HAIRGURU And Makeup Artist Gregory Karlen Interview
June 29, 2009
Enjoy the following informative interview filled with ready to use common sense advice by Vancouver BC based hairstylist and makeup artist Gregory Karlen.
Couple of great quotes from the Q&A: “Absence makes the hair grow longer” and “Nothing surprises me really”.
Q: Tell a little about yourself personally and if you attended school or you are self taught hairstylist?
A: I did a 2 year apprenticeship in b.c. Canada 1980-1982.
Q: Do you think going to school for hairstyling is important to excel in the business later on?
A: I think it depends on the individual. Some people learn better with more with the hands-on experience that apprenticeships offer.
Q: Did you always long to be an artist, or did you stumble upon your talent by chance? Who or what inspired you to become a hair stylist?
A: I’ve always excelled in more creative endeavors.
Q: What is your favourite or most exciting aspect about your job?
A: People and the opportunity to develop long lasting and meaningful client/stylists relationships.
Q: What surprises you most about working as a hair stylist?
A: Nothing surprises me really.
Q: Describe your “classic approach to beauty.” how do you define beauty?
A: Beauty lies within all of us. It’s the individual expression of one’s creative self image that is a representation of today’s modern ideals of beauty.
Q: What individual products and brands you’re “addicted” to at the moment and you use on a daily basis?
A: Any product that offers creative flexibility and multi-purpose options are the type I prefer.
Q: What are some of the most basic but effective hair care tips that you have, that are really important?
A: Absence makes the hair grow longer. Hair should change consistently. It is as essential. Like fashion, it is seasonal (spring/summer fall/winter).
Q: What are the biggest hair care don’ts?
A: Don’t follow celebrity style … be unique to your own creative self. Celebrity culture is not real … it’s totally a “make believe” fantasy world that is a product in and of itself!
Q: Have you had an extreme, crazy or bad experience with a hair care product? If so, what happened?
A: I once had bleach react to seriously over chlorinated hair. The foils heated up so hot they were boiling inside and I needed to wear thick dishwashing gloves to remove them. A very short haircut was the only option after that!
Q: What do you find to be the most common mistakes women make with hair color?
A: They insist on having ash. When they see the slightest bit of warmth in their colour, like a soft gold, amber or caramel, they refer to it as brassy, orange or red!
Q: What’s the worst thing a woman can do to her hair?
A: Perm over highlift colour.
Q: What’s the one haircare tool you simply can’t live without?
A: My razor.
Q: What do you think are best/worst trends in the hair industry right now?
A: Japanese hair relaxers.
Q: Do average girls needs to splurge on high-priced hair care products, or are drugstore items are just as satisfactory?
A: They should get advice from their stylist and if budget is a concern the stylist should be able to advise them on any alternative professional product options available.
Q: Do you have any general tips/tricks for extending color between visits?
A: Don’t over shampoo. Never wash with extremely hot water. Wear a hat in the sun!
Q: Can anyone go red or do you feel that color works best with certain skin tones/hair types?
A: Depends on the tone of red…red itself is a primary colour and unless you want the colour of a fire truck or stop sign you should consider not using the word ‘red’ when discussing natural looking hair colour.
Q: Do you feel anyone can go blond or should the look be reserved for certain skin tones/hair types?
A: Everyone should be blond at least once in their life! Blondes have more fun, don’t they?
Q: Which hairstyles do you tend to do the most often? Which hairstyles are the most popular?
A: Personalized, complimentary, easy care, low maintenance, textured cuts with personality and modern versatility.
Q: What do your clients think of you? What are some individual testimonials?
A: My clients mostly comment on how great their cuts grow out and how long they last.
Q: Would you share some of your future goals, your life motto, any words of wisdom that get you by in life and professional career?
A: Live in the now, respect all persons, have passion for whatever you do. Seek out challenges, believe in yourself. Love yourself. Know that you are a unique and creative person.
Q: What tips and advice do you have for aspiring hair stylists just starting out?
A: Never ask a client what they want. It’s your job as a professional to know what they want based on what you determine their needs are. You must always value the fact that human touch is a privilege. Always respect the trust involved in a client/stylist relationship as one of the of the utmost important aspects for developing a long lasting, loyal clientele.
Visit Gregory’s blog and portfolio plus his MySpace profile.
Participating in my makeup artist interview series is open to members and non-members of my FREE Fashion Industry Directory by way of this makeup artist self interview Q&A form.
Self interview questions are also available for other professionals, visit my Photographer Interview and Hair Stylist Interview pages and use the contact form to submit your answers.
