Describe yourself in a few words.
I am french, very passionate. I’ve been a hairstylist for 30 years . I was trained in very upscale salons in Paris, Jean Louis David and Jacques Dessange.
What adjectives would you use to describe yourself?
Extremely perfectionist, professional and a hard worker.
What is your typical day like ?
I wake up do a little bit of exercise, I practiced yoga for a while, then I come to work and then I go home. Sounds boring!!
But I love what I do.
We are open 9-7,Tuesday through Saturday.
What is it that keeps you going?
I love my job. Even if I don’t want to come when I’m here I’m so happy, it’s like meeting my friends all the time. I’m the good guy, I make people feel pretty.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In my salon but I would like to train more hairstylists so I could be in more of a management position.
What quality do you most admire in someone?
Intelligence
What character trait do you find fault with ?
Meanness
What is your basic make up and hair routine?
I wash my hair everyday and I dry it really fast.
You said you wash your hair everyday, is that something you would tell your clients as well?
They used to say wash your hair once a week. But that’s over now. We don’t want oily hair. You need a good shampoo and a good conditioner.You just need a good brand. I love l’Oreal professional and Living proof that I now carry in the salon.
For my face I use a little bit of face and eye cream, a light foundation and mascara.( Carole has very enviable long, thick eyelashes)
What mascara do you use?
L’Oreal Voluminous
I should work for L’Oreal because when I tell my clients what I use they go straight to CVS and buy it.
But I have to change it once a month because it gets dry and then it looks too clumpy.
What is the best beauty/fashion advice you ever received?
“ Take care of your hair because it’s the first thing people can see.” have It’s coming from my mentor, when I was a junior hairstylist in Paris.
What are the trends in hair for Spring/Summer 2014?
Short , short, short. No more long hair. Balayage and ombre are the color trends. So it’s either long hair with ombre or shorter with balayage.
Is there a French technique of cutting/ or coloring hair that is different than the US?
Yes the balayage highlights and ombre technique comes from France. We’ve been doing it for 30 years. Here in the US the technique has been around 3 years. It’s really new here, but it’s a french technique.
I get clients all the time looking for balayage. They don’t realize it’s a french technique, they have just heard about it and they come from as far away as Aventura to my salon because they have heard that I specialize in it. I have been doing balayage all my career.
What is the difference between balayage and highlights?
The highlights are done with foil papers so it’s always the same pattern always very thin highlights. Balayage is hand painted on your hair so it looks like the sun did it. There’s no pattern and when it grows you don’t see the roots. It’s very natural looking.
At the moment I am getting many clients who are looking for this technique and also ombre. I used to be a trainer in Paris for the ombre technique so I really know how to do it, I’ve trained other stylists.
What exactly is Ombre?
Just the ends are lighter than the rest of the hair, like kids when they go in the sun in summer. The roots are darker and it gets progressively lighter at the ends. It needs to be well done or else you see a line where the color starts. It’s best on long hair or longer hair.
Tell us the secret to a great color/hair cut!
It has to be natural for the color. As for the hair cut, it needs to be manageable at home. You need a hair cut that you can style yourself everyday so you can look good everyday. Not just when you step out of the salon.
Do you give your clients advice when it comes to what hair cut will suit them?
Yes of course, first I will look at the quality of the hair and then the shape of the face to see what will suit them. Sometimes if a client brings a picture of a model I can guide them, perhaps it wouldn’t suit their face shape, or the quality of the hair wouldn’t allow for it. There is confidence in us from our clients, we build their trust and we can really guide them.
What seems to be the trend in hair here in Miami? What trend would you like to see go away?!
In Miami, long hair is still very popular, even though people are starting to go to shorter, shoulder length. There is still a trend to copy what the stars are doing.
I don’t really have a hair style that I wish would go away, but maybe the colorful hair, the pink and purple , I find that tacky.
According to you what makes French women so chic?
Simple but elegant. Less is more. Especially Parisians, maybe the hair isn’t done but she is dressed very chicly. It’s a contrast, you can not be too well put together because it looks like you spent three hours in your bathroom. Either you have nice hair but clothes are very simple or a bit crazy hair and you put on a Chanel jacket.
Who do you think embodies this French chic?
Coco Chanel , she wasn’t pretty but she had style, she was always incredibly chic.
What makes you feel French?
Because I love food and fashion, and of course Paris, the most beautiful city in the world.
Do you feel more French or American?
French, but with an American lifestyle. I don’t appreciate it when french people critique the US but inversely I don’t like it when Americans critique the French. I’m in the middle.
What does luxury mean for you and what is your biggest luxury?
Fashion. To be able to wear designer clothes without it showing. It’s so chic to be dressed in Karl Lagerfeld without any obvious labeling for example t-shirts with logos, I don’t like that, it’s tacky.
Luxury is also time, time for myself.
What is your most memorable travel experience ?
The last one is always the best one! I think it was in Tibet.We were walking in the high mountains and this child came to us and we didn’t understand each other so he pulled us to his house and they invited us to share a meal with them. They were very poor, but we had a meal with them and we visited their house. It was such a wonderful experience.
Where would you like to travel to next ?
Bhutan and Nepal, because I love India and Asia and it’s not too touristic yet and it’s far away. The farther it is the more I am attracted to go there.
How long have you lived in Miami?
13 years.
How would you describe Miami? Why do you like this city ?
I like it because it’s a melting pot so I never feel like a stranger .I like the mix of people ,the sun and the ocean. Miami is becoming more cultural. It’s a city but it still doesn’t feel like a city. The people are also very nice.
What are your special addresses in Miami?
I’m not really a big shopper, I spend most of my time at the salon. I don’t really have any addresses in particular but I do love the La Provence bakery.
What would you buy if money was no object?
A penthouse on Brickell ave. with a view of the Ocean.
If you had a magic wand , what would you change?
I would stop child abuse throughout the world. It really affects me.
Thank you Carole for giving your time for this interview with us and for your “good luck girls” wishes.
7287 S Red Road Miami Fl 33143. Ph : 305 667 7008
http://www.gleamhairstudio.com
Translation & Editing by Camille Boucard
