I came to Chanel with a vision of my dream hair. A dream for over a decade I dismissed as fantasy…read moredue to my hair type. Chanel skillfully fine-tuned my mane until that hair dream was reality.
I'd long wanted to dabble in the use of vibrant, non-natural color, and it wasn't the fear of anger and judgement from a conservative family, the controlling ex-spouse, the risk of not being taken seriously in work settings, etc., but the fear that if I were to dare to be so audacious and seize upon that dream, I'd irreparably damage my hair through bleaching. It would all fall out in clumps, and all was for naught! What I told myself as I became the friend that frequently mixed the powder and activator from Sally's and helped friends achieve their manic panic-fueled hair dreams.
In mid-November 2025, brand new to Sacramento, I went in for a pre-holiday cut and balayage, attempting to look nice in anticipation of meeting my partner's family for the first time. By a month into the new year, badly needing a cut, I looked into the profiles and portfolios of the stylists at the salon, poking at this long-buried dream. I saw Chanel's portfolio displayed an impressive number of examples with creative use of color that required dramatic lightening of clients' hair. I figured it was time to manifest this hair goal or move on, so I booked a consult with Chanel.
During the consult with Chanel, I'd explained I wanted my own take on smoky lavender hair. Yet, bc I still believed my desired end result was untenable, it hampered the ability identify what exactly it was that I wanted, until I asked if full bleaching was possible. Chanel said it was indeed possible, explaining there's no guarantee of perfection in one shot but assured me if it was not achieved in the initial appointment, that with subsequent follow-ups, the goal was obtainable.
During our appointment, Chanel was able to handle hair deemed too difficult or fragile for such an undertaking with ease. She achieved the desired results within that initial appointment. Chanel also made my personal experience of this several-hour-long endeavor more relaxed and comfortable than my average experience as a patron of Aveda salons exclusively since 2007. A distinction necessary to decrease the triggering a migraine.
In my customer experience, as someone with physical and sensorial sensitivities, my appointment was also a pleasant departure from expectations. I didn't feel dazed in an uncomfortable environment with too bright of lights, too loud of noise level between hair dryers and a dozen loud conversations occurring simultaneously, while held captive to meaningless small talk, as my head was jerked around. Everything was calm, manageable, relaxed, and pleasant. So much so I fell asleep at one point. Chanel's interactions with me were intentional. She shared her enthusiasm for local art, food, culture, and love for her family. In doing so, she shared helpful information about the area as someone that's still getting used to Sacramento.
Next day, I get a text from Chanel explaining she hadn't been able to get decent photos of her nearly day long work with my hair. The ability to properly see the lavender throughout layers of the hair in photo or film is highly dependent on diffuse lighting and it was dark out by the time we finished. So, she invited me to come in to get my hair done for free??! She did my hair up super fun and fancy. She'd also found a hair color depositing wash that helps maintain the tone and vibrancy of the lavender. I left feeling like I had magic unicorn mermaid hair.
My mother had thick, dense, fast-growing, glossy Asian hair. I was the one out of her 3 kids that did not inherit that trait. She didn't know how to style my hair making it a point of frustration and contention. Therefore, it is with an abundance of appreciation and joy that I can thank Chanel's help in re-parenting and celebrating my hair.
![Avant Garde Studio - [photo courtesy of the Davis Wiki]](https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/su3g6LtDJxdiKlmlQZU6Zw/ls.jpg)
