…Or at least this one does!
Studio 1452 salon owner and master stylist Cherry Petenbrink
…Or at least this one does!
Recently, I was privileged to visit the beautiful Studio 1452 (studio1452.com) in Santa Monica, California, which also doubles as Goldwell’s and KMS California’s West Coast Academy. Cherry Petenbrink, salon manager and master stylist, warmly greeted me and immediately set to asking me what cut and color I was looking for. Being a working mom, I informed her that I wanted something easy to manage and would last for a while. And, boy, did she deliver!
The Color Bar where I watched Cherry mix my new hue.
I joined Cherry over at the spacious color-mixing bar to watch her in action. She informed me that she was going to use the new TopChic HiBlondes 12BM (beige matte) shade along with Silk Lift. “I’ll sprinkle in highlights with a hint of tone,” she smiled.
As I sat in the chair, chatting with the bubbly Cherry, I really felt like I was in Europe. This effect certainly wasn’t diminished by the fact that I had passed a hostel while walking to the salon and was gazing out at the Hotel Carmel across the street—a very Parisian-looking establishment to be sure. And besides, Santa Monica will do that to you. The city just has such a cosmopolitan feel to it—helped by the reality that, here, people actually DO walk in L.A.
After the color was applied, I relaxed and sipped some iced tea. And while I was sitting there, it suddenly dawned on me—this was the first time I didn’t mind looking at myself in a salon mirror! The spacious building (7,500 square feet!) has loads of natural lighting, from the massive storefront windows to the skylights above. Cherry related that prior to its present incarnation, the building’s ceiling was dropped and the space sectioned into numerous office rooms. It was hard to imagine, as I admired the wood beams in the ceiling and the exposed brick walls, that all of this natural beauty had been covered up.
Exposed brick, wooden beams, skylights—the senses are dazzled as you walk into Studio 1452.
Oh, and one AMAZING perk: the shiatsu massage chair. Seriously. What’s better than having your hair washed and scalp massaged while all of the tension from your neck and back is gently eased away?
Cherry gave me a supercute, multilayered ’do, employing one of the new KMS California cutting techniques. I have to say, I like being a guinea pig! I can wear it straight or curly, which is an added boon.
Me and my new 'do pose with beauty wunderkind Martin Parsons at the NCA Legends & Icons Gala.
Sadly, all good things must come to an end, as did my time with Cherry and her excellent staff. Two weeks later, however, I am still thoroughly enjoying my cut and color, finding new ways to style my choppy locks and reveling in the glam hues. Happily, these good things won’t come to an end for a good while yet! And when they do, it’s nice to know that Salon 1452 is waiting for me.
