MANAYUNK

Originally Published in Manayunk.com Magazine

By Caitlin Maloney

Photography By Stephanie Nolt Photography (snfoto.com)

One thing is for sure, Main Street has no shortage of hair salons and talented stylists to go with them. Whether you’re looking to chop off your locks or need a color overhaul, these ladies have you covered. Meet some of Manayunk’s top stylists and where you can find them on Main Street. Make an appointment, sit back and relax in their chairs and let them work their magic.

Tara Acosta

Sulimay's Studio on Main

4233 Main Street

267-437-3616

sulimaysonmain.com

sulimayshair.com

 How Long Have You Been Styling Hair? I have been behind the chair for over 18 years. I grew up in my dad's barbershop - literally we lived upstairs. My grandfather was a Barber and between myself and my cousins we have eight salons. It must be in our blood. The Sulimay Stylists from all eight salons are starting a video documentary blog. So be sure to look out for it. We will be offering styling tips and classes for everyone!

How Long Have You Worked At Your Salon? After working at Sulimay's Hair Design for the past 18 years, I figured it was time to take a chance. An old friend of mine, who works on Main Street at another salon, was looking to do something different. She had been asking me for a long time to partner up with her, so this year I decided to do it!  She on the other hand got cold feet at the last minute. So I opened up Sulimay's Studio on Main on my own. We have an amazing staff that is skilled and talented in their craft. I have worked here at this location since opening in December 2014. I do split my days and work at Sulimay's in the Art Museum area as well. 

What Do You Love Most About Working At Your Salon? The thing I love most about working at Sulimay’s Studio on Main is being behind the chair and having the opportunity to make people look and more importantly feel great!

What Do You Specialize In? Myself and the staff here at Sulimay's specialize in hair cutting for men & women, color, highlights, balayage, sombre, blowouts, formal styling, facial waxing, and my personal favorite Brazilian blowouts. 

What Is Your Favorite Product To Use? This is such a hard question to answer. It really depends on the hair type of the client as well as the desired look. Each guest that comes to Sulimay's has a very personalized and customized experience. So you will have to come in and find out what product is specifically perfect for you. 

What Is Your Best Pro Tip? My pro tip is simple advice...when in the chair never be afraid to speak up. If you are thinking you want something a little shorter or a little different you should say what's on your mind. We are stylists not mind readers. I think it's safe to speak for us all on this. Say what you're thinking, we really want to make you happy!

Have You Ever Styled Any Famous Heads? A colleague makeup artist and friend and I used to host Beauty Boot Camp. We would style and educate the Newscasters on how to prepare themselves for onscreen. The newscasters were very receptive and it was great to see our work onscreen. 

If You Could Style Any Famous Person's Hair Who Would It Be? Honestly I don't really care. I have had so many amazing people in my chair over the years, from surgeons to judges to newscasters to nurses to moms and grandfathers. Each person has a story and I'm happy to hear all about it and make their live a little happier by giving them what they want to make them look and feel great! 

The Sulimay Stylists from all eight salons are starting a video documentary blog. So be sure to look out for it. We will be offering styling tips and classes for everyone to check out!  

Ashley Irwin

Fedora Salon

4167 Main Street

267-335-2876

fedorasalon.com

 How Long Have You Been Styling Hair?  I became a hairstylist seven years ago, but have been working in the salon industry since I was 15.  

How Long Have You Worked At Your Salon?  I have been at Fedora Salon since the day we opened, which is over three years ago now! 

What Do You Love Most About Working At Your Salon?  I love that my salon is a low key and relaxed environment. Our clients really feel at home and start to become more like friends to us.

What Do You Specialize In?  I specialize in all women's color, cut, styling and makeup as well. My favorite thing to do in the salon is wedding parties. I love making a bride feel beautiful on her big day!  It is definitely a gratifying experience.  

What Is Your Favorite Product To Use? I love any kind of root lifter! I would have to say my favorite out of all the products I've tried has to be Expanda by Unite. A little goes a long way with this product and it works wonders! 

What Is Your Best Pro Tip?  Everyone should ask their stylist what shampoo and conditioner is best for their hair type! Most clients tend to see their own hair very differently than the professionals do, such as thinking their hair is dry, thin etc. A professional can recommend what would work best for you and it can make a world of difference!  

Have You Ever Styled Any Famous Heads? I have styled NFL cheerleaders in the past which was so much fun!

If You Could Style Any Famous Person's Hair Who Would It Be? I think Jennifer Lopez would be a great person to style. Her hair color and style is amazing, I would love to get my hands on it! 

Caitlyn Campbell

Style of Man

4448 Main Street

215-487-2820

styleofman.com

 How Long Have You Been Styling Hair? I've been a hairdresser for nine years.

How Long Have You Worked At Your Salon? I've been at Style of Man for eight years. The salon is getting close to celebrating 30 years in business!

