q: What made you want to be in the beauty industry?
A: I came to work here when I was young and never left. Before cosmetology school, I was always dying my hair and styling my friends’ hair.

Q: What made you want to be a colorist specifically?
A: I love how customizable Aveda Color is and I wanted to be really good at controlling the exact outcome for my guests. All this focus made me want to specialize in color.

A post shared by Leila M (@thepincurlqueen) on

Q: What do you love about working at Scott J? How long have you worked there?
A: Scott J is my family. I have worked at the 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue location for 10 years.

Q: What made you want to focus on fashion color?

A: I think every little girl dreams about having purple hair! All I want is to make the world a more colorful place. I have always made my own hair many unnatural colors, and I get so excited to bring out everyone’s inner unicorn and mermaid!

A post shared by Leila M (@thepincurlqueen) on

Q: What is your favorite thing about coloring hair?
A: It isn’t permanent and people can feel free to experiment. Changing your hair cut or color can be so powerful.

Q: What tips do you have for someone considering getting a fashion color?
A: Come to the salon and do a one-on-one consultation with your stylist! A consultation will answer all of your questions about hair care and clarify price and timing. If you have a collection of your dream hair pictures on Pinterest or Instagram, now is the time to bring them in!

Source: @thepincurlqueen on Instagram

A post shared by Leila M (@thepincurlqueen) on

Q: What is realistic for clients to expect when getting a fashion color?
A: First, talk to a professional in-person to find out what is possible for your hair. What you want may take several appointments and be a bit of a process. Second, time; everything about fashion colors take time. Be prepared to be at the salon all day. Lastly, home-care is definitely important!

Q: How can guests keep their color vibrant for longer?
A: I love the Color Conserve Strengthening Treatment. My clients use it as a treatment once a week, but especially right before their color service. For my fashion color clients, I always have them take home the Damage Remedy Daily Shampoo and Conditioner. The shampoo is sulfate-free, which keep your color more intense for longer, and the conditioner adds quinoa protein to help fortify and strengthen hair for long, healthy mermaid locks!

A post shared by Leila M (@thepincurlqueen) on

Set up an appointment at Scott J to pick your new color—any color!