Ouidad Santa Monica

Posted by The Daily Obsession

on January 5, 2009

Ouidad is known for their specialization in curly hair. In fact, Ouidad is “all about the curl” and follows the philosophy of: keeping “curls looking modern-looking, shiny and healthy is as simple as can be.” Strangely, none of us at TDO have curly hair. (There’s not even a wave among the five of us – stick, straight hair.) Nonetheless, on a cold December evening, I made my way to the new Ouidad Salon in Santa Monica. Opened just a couple months ago, I was excited for appointment especially since I’ve been walking by the construction of this salon for months now.

I made my appointment with Morgan, the lead stylist who had trained under Ouidad for years in New York. When it was time to open the West Coast branch, Morgan and Ouidad traveled throughout the Los Angeles area in search of the perfect location and found it on the quaint Montana Avenue. When I walked into the salon, I was immediately struck by the cozy, yet sophisticated interior. The entire interior is encompassed in wood with an open air ceiling. One entire wall features a strip of mirrors with white styling chairs. Upon entering, I was greeted by another stylist, who offered me a beverage, before leading me to a curtained area to change into a robe. After changing, I sat down in the soft leathered bench with a magazine – and not before long, Morgan was ready for me.

I basically explained that I wanted to take off several inches and a lot of the weight. (My hair was feeling fairly heavy and without style.) I was simply ready for a bit of change, without losing all of my length. Ouidad is known for their “Carving and Slicing” technique, and Morgan explained that she would be using this technique on my hair while adding in layers to give my hair some dimension. “’Carving and Slicing’ is designed to allow curls to fall into a place like puzzle pieces, so each spiral neatly fits into the next, allowing hair to fall straight down, rather than building out on the sides.” For me, this meant that the carving would lay my hair downward, while slicing gave my hair soft movement (instead of blunt).

Morgan took me back to get shampooed and conditioned with Ouidad’s signature products – and my gosh, they smelled good. Afterward, I was brought back to my chair where my hair was sectioned – and before long, Morgan was carving and slicing away. I was a bit nervous because the “Carving and Slicing” technique feels strange, coupled with seeing all of my hair that was falling to the floor. (Seriously, all of the hair on the floors could have created a wig for someone.) I shouldn’t have felt nervous at all though because once my hair got styled (i.e. fabulously blown out and finished with a bit of Ouidad’s Shine Glaze), my hair looked wonderful. I could not believe how healthier my hair looked and how much lighter it felt; plus, the layers in my hair fell softly into each other and moved quite prettily. Several weeks later, it still looks amazing! I’m just as happy now as I was when I walked out of the salon.

So whether you’ve got stick straight hair or adorable curls, check out Ouidad for your next cut. Ouidad Salon is located on 1230 Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. Call 310-393-3542 to make an appointment or go to www.ouidad.com for more information.