NewburyportNews.com, Newburyport, MA

Focus

April 15, 2008

Local salons focus on latest look, techniques

NEWBURYPORT— From airbrushed makeup to hair and even eyelash extensions, local salons are adding new services to their already extensive menus in order to fill every client's needs.

At Interlocks Salon and Day Spa, techniques like thermal hair straightening, marine-based pedicures and lash extensions are just some of the trends spa director Jana Jacobs is seeing clients want.

"We stay on top of trends and go to shows for hair, skin, spa and receive a lot of industry publications," she said, noting Interlocks will celebrate its 20th anniversary in October. "Education for all of our stylists helps us stay ahead of the trends and come back with new techniques."

Interlocks hopes to provide one-stop shopping as women get ready for the warmer months with seasonal pedicures, sunless tanning applications and the latest makeup colors available.

Thermal straightening, the newest service gaining in popularity, gives women with curly or frizzy hair smooth and straight locks that last for weeks.

"If you have curly or frizzy hair and in the spring months your hair goes crazy, it's something really nice," Jacobs said. "It changes your life."

Interlocks hair stylists are also seeing women asking for haircuts similar to former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham.

At Tish Hair Studio and Pamper Parlor, stylist Julie Duffer is bringing a bit of Hollywood glamour to Pleasant Street.

"I will always have my foot in the door in Hollywood," Duffer said, noting she traveled to Sundance Film Festival this winter to coif celebs. "But my main base right now is planting my roots and being someplace stable, and Newburyport is the best place for that."

Duffer is one of the newest stylists to join Tish studio, offering haircuts, color and makeup to men and women of Newburyport. Duffer hopes to bring a little bit of A-list style to the city by bringing fresh and new ideas to the salon as well as airbrush makeup applications that she thinks Port women will love.

"My favorite thing is when people sit down and don't know what to do with their hair," Duffer said. "I guarantee my work, and it never offends me if you want changes or something different. You're the one wearing your hair, not me. I will put people on hair diets and regimens too. I want my clients to look the best they possibly can; that's the biggest reward for me."

The Andover native and eight-year veteran of the industry left for Hollywood after finishing school at Essex Agricultural Institute and Complexions International in Toronto, Canada.

Working on celebs such as Harvey Keitel, Ricki Lake, Billy Baldwin and Laura Graham, Duffer once traveled to India to work on an independent film but retired about a year ago after a heart defect forced her home for surgery.

"Doing hair in Hollywood and here is the same," Duffer said. "When you are comfortable and you know what you're doing, it's the same job either way, and the people who have come into this salon have been wonderful."

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