 We talk about being team-based a lot at OlyCurl, and even have it on our About Us page on our website. But let me share with you a little more in depth. More than just a pay structure, being team-based offers us sustainability. We are able to continue serving our clients because we practice financial literacy, accountability, and transparency with our team. This allows our whole team to be fully invested and aware of the state of our company. We have team goals and when we hit those goals we all celebrate as a team. Next time you are in, ask about what we did for team night recently! We have lots of fun! Healthy financial literacy also enables our company to provide benefits that many salon companies are not able to provide. Our staff members are able to enjoy benefits such as: Living and Guaranteed Wages, Paid Sick Leave, Paid Vacation, Dental Insurance, Accidental Insurance, Continuing Education, and even Company-Matching IRA! We wholly believe in taking care of our team. Occasionally, we may not hit our monthly goal, but we still have team night just so we can unwind together and build memories. What you may not know is that even outside of work we enjoy each others' company! One of the things we have done a few times is Trivia Night! We have done trivia night at 3 different establishments. We are never the big winners, but I am proud to say we hold our own consistently being 3rd from last during the first half of the evening! I won't say what happens during the second half! Suffice it to say, we always have a good time! We do not lock you in to one service provider. What this means is that all of our skills and talents are available to everyone. If your regular stylist is on an extended leave of absence, no problem! We can keep you on track with your regular trims in the meantime! Your stylist is out sick? No problem! We will do our best to shift things around so that you can keep your appointment on the same day. There is no need to disrupt your schedule because of our personal life events! This also alleviates the guilt that stylists frequently experience when they take time for themselves or are sick. We can be free to heal and get better knowing that clients are being taken care of! Additionally, your visit may be elevated by having more than one service provider working together to serve you. More hands equals more pampering! Who wouldn't want to feel like a king or queen while they are here? Lastly, we do not pay commission. "Why is that?", you may ask. Paying an hourly wage (like most other industries) enables a stable income for our service providers. It alleviates the worry of not making enough to pay our bills during slow periods. Our staff are paid for every minute they are in the salon, no matter what they are doing at any given moment. That's why you may see two service providers working on one client! There is no competition between us here. And that helps our clients rest easy because we don't have a personal agenda with your appointment or purchasing decisions. We are simply here to serve you! 
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 Hi from your friends at OlyCurl! We appreciate your business and love you all! We love coming to work every single day knowing we are making your day.
We have come to a point in the life of OlyCurl that we are experiencing an unprecedented amount of cancellations. We understand that we are in the midst of a global pandemic (which we all want to end sooner rather than later!), and we know that people are going to be sick. We really do not want you to come in to the salon if you are ill. Our team needs to stay well so we can keep cutting curls, individually, and one-by-one. First I want to say, we appreciate many of you who consistently keep your appointments and rarely cancel. However, there have been a few instances where we know that our leniency with our cancellation policy has been taken advantage of where someone cancelled and said they were sick but were, in fact, not. We can no longer make exceptions for your hangover, last-minute meeting, or dental appointment that you forgot about, etc. I pulled a report this morning that showed in the last two weeks, the value of the cancelled appointments was in excess of $3,900. We need your help. We want to be here for you and your curls for years to come! And I want to still be able to provide meaningful careers to exceptional stylists. OlyCurl is a living-wage company in an industry that typically pays low wages and does not offer benefits of any kind. Not only do we provide a really great work-life balance, but we also offer company-matching IRA, PTO, Accidental Insurance, and in a couple of months, Dental Insurance. Our ultimate goal is to be able to provide Health Insurance to our deserving and hardworking employees. In a time where prices are skyrocketing everywhere, we want to grow at a measured pace. The options we face are: a substantial increase in pricing, cutting costs by cutting business operating hours, not hiring the people I have already agreed to hire, or letting people go. Obviously, the last two options are drastic and not desireable for anyone involved. What we are asking is that you keep your commitments to your reserved appointments if you are not exhibiting COVID symptoms. If you do have symptoms, please get tested. If negative, you are welcome to keep your appointment. We are