saloniere | 4 Mothers

I met Jason Lee on a sweltering, humid July day. My hair looked as though I had just injected my finger into an electrical outlet. In a bathtub. Not a good day to meet a superstar hairstylist.

Jason exudes cool.

Growing up the youngest of three boys, Jason’s love for art and creative expression were encouraged by his professional parents. At the age of seventeen while working as a choreographer and dancer renowned hair stylist, Sabino DiTacchio, discovered him. At the urging of DiTacchio, Jason studied the craft of hair design and with the pragmatic voice of his accountant father in his head, found a way to marry his passion and practicality with his salon, Salonière.

Jason Lee is no amateur stylist. He’s earned his stripes under the tutelage of masters like Marc Anthony, been decorated with awards from his peers in the industry and has built a loyal clientele of all ages, aptly dubbed “the cool kids”.

His clients rely not only on his skills but his eye for style, which he hones with frequent trips to New York City, his former stomping ground. He finds inspiration everywhere in the city from the architecture, to the fringe art community and the diverse neighbourhoods.

When I go to visit him at Salonière, he’s in his element talking with clients and mentoring younger stylists. The space is bright and quaint with nods to both NYC and Paris in the brick detail, the gilded mirror and the embellished fireplace. Even the name, Salonière is rooted in historical Paris where women would be invited to salons to discuss and exchange ideas about politics, literature or social events. This refuge is nothing like the McSalons that are known for pumping out the perfectly coiffed amid a cacophony of blow-dryers.

Despite, or maybe in spite, of his coolness Jason, Anthony and the entire team at Salonière are welcoming and professional. Each member of the team conveyed genuine interest in me – what a typical day is like, what are my hobbies, what movies/celebs/books do I like.

It is having a real understanding of his client that sets Jason apart. He is firm in his belief that women can wear any style, any trend, but it is in the tailoring of the style that delivers confidence and is transformative.

I asked Jason to share with our readers looking to update their hairstyle for some dos and don’ts. His advice may surprise you.

Move On From:

Chunky highlights
Angled bobs
Unkempt or inexpensive hair extensions. Extensions require a considerable amount of time and money to keep looking fresh and natural.
“Housewives” hair – too long, overly stiff and perfectly curled.
Short layers
Not taking any time for yourself. Find 5 minutes in the morning to pull your look together. You will exude more confidence and feel better about yourself. Quick tip: Sleek ponytails and polished high-buns are a busy woman’s friend!
It’s okay to cheat on your stylist and have fresh eyes give your look the once over. Stylists differ in their technique and may suggest an update.

Do More Often:

Communicate with your stylist. Bring pictures of what inspires you – it doesn’t have to be photos of hair. Bring pictures of art, architecture, celebrity style, movies, clothing, and interior design. A hair cut should never be an exact replica of something from a magazine. A good style will reflect your personality.
Remember this: lifestyle trumps face shape! Almost every haircut can be tailored to suit your face.
Be honest about your lifestyle. You can only love a cut that reflects your personality and is manageable to maintain and style.

Upcoming Trends:

Shorter bobs with bangs and texture
Bleached out colour
Baby fine highlights
Anyone, regardless of age, can pull off any trend. It’s a matter of tailoring.

Jason has appeared on E!, Slice, CTV and Entertainment Tonight Canada. His work has also been featured in the Globe and Mail. Be sure to follow Jason on Instagram, stop by Salonière (2470 Yonge Street, Toronto, 416-480-0020)

I met Jason Lee, celebrity hairstylist and owner of Salonière (and oh ya, he’s danced with Madonna!), back in July when the air was humid, hair was frizzy and nary a thought of the holidays was in anyone’s consciousness. Unless of course you were like me, and soaking in holiday preview week in architectural lofts decked out as cozy winter wonderlands.

Lured by the offer of a hair fix-up, I ended up in Jason’s chair. Within minutes my hair had beachy waves that put Gisele’s to shame. As Jason worked away we chatted about what looks would be hot for holiday parties.

Jason, aware that most women are running on all-cylinders, said that this year hair should be minimal. Sleek. Sophisticated. Easy to do.

He had me at easy to do.

Jason has shared his three go-to holiday hair picks with us today, along with some tips on how to flawlessly achieve these looks.

Tight and Right Bun

Melissa Gorga would be a fan of this look. It’s a severe look that really highlights your face so spend an extra few minutes grooming those brows and perfecting your smoky eye.

How To: Pull your hair back into a centre parted low ponytail. Anchor that ponytail with either a bungee elastic (which has hooks on either end), or an elastic that won’t tear your hair. Then, tease the ponytail and smoothen it out for added volume. Finally wrap the pony into a cool bun and anchor with bobbi pins or hair pins.

Jason’s Pro Tip: A trick that celebrity hairstylists use to create a slick look for the root area when shooting for magazines and red carpets is to simply use conditioner!! Apply a little conditioner to the centre parted area and you will instantly have a slick super fashionable style.

I’m No Soccer Mom

The neighbours will do a double take. Where’s the messy pony? The nest of tangles? The hat hiding the bedhead? Make way for Ms. Sassy pants! This look screams chic and confident, but be careful to execute correctly or else the neighbours will be wondering if you’ve neglected to wash for your hair for a month.

How To: Jennifer Lopez just wore this sultry look at the AMA’s last week. The style is done on clean blown out straight hair and then combed back with a little coconut oil! Just remember that a little goes a long way and don’t forget to warm the coconut oil in your hands before before applying to the hair. Comb the coconut oil through the hair allowing for the mid length and ends to still look dry.

Here’s lookin’ at you, Rita Hayworth:

In contrast to the first two looks, the swooping waves are undeniably feminine. A little bit retro, a lot a bit glam, but still simple and minimal these tresses are a statement. Admittedly, this one is not so easy and requires a few tools. Warm up that barrel curling iron!

How To: The most important step here is setting the hair first. Jason suggests using a 1 1/4″ curling iron to curl the hair away from the face and then anchor the hair with clips. Heating up hair and then letting it cool down holds the hairstyle much longer which is why we set the hair. Once you’ve allowed the curls to sit for 5-10 minutes, then take out the clips and brush the hair out completely. Jason uses a Mason Pearson brush for this step and then uses just his hands to place the waves into a 40’s Old Hollywood wave, hairspraying as he goes.