Yoshi Performs Magic

If you’re living in Los Angeles (or planning a visit to the city anytime soon) and looking for a great salon, I highly recommend taking a trip to Yoshi Hair Studio. Located in the heart of Beverly Hills near shopping and restaurants, it’s a recent find for me this year, and after two trips to his salon, I’m totally Team Yoshi.

I knew I was going to love the salon the first time I walked in and felt the laid-back vibe. As much as I like going to nice salons, I still want to enjoy myself when I’m there, instead of feeling rushed or hurried, and I didn’t at all. Getting my hair done at Yoshi’s feels like hanging out with some fun new friends who just happen to be transforming my look at the same time. It’s a really nice way to spend a few hours.

I stopped by the second time about a month ago to get my hair cut and colored. Yoshi Hagiwara, owner and famed Los Angeles stylist, did the cut himself. Watching him work is really interesting. My hair is long and straight, so he cut off about five inches, adding in some long layers and thinning out the front pieces to give my hair more movement. As he worked, he would have me stand up so he could walk around me and see how my hair was falling on each side. It allows him to get a more precise idea of how the cut looks and make sure his work is perfect. Mission accomplished because I adore the cut he gave me. My hair has a definite style now, as opposed to just hanging there. I feel so much more hip and stylish with the new cut—always a bonus!

My color was done by Colette Hagiwara and she was great as well. She deepened my base color, even going back to warm it up some more when she wasn’t happy with the way it first came out—how often does that happen? After the rich brown base color was done, she gave me highlights using the balayage technique. Balayage is a way of sort of “flicking” the lighter color onto the hair in a way that makes the highlights look very natural, like they were done in random places by the sun. It makes the growing-out process a lot less obvious and doesn’t give you roots, so it’s my new favorite way of making my color more nuanced. I went a little more dramatic this time than I usually do with highlights, but because of the way it’s applied, it doesn’t look too harsh. It just looks like I spent a ton of time at the beach. Love it!

You can find out more info about the salon by visiting http://www.yoshihairstudio.com. To book an appointment, call (310) 285-9910.



Read more of Stacey's musings at The Daily Obsession