also asking that if you absolutely cannot make it to your reserved appointment due to non-CONTAGIOUS illness, work, school, doctor's appointments, etc., that you pay for your missed appointment. And then reschedule so that we can rock your curls! Another way you can help is to continue to purchase products from OlyCurl. I mean, does Jeff Besos really need another private jet? Your retail dollars support your local economy, provide local jobs, and help us pay for our education. Our education helps us to come to work with the best knowledge and fresh eyes to see your curls and waves. In addition, when you purchase from us, you can rest assured that you are getting the best unadulterated, clean, and toxic-free products available. Again, we really want to be here for you. We appreciate you helping us help you! Let's get a handle on these cancellations! Thanks so much. We appreciate you! With Much Gratitude, Yukiko and the OlyCurl Team As the part time receptionist of OlyCurl, I am usually the first face you see when you walk in the door. I have always thought of myself as a curly girl, until I met wonderful clients with Botticelli curls, and corkscrew curls. I learned that truthfully, my hair was wavy. While I regularly wear my hair down and in its natural wavy state, I typically always straighten my bangs. I have trichotillomania , which is a stress disorder that causes me to impulsively pull at my hair, specifically my eyebrows. Though I've gotten much better at drawing on eyebrows, it has been a huge insecurity of mine for years. Add in a large forehead, and you can see why I choose to hide behind bangs. Many clients come in with straightened bangs and beautiful curls. They will religiously pull out the straightening iron every morning to make sure their bangs look a specific way. Now transitioning from straight to curly bangs can be challenging. I have tried to transition and will have success on wash day and day two. But by day three, I pull out the straightening iron and fix up my bangs. It's not an easy transition, but it is so important for my hair's health that I make efforts and steps forward to toss the straightening iron and let my bangs embrace their naturally curly state. Here's a few clients who are trying to embrace curly bangs with me. Look at these lovely ladies and their incredible curly bangs!   So, at the end of the day, what we are saying is to give curly bangs a chance! You never know how incredible your hair will look if you try something new. Embrace your curls, and face your fears when it comes to curly bangs. Take it from a notorious bang straightener; curly bangs are pretty awesome when given a chance!
- Becki At OlyCurl, we get this question a lot. The answer is complicated, and often depends on your desires, lifestyle, and your specific curls. Why is it so complicated?  There are many factors that go into how long a haircut will last. What does "last" mean to you? Does it mean how long will my style retain this shape? Well, again, that depends. A shorter, above-the-ears haircut will need to be trimmed in about 8 weeks. A medium-length, above-the-shoulders will need to be trimmed in 8-10 weeks. Longer haircuts can be trimmed 10-12 weeks to maintain the shape and volume. However, if there are a lot of layers, like in a shag, then we would need to trim up that droopiness in about 10 weeks. Do you do a lot with your hair as far as hair ties for working out, or swimming? Do you occasionally (in a moment of weakness) use a curling iron or wand on your curls? Then those ends are being damaged and as I always say, "split ends beget split ends!", so we would need to trim those ends in about 10 weeks. While you're at it, why not do a detox at the same time? If you have been using the occasional "heat protectant", then you will have some build up on your hair and you wouldn't be having the best results with your curls. Are you "growing it out"? Is your hair otherwise healthy and you follow our regimen for curl care with sulfate-free and silicone-free products? Then a 12-week trim is in order. Depending on the health of your ends, we may only need to dust 1/4". If the ends are a little dry we may need to take 1/2" or more. It really does vary. We can make our professional recommendation based on how the ends look and feel, but it is always up to you to make that final decision. Are you growing out a previously really short hairdo? Then we recommend coming in every 10-12 weeks in order to reshape and adjust the growout so that you don't have to look weird as you grow out something that was very drastic. It is nice to have an interim style while you are still growing out. Oftentimes, just growing it from a really short look it can get a little strange! Don't worry; we can make adjustments as you go so that you never have to explain to nosy friends that you are "growing it out". For example, this adorable wolf cut (below), after about four months really starts looking like a pretty shelfy and severe mullet. It is best to come in and have things adjusted to avoid being mistaken for Billy Ray.  Your stylist should be making recommendations based on all these factors! When you prebook your appointment, you will be glad you have that to look forward to when things start to get droopy and misshapen! Remember: Haircuts do not last forever. They expire, and we are here to help you stay on top of your look!
