There are two people I trust to touch my hair; Abby Haliti from Abby Haliti Salon (formally at Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa) and Erin Maydanski from Erin’s at Home Hair (formally at Salon Venere Burlington). A little story on how I came to fall in love with these incredibly talented hair gurus…

Erin has been a friend of mine for quite some time and she is literally the only person in the world I will allow to take scissors to my hair. The reason being, she just gets it. She gets the fact that cutting off an inch of my hair is an uber big deal for me, often referring to my hair cuts as “pretend cuts.” There are never any surprises (or tears) with Erin because she understands exactly what her clients are after and delivers nothing short of the best. Not only is she a blast to be around, but she is truly one of the most talent stylists I have ever met.

I introduced Abby to the blog a few years ago in this post, hailing her the best balayage artist around. Since that post, Abby has moved on from the Julien Farel Salon & Spa on Park Avenue to open her own salon in New Jersey. I would often travel to NYC just to get my hair coloured by Abby because yes, she is that good. One thing Abby taught me, which has stuck with me throughout the years is that our hair is the one accessory we wear every day. We spend so much on purses and accessories and often forget about the one constant we take with us everywhere; our hair. Needless to say, investing in my strands is something I take quite seriously.

In late 2017 I had to cancel my trip to NYC for health reasons, and with my hair in dire need of a refresh I began researching online for the best balayage artist in Toronto. After googling until I found what seemed to be the end of the internet, I landed on a high-profile colourist and salon owner in Yorkville and decided to give him a whirl.

The owner of my new-found salon was kind enough to squeeze me in last minute. I went for a consultation, providing picture upon picture of what I was looking for. The day of my colouring we went through more pictures of what Abby had previously done with my hair and reviewed my overall requirements, the primary one being to keep it cool and stay away from brassy tones. The results: a head of hair with more brass than the Trans Siberian Orchestra. Literally, my hair was orange and streaky. I was speechless, especially with how proud the stylist was of his results. My first though was ‘this is why I don’t stray from Abby’ and my second was ‘how the hell is this guy so highly rated?’. After leaving the salon, I called my sister in tears (yes, I cry over my hair …I know, first world problems) trying to figure out a way to fix my locks before the holidays.

I messaged Erin that night, sending her pictures of my hair. In her typical calm, cool & collected manner she assured me she could fix this mess no problem. I kicked myself for not thinking of having Erin colour my hair earlier. I’ve always separated my colourist from my stylist, which is a lesson I clearly learnt the hard way. Erin worked her magic on my strands, stripping away the brass and adding in beautiful cool tones to compliment my colour. Since that day, Erin has been cutting and colouring my hair, providing endless tips and suggestions and always keeping me looking fresh. I’ll still absolutely visit Abby when I’m in NYC, but having such a talented fellow Oakville gal just a hop, skip and jump away has been a blessing. Erin understands the art of balayage and produces the perfect cool tones to highlight my face and keep my look brass-free.

In terms of caring for my hair on a daily basis, here are some of my go-to hair products at the moment:

SHAMPOOS & CONDITIONERS

Matrix Total Results Brass Off Shampoo & Conditioner: Erin suggested this blue shampoo and conditioner set to keep my hair from going brassy over time (we all know how much I love those brassy tones). While purple shampoo is great for blondes who want more platinum and less yellow, blue shampoo neutralized brassy tones and is ideal for brunettes (or dark blondes) who want to keep their colour cool. The blue conditioner helps to nourish and smooth hair, making it ideal for those with damaged, brittle strands.

Andalou Lavender & Biotin Full Volume Shampoo & Conditioner – I love Andalou skincare (featured here and here) and find their hair products to be just as awesome. Their Lavender & Biotin Full Volume Shampoo & Conditioner duo is my go-to not only because they contain natural ingredients but because they are safe on colour-treated hair and work to nourish and strengthen while creating more body.

TREATMENTS

Hask Oils – I love using oils for just about everything, from diffusing to skincare to hair treatments. My favourite hair oils are by Hask because they have multiple uses and leave my hair hydrated with the perfect shine. I often apply these oils to the end of my hair and leave in for 30 minutes before my shower. They also work wonders on dry hair. After I blow dry and style my locks I apply a small amount of oil to my palm, warm up and run through my ends. It adds a beautiful shine without leaving behind a greasy finish. My favourite oils by Hask are this one, this one and this one.

Maui Moisture Hair Masks – These masks are great for adding moisture to dry strands and can be used both in the shower and as a leave-in treatment. After shampooing, I apply a small amount to my hair and leave in for around 5 minutes before rinsing. While they can also be applied post-show to wet hair as a leave-in treatment, I prefer using in-shower. If you’re suffering from breakage I recommend checking out the Strength & Anti-breaking + Agave treatment, and if you’re looking to hydrate I suggest the Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter mask.

STYLING

Iles Formula Finishing Serum – I apply a quarter-size amount of this product to my wet hair because it leaves my strands super soft after I blow dry. I don’t necessarily find it the best protector against humidity and heat, but if you’re looking for super soft hair this is a great product.

Matrix Miracle Creator – I’ve been using this product as a heat protector the past couple months and have been quite impressed with the results. I apply before I blow dry and style and love how it protects and minimizes frizz.

Giovanni Root 66 Directional Root Lifting Spray – A few squirts of this spray to my roots after I shower adds the perfect amount of volume. I like how I can still run my fingers through my hair and how natural looking the results are.

Design.Me Puff.Me – This is the first ever volumizing powder spray in a pump format, and the size and ease makes it perfect for travel. I use this product when I want a lot more volume, or when I’m putting my hair up/ in a braid. It does have a stiffness to it because it’s creating a lot of volume at the root, but you can always pump to your preference.

Maui Moisture Nourish & Moisture + Coconut Milk Mist – This is a great finishing touch for styled hair. The weightless formula leaves my hair with a beautiful, grease-free shine, and it smells incredible.

Lamaur Vita E Brushable Hold Hairspray – I have been using this hairspray for years. I was introduced to it during my fashion show days when I used to model and have been a loyal user ever since. It’s super lightweight (I prefer the brushable hold version) but holds curls and waves in place beautifully without weighing down my hair or making it stiff. I pick this up from Sally’s Beauty Supply for around $10.

New post coming soon on my favourite dry shampoos! Stay tuned…

xo, Kiki