There is no better feeling than being recognized and awarded for your hard work and skill, especially when it’s for doing something you love. Ballito hair stylist Justen Laubscher recently won a prestigious national award and is sharing this season’s tips and trends with us.
Despite only living in the area for four years, Justen, or Jay as he’s affectionately known, has become a well-known, popular hair stylist in the Dolphin Coast community.
The bubbly and full-of-fun stylist, who has been doing hair since he was 16 years old, recently took first place in the Game of Wella 2020 Balayage Colour competition, beating over 5000 other entrants and winning the title of Wella Colour Specialist 2020.
Clearly passionate about what he does, Justen has worked as around the world in places like in Ireland and Spain and on international cruise liners, and spent a large part of his life in England where he worked with top stylists like TONI&GUY, Keith Graham and Zico Yarney, among others. His older brother Jimmi, who lives in Cape Town, is also a hair stylist. He inspired Justen to follow the same career and contributed a great deal to the stylist he is today.
Justen made the decision to move to KZN from Johannesburg eight years ago and has been living in Ballito for the last four years.
“It was a big change and starting from scratch wasn’t easy, but the people of Ballito were friendly and welcoming and embraced us. I knew this was the perfect family town to raise my daughter Jagger who is 3 years old.”
Justen opened The Hair Shack when fellow stylist Charles Coelho (who has been in the hair industry for over 40 years) suggested they team up. The salon opened in September 2020.
It was a brave move opening a salon during level 3 lockdown, just two months after restrictions on the trading in salons had been lifted, but the veteran stylists decided to give it a go anyway. And it paid off! “The people in Ballito are truly genuine, caring and supportive and many of my clients have grown to be good friends. The Dolphin Coast is an awesome place and the sense of community here is fantastic.”
The national colour competition was open to any and all hair stylists and hair salons, including non-Wella salons, who were provided with Wella professional products/colour in order to level the playing field and enter the competition. Justen’s prizes include a trip worth R35,000.00 to Grand Canaria off the coast of Spain, and R15,000.00 worth of Wella professional stock for The Hair Shack. While the competition usually sees all the stylists gathering at a large convention centre with judges monitoring their work on models, last year’s competition was a little different due to Covid.
Instead, the competition was run online and entrants had to submit one ‘before’ and one ‘after’ photo.
Justen is elated to have been chosen as the overall winner. “It hasn’t been the easiest road, considering Covid and the usual teething problems when opening a new business, but it wouldn’t be possible without our phenomenal clients.”
JUSTEN’S WINTER 2021 HAIR TRENDS
COLOUR:
* Rich copper and rose gold browns
* Pink and peach tones and pastel shades
* Golden blondes
* For the daring – cool ash tones (think silver and purple)
* Balayage and root smudges are still a firm favourite
* Recycling colour (working with a client’s existing colour and incorporating just a little bit of new colour to create a new look!)
CUT TRENDS:
* Pixie cuts which are soft on the outline
* Solid lines with lots of texture throughout
* Strong fringes and soft Russian (aka curtain or French) bangs
* Bobs and lobs
* Natural locks, curls and waves
GENERAL TRENDS:
Natural is a winner! Clients are giving their hair a break from intense chemical processes and rather opting for demi-permanent toners and rinses and/or rich, nourishing treatments to combat the feeling of dry hair which naturally happens as we transition from summer to autumn and winter. Clients are also embracing the natural texture and curl of their hair rather than straightening it chemically or mechanically. Rather use leave-in curling or smoothing product to allow your hair to set naturally (much easier to do on the coast now that it’s less humid!).
Details: The Hair Shack, Sage Centre, 1 Old Fort Road, Foxhill, Salt Rock, 032 032 0190, 082 450 2359 (call or whatsapp), [email protected], @charlesandjustenshairshack
Text: Leah Shone