  She had grown weary of the same old curly triangle-y and unimpressive haircut. When curly hair is cut straight, there is no way to predict how that cut will turn out when worn curly. Sure, we are taught that the curls will spring up when they dry, but they don't teach us what we are supposed to do about it. Because of this, layers can leave a weight line (many people call it "The Shelf"), and a blunt cut can look like a pyramid. With results like these it is no wonder Curlies are leaving the salons.  How can that be? Didn't her hair grow? While performing our 10-Point Curl Analysis, I made the observations that her hair was quite fine and also thinner on the top and sides. Upon further discussion, it was discovered that her mom also has thinning hair. This is, unfortunately, something I see quite often behind the chair. Female pattern balding is a real thing and I have discussed it at length in this blog. The life cycle and subsequent shedding of her hair is not allowing her hair to grow much longer, or even past her shoulders. To date, I am not aware of any way to change the life cycle of your hair. But... what can be done about genetically thinning hair? Certainly, taking supplements, like Biotin and Gelatin, and making sure that you are eating a healthy diet are the first thing. Being sure to protect your scalp while in the sun can also prevent recurring sunburns which result in a thicker, regenerated scalp. Talk to your doctor about Rogaine for Women. It has been proven to be the most effective solution for hair loss. Yes, I even use it daily for the thin area of my crown.   When I received the photos along with the photos she submitted of herself, I was not sure I could deliver on her desires. I was fully prepared for the "manage her expectations" talk. She didn't look like she had enough hair to pull off the big volume and shape of the models in the photos.  Once we started talking about ingredients and the products she was using, I realized that her hair was weighed down with a lot of lesser-quality oils and creams. This chokes out the moisture in the hair and does not allow water to penetrate and truly hydrate. Just look at the difference in her curls before and after. Her curls were stringy and limp. I even wondered if she had low porosity curls, but once we detoxed and removed all the build up I could tell her hair was thirsty and it drank up so much water. She actually had normal porosity.  I seriously was surprised and thrilled at the same time! I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion to this two-hour service.  Doesn't she look so much younger and vibrant? Have you been waiting years for the perfect cut? Or just to be listened to and understood by your hairstylist? Drop your comments below and don't forget to come see us. About the AuthorWorking exclusively with curls for the past five years, Yukiko is the owner of OlyCurl, the only salon in Washington State that caters to Curls and Waves only. When she is not knee-deep in curls at the salon, or working on the business of salon ownership, she enjoys needlecrafts, reading, and playing with her pup. By Becki Perez  OlyCurl is a salon unlike any you have ever walked into before. As a school teacher who typically goes to a [chain salon] for a haircut once a year, the atmosphere, education, and service at OlyCurl blew my mind. I have the absolute pleasure of being a temporary receptionist for the month of July. As a teacher, I can tell you grammar rules, how to add, subtract, and whether the chicken or the egg came first. I can’t tell you the first thing about curly hair, other than mine usually looks like a rat’s nest by the time I get my annual cut in September. Yukiko and Julia are exceptionally knowledgeable in their craft and share their knowledge with such passion to all clients. Every client that comes into OlyCurl is so excited to see what magic Yukiko and Julia can whip up for them. They make sure each and every curl on your head is attended to, and will answer any and every question you have about curly hair and how to best care for it. One of my favorite things about being a part of the OlyCurl experience this past month has been seeing new clients and the transformation their curls go through. An 8 year old girl came in with her mom. As Yukiko spoke with her mom about curls and the process they would be going through, the mom seemed a bit hesitant and skeptical. Could this haircut REALLY be different from the ones her daughter had experienced before? Would they both ACTUALLY love the final result? Or was this all just a waste of time and money? As Yukiko cut her hair, the curls began to show through, and her mom was starting to realize that this wasn’t just a hoax. The little girl wanted to wait for a big reveal, and wow, what a reveal it was! Yukiko washed her hair, and applied the necessary products for her curls to really take form and bounce beautifully. As Yukiko applied the clips in her hair for volume, her mom was absolutely amazed at the difference in her daughter’s