Who says you can’t be stylish at the office? Fashionistas have for many years added corporate-chic to their conservative environments and it seems fabulous hairstyles are a must. Our Under the Dryer team shed the ‘LIME’light on eleven stylish ladies at LIME.

(Photos: Bryan Cummings)

Rochelle Cameron — Legal & Regulatory Counsel

After having tried almost every hairdo — the afro, the bob, long and sleek, and mid-length layers — Rochelle realised that she prefers wearing her hair “shorter with a little edge and sexiness”, so she now enjoys a pixie cut, and has worn variations of it for the past three years. She is a self-confessed “product junkie”. “I think I have tried every hair-care line, so if anyone wants to find out what works, they can ask me,” she tells our Under the Dryer team. Lisa Hutchinson of Lisa’s salon has been her hairstylist for over seven years.

Rochelle’s take:

“Lisa is more than a hairstylist, she’s an artist. I completely trust her with my hair in the same way you would trust your doctor. Wherever she goes, I will go,” she says.

Her hair-care routine:

Rochelle visits Lisa’s every six weeks to get her hair relaxed and dyed. She treats it once monthly and shampoos once or twice weekly as needed. She also ties her hair with a silk scarf at nights, then in the mornings she works in a bit of Elucence Moisturiser and Redken Foreplay ahead of styling.

Her hair-care philosophy:

“Wrap and tie your hair at nights, it’s not about looking cute. Your hair really is your beauty, if you’re having a bad day, take an hour, go to the hairdresser and I promise you will feel productive afterwards. When a woman feels pretty, she can do anything, so always look your best… even for no other reason than passing by the mirrors in your house.”

Odette Wong — Post Sales Support Executive

When it comes to her hair, Odette is very versatile, as she believes it is good to change her look every so often. She often sportscropped ‘dos like the current asymmetrical bob because she believes these looks suit her face perfectly, and likes to “keep it in the Asian streak”. She trusts her tresses to Karen Adams of Beauty Quest Lifestyle Boutique, where she has been a customer for over five years.

Odette’s take:

“Karen is the best, she looks at you and instantly knows what style will suit your face, she recommends quality hair-care products and even calls to remind you about your appointments. She is also very accommodating, and her salon is clean and organised,” she tells our team.

Her hair-care routine:

“I get my hair relaxed every 6-7 weeks at the salon, and shampoo, treat and style with either Motions or African Pride products each week at home, but I might also go to the salon on alternate weekends, depending on how I feel. Every night I wrap it, then in the mornings I brush it down and curl the back.”

Her hair must-haves:

“I must have my shampoo and conditioner, Creme of Nature Thermal Sheen Booster Kisii leave-in conditioner, oil sheen and, of course, the curling iron.”

Suzanne Saunders — Regional Enterprise Account Manager

Suzanne is of Indian descent, so she wears her hair natural, but she sometimes opts for a mild relaxer once or twice yearly to reduce frizz and acquire a smoother finish. She describes herself as “a very basic and active individual”, and is very reserved with her hairstyles. Since she does a 10-mile run every morning, her knowledgeable stylist Lois Cowling of Magic Mirror — who has been her hairstylist for about 15 years — has become her ally.

Suzanne’s take:

“I think Lois has always been my hairdresser, she knows my hair by now and she knows how to give me a little edge without going overboard because I’m very conservative. She’s also very accommodating and professional, she sticks to her schedule and I never have to wait for long. If she says I have an 8:00 am appointment, she is right on time.”

Her hair-care routine:

“I visit the salon every Friday morning to get my hair shampooed and styled, and I treat it about twice monthly. I’m not the girly type, so I usually wear it dead-straight for the most part, and since I exercise often, I slick it back into a ponytail for work during the week. On special occasions I get it shampooed and let it down. I like my hair low-maintenance and easy to handle, that works with my hectic schedule.”

Her hair philosophy:

“I use lighter products that don’t weigh my hair down because that makes it too flat and greasy. I also accept that I’m not a hair expert, so I found a great stylist and I stuck with her. When you have a stylist who knows your hair it is a very different situation.”

Her hair must-haves:

“My African Pride Hair Oil, hair polisher and my PROstyler hair curler.”

Roselee Scott-Heron — Human Resources Business Partner

Roselee likes her hairstyle, especially as she finds it easy to maintain. She admits however, that she has been getting a bit bored with the look. Her next hairdo will be quite a drastic change — she plans to cut it all off and return to a natural, low-maintenance ‘do. “I’ve been relaxing my hair since I was 16, I need a change,” she says. A native of Mandeville, Roselee visits her hometown every weekend to get her hair done by Joan Russell of Joan’s Beauty Salon. If Joan is not available, her other hairstylist ‘Tatsie’ does the job just as well.

Roselee’s take:

“Joan is an excellent hairdresser; people from as far as Kingston travel to Mandeville to her salon, and she’s very affordable. She uses only Affirm products, is accommodating, and takes good care of my hair. The service is excellent! Tatsie is also very accommodating, and she is excellent at hair care and styling.”

Her hair-care routine:

“I get my hair relaxed every six weeks to two months and get a deep-conditioning treatment every three weeks. I also shampoo and style weekly. In the nights I wrap it, then brush and go in the mornings, and for special occasions I will use my barrel-heated curling iron to create some soft curls or flips.”

Her hair must-haves:

“I must have my Firmadil Leave-in Treatment and my hair polisher — Fantasia IC or Frizz Ease — in the mornings so I can pull my hair back into a ponytail. Everything else is from the Affirm line, because I have a very sensitive scalp.”

Jacqueline Ferguson — Corporate Communications Assistant

Jacqueline has a demanding job and a very hectic schedule, so for the most part she gets her hair done at home. She usually opts for “something easy, that I can just pull back or pin up and go, or maybe a semi-updo” because she has “no time for major styling”. She decided to keep her hair long to facilitate her lifestyle, as opposed to the cropped styles she usually wears. When she does go to the salon, she visits Yvette McPhail of Salon Dimensions, or Alicia on Lady Musgrave Road.

Her hair-care routine:

“I’m a no-fuss girl and I strongly believe in saving time, so I do my hair myself. It’s less time-consuming than spending a whole day at the hairdresser, but if it’s something complicated like relaxing or colouring I will go to a salon to get it done. I get my hair relaxed every six weeks, besides that, I shampoo at home and style it quickly with my blow-dryer and curling iron. I usually go for Creme of Nature or Garnier Fructis products, and I work in a little leave-in treatment when it’s needed.”

Her hair philosophy:

“Find a good hairstylist who understands your hair type, knows how to manage your hair well and also knows about time management, so far I haven’t found someone with all those qualities yet.” (Naturally, our Under the Dryer team suggested she liaises with her co-worker Suzanne Saunders’ hairstylist, since she mentioned that her time-management and appointment-handling skills are superb).

Her hair must-haves:

“Thermal styling gel is a must; also my flat iron, blow-dryer and coconut oil. I use it instead of hair oil because I find that it really softens my hair.”

Vennis Williamson — Regional Enterprise Account Manager

A self-professed experimentalist