What Do You Love Most About Working At Your Salon? I love the freedom we have to really work with our clients to find exactly what works for them. Nothing beats seeing someone surprised at how great a good haircut can make you look and feel! 

What Do You Specialize In? We all have been trained to really personalize styles to fit the guys and what would look best on them as well as suit their personalities and lifestyles. 

What Is Your Favorite Product To Use? My favorite product it Redken firm grasp. It’s a pretty versatile product that works with all lengths of hair. It's a Matte finish and has the ability to really show the different textures of a style. 

What Is Your Best Pro Tip? Find a stylist who isn't afraid to try new things and that you feel comfortable communicating with. And get a haircut more often!

Have You Ever Styled Any Famous Heads? There's been a good amount of famous men that have been through our locations. Bradley Cooper, Jeffery Lawry, Colin Farrell, Gavin Rossdale, Brent Celek, Todd Harremens and Vince Lattanzio.

If You Could Style Any Famous Person's Hair Who Would It Be? I'm going to go with David Beckham. A lot of guys bring in pictures of his various haircuts and I would like to be able to say, "No problem, I created that style for David!"

Lauren Negron

Salon L'Etoile & Spa

4360 Main Street

215-483-2500

salonletoile.com

 How Long Have You Been Styling Hair?  I've been in the beauty industry since I was 15 years old.  After high school, I enrolled in Landsdale School of Cosmetology and graduated in 2007. I then became a full time stylist in 2008. 

How Long Have You Worked At Your Salon? I started at Salon L'Etoile in 2011 and have been there ever since!

What Do You Love Most About Working At Your Salon? I really love the environment that I work in, from my co-workers to our clients to the community of Manayunk. 

What Do You Specialize In?  Creating very unique and individualized looks for my clients. From balayage to extension services, I love helping my clients achieve a look that inspires them and makes them feel confident about the way they look. Specifically I specialize in balayage, maintenance colors, Hot Heads hair extensions, Great Lengths hair extensions, and women’s and men’s haircutting.

What Is Your Favorite Product To Use? Maximista by Oribe. I love how it keeps the hair looking and feeling soft while adding volume.

What Is Your Best Pro Tip? If you want the look, invest in the quality and time it takes to get your hair how you want.

Have You Ever Styled Any Famous Heads? We at Salon L'Etoile & Spa are the official salon of the 76ers Dream Team, and have a lot of local "celebrities" visit the salon often.

If You Could Style Any Famous Person's Hair Who Would It Be? J Lo.

Randi DiCicco

Beans Beauty

4405 Main Street

215-487-3333

beansbeauty.com

 How Long Have You Been Styling Hair? Over 30 years!

How Long Have You Worked At Your Salon? 15 years!

What Do You Love Most About Working At Your Salon? Along with Robert, who is also a 15 year veteran, the staff at Beans has decades of experience in the beauty industry and really knows their stuff. We have an enormous inventory of products and tools to satisfy today's informed customers. We also have relationships with many companies that enable us to have access to lots of education and innovative techniques. Finally, along with our clients, I love the relaxing atmosphere of our salon.

What Do You Specialize In? I specialize in hair color and cutting and have been recognized for each, including “Best of Philly” for natural hair color. My experience has given me an eye to identify subtle changes that can be made with someone’s color. I love to take them from a shade that may not be right for them to something that is exceptional. My passion is tweaking highlighted hair and “shading a haircut.” This means using hair color to take the look to the next level. I combine shades of light and dark to enhance the shape. Our salon is also Deva / Ouidad certified, which enables us to offer a special technique for cutting and styling curly or textured hair. My co-worker Andrea is the “curl whisperer”. She is a master craftsman of curl and her attention to detail is infectious. She brings a passion and integrity to all her clients.

What Is Your Favorite Product To Use? My favorite product is the Wella International hair color that we use in our salon. It affords us such freedom to achieve and address all our clients’ needs. One product, Color Touch, is wonderful for covering gray and adding dimension to the hair without fading and degrading it like other color brands. Their products are always a step ahead of any new trend that comes along.

What Is Your Best Pro Tip? The best way to style your own hair:

1. Use a microfiber towel to absorb the moisture.
2. Apply your favorite styling product.
3. Mold your hair into the desired finished style.
4. Air dry for a few minutes.
5. Blow dry and style with an ionic blow dryer, a great brush, and phenomenal products. Don't be afraid to use your best tool…your fingers.

Have You Ever Styled Any Famous Heads?  I have done some local news people and a few singer songwriters, but I think of all my clients as celebrities.

If You Could Style Any Famous Person's Hair Who Would It Be? Jennifer Aniston because of her beautiful color, Jennifer Lawrence because she is not afraid to make a dramatic change, and maybe just for fun, Kelly Osborn for her edgy look.

Su-Shan Lai

Starshine Salon

4456 Main Street

215-483-8180

starshinephilly.com

How Long Have You Been Styling Hair? I've been a licensed cosmetologist since 2000, but my grandmother had me applying her perms since I was 14 and I starting being hired as a make-up artist at 16.  

How Long Have You Worked At Your Salon? Since I opened it in December of 2012!

What Do You Love Most About Working At Your Salon? I equally love being my own boss, catching up with current clients and meeting new people.

What Do You Specialize In? Makeovers and hair coloring!

What Is Your Favorite Product To Use? This can be an ever changing answer, but right now Flex Shaping Hairspray by Living Proof. It keeps the hair touchable and smells like vanilla instead of hairspray.

What Is Your Best Pro Tip?  Use a heat protectant if you put hot tools to your hair and apply a little hairspray to your hair before curling, (but make sure it's dry in your hair before you curl).

Have You Ever Styled Any Famous Heads? Yes. Which you might hear about if it organically comes up in conversation from a tale of my three years styling in LA, but never for the sake of name dropping.  

If You Could Style Any Famous Person's Hair Who Would It Be? That's a tough one, there are so many people I find interesting...it would be Bjork because I believe she's someone with whom creative collaboration and experimentation could happen.

Kim Taglienti

Art + Science Salon & Spa

4259 Main Street

215-482-2242

artplusscience.com

 How Long Have You Been Styling Hair? I've been styling hair since 2002, so for 13 years, but as a team we have over 75 years of combined experience. We have an amazingly talented team. Follow me and the salon on Instagram to see our work @tagyourhair and @artplusscience!

How Long Have You Worked At Your Salon? I've been working at Art + Science since May of 2005, so for 10 years now! 

What Do You Love Most About Working At Your Salon? I love working here because we truly have an amazing team, who work very well together. I love all of the Aveda products, from our color line, which is up to 99% naturally derived, to our shampoos and conditioners, to our styling products. I also love what both our salon and Aveda stand for; they are both green companies that care about the environment and the world around us. 

What Do You Specialize In? I specialize in women's hair and I love doing all types of cuts, colors & styling. 

What Is Your Favorite Product To Use? My favorite product to use is our control force hair spray. When styling hair, I love that I can use the spray and control the hold by how much I use, it can go from a light to strong hold, depending on how much I layer it. It also has a 24 hour humidity defense, which is great especially with summer coming up! 

What Is Your Best Pro Tip? My best pro tip is how to curl your hair, giving it a nice beachy wave: Curl your hair with a 1" curling rod, in horizontal rows starting from the nap of your neck going up. Each row, you want to alternate the direction you curl your hair. After you're finished, flip your head upside down & rake your fingers through your hair to break it up. Finish with the Aveda control force hairspray to get an all night hold! 

Have You Ever Styled Any Famous Heads? At the salon we have a few clients who are local celebrity newscasters, so it’s fun to see our work on television!

If You Could Style Any Famous Person's Hair Who Would It Be? I would choose Jessica Biel. She always has beautiful hair and is on top of all hair color, cut and style trends.  

Jacqueline Doucette 

Ground Zero Main Street

4151 Main Street

215-930-0394

groundzerosalons.com

 How Long Have You Been Styling Hair? I have been a licensed cosmetologist since 2007. This summer will be 8 years. Our staff combined has around 70 years of experience!

How Long Have You Worked At Your Salon? I have been at this location for almost five years. 

What Do You Love Most About Working At Your Salon? I love our location! We have such a great big window right on Main Street. We have a really great staff as well. We all work together so well and really vibe and inspire each other every day! We have the best job in the world!

What Do You Specialize In? I specialize in formal styles and cutting. I also love color! We all really love color. It's where we get to be the most creative. Then to tie it all in with a great specialized cut to match, doesn't get much better!

What Is Your Favorite Product To Use? My favorite product right now is Aquage sea salt spray. I have very curly hair and with the summer approaching I love embracing everyone's natural texture. It's also great for women who have not much body going on to fake it! The perfect spray for laid back summer days!

What Is Your Best Pro Tip? A couple girls in our salon use this tip. It's truly amazing. After washing, use a cotton t-shirt to dry your hair instead of a towel. It's absorbent and gentler. It helps calm frizz and prevent breakage! Your hair just becomes healthier and shiny over time!

Have You Ever Styled Any Famous Heads? I have cut two famous athletes actually! Brent Celek from the Eagles and J.J. Redick from the Clippers! It was pretty hilarious because I had no idea who they were until half way through their haircut. I'm also only 5'4" so they both had at least a foot on me! They had to scrunch down in their seats!

If You Could Style Any Famous Person's Hair Who Would It Be? I would love to style Rihanna's hair! She has a fun sexy style and she seems willing to do anything! I feel like she would sit down and say, "do anything!" which is always a stylists favorite I think! You should trust us to know what's best to be the best you.