hair. Once her hair was dried and Yukiko did the final touch ups, it was time for the big reveal. As she saw the final product, a huge smile lit up her face, and she proclaimed, “IT’S SO PRETTY!” Her mom was so pleased with the care and time put into her daughter’s hair and the end result gave her daughter confidence, which is exactly what Yukiko and Julia strive to do for each of their clients. The reason this story was so powerful to me is because of the little girl’s reaction before and after her appointment. She felt defeated by her hair, and at 8 years old, this is heart wrenching. We are taught at a young age that our appearance is so important, and that we must be aware of how we look to others. What OlyCurl does is teach us to love the hair we have, rather than fight with it, or destroy it by using chemicals, straighteners, and other heat treatments. Seeing her reaction after Yukiko worked with her hair was incredible. There is a reason clients love coming to OlyCurl and there are new clients interested in the services we provide every single day. The clients that walk through the door always have a smile on their face. They know they are getting the best possible service, and when they are here at OlyCurl, they will walk away loving their curls. Anytime you start a new job, whether it is a temporary position, or a new career path, there is always the fear that you will mess up. The clients have been so patient, understanding, and welcoming to me as I learn the ins and outs of OlyCurl. There is a part of me that is sad I am only here for a short time, because I love seeing the relationships that have been built over the years between client and stylist. There is such a trust between our clients and our stylists at OlyCurl, that I don’t see when I am at a [chain salon]. In fact, the last time I left a [chain salon], I almost left in tears because the woman who cut my hair blow dried it and I looked like a frizzy ball!  The clients at OlyCurl always leave with a smile on their face, a spring in their step, and a bounce in their curl, because they know that Yukiko and Julia truly care about them. Yukiko and Julia remember their clients, and make a point to make sure OlyCurl is a stress-free, welcoming, and fun environment. If you are looking for a salon that truly cares about you, your hair, and will make sure you walk away loving the way you look, OlyCurl is the place for you. To the clients that have made me feel so welcomed this past month, thank you! I hope to continue seeing all the beautiful curlies and burlies! 
We discussed these possibilities, and then I remembered that Jennifer had major surgery about a year ago. Upon closer inspection, it appeared that the first six inches of her curls were thick and voluminous. Beyond that is where they started to get stringy. Since hair grows at an average of half an inch a month, six inches is the average growth for hair in a one-year period and it stands to reason that after her surgery she had a major shedding. Why does this happen? It could be the trauma of surgery, anesthesia, a temporarily altered diet, the stress of recovery... In any case, the good news is that her hair is growing back thick again! For more information on thinning hair, read this blog post.  The ends will eventually need to be trimmed off, as hair only gets thicker as it grows from the scalp, and Jennifer will once again have a full and juicy head of curls. On this particular day, we chose to trim about two inches. It helps to discuss these things with your hairstylist; hair is not just hair. It can tell us so much, but we can't piece the puzzle together if we don't have all the pieces! If Jennifer had just disappeared a year ago to have her surgery and never shared that with me, we could have been stumped or taken a lot longer trying to figure out what was going on. I once had a client whose hair told me a story and I asked her if anything big had happened in her life about four months prior and she shared that she had been in a major car accident. Knowing that information, I was able to let her know what to expect in the way of bushiness and extra perceived frizz in the coming months. She felt better armed with that information so that she didn't panic later on when those things happened.
What stories are your curls telling you? The stylists at OlyCurl can help you decipher what your curls are doing and saying. Click here to learn more about what we do as curly hair specialists and request an appointment to see us! We have had some unexpected cancellations for Tuesday, December 5th, for New Clients as well as Established Clients! Please Contact Us as soon as possible to snap up these opportunities!  One of our clients came in recently and she shared with us how she clips. Naturally, I asked if she would mind if we made a video! So here it is below, for your viewing pleasure! We are happy to serve your unique curly needs! Please visit our New Client Page for booking information.
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