Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2008 | Page 84

life

FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY

Paul didn’t flinch when
confronted with the woolly
mass of hair I presented to
him at the chic salon he runs
with his business partner Matt.
“Well, what shall we do?” he
asked enthusiastically as he
virtually lost his fingers in the
dry, over-coloured tangles.
Paul is very aware of the
responsibility he holds
in his skilled hands. The
consultation, he says, is
key. “You’ve got to have a
good look at the hair and
have a chat about what the
client wants,” he says.
For all his happy chappy
charm and easy manner,
Paul is amazingly sensible.
A client once asked for wild
and wacky colours through
her hair, but Paul knew her
employer wouldn’t like it.
“So I did it so it only showed
when she tied parts of it up.
She could be a secret rebel!”
“Sometimes clients are
teetering on being a bit
daring with colour, he say's.

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It’s better to talk it through
than regret it afterwards.”
In my case he didn’t appear
remotely disappointed when
I said I was “conservative”
about my hair – though that
word must make a funky
hair stylist’s heart sink.
He suggested a highlight

and lowlight which rescued
my hurriedly-coloured-athome attempt. Sometimes the
trainees do the colouring, who,
like Paul and Matt, regularly
attend courses to widen their
knowledge. “It’s so important
to keep up to date with styles
and techniques,” said Paul.
“And we want to give our
girls a proper training.”
And when I left, relaxed
with subtly coloured hair
that curled and shone
instead of frizzed, I knew
why you need to book early
at Matt & Paul Studio to
avoid disappointment.
Matt & Paul Studio, 147
High Street, Ryde. 615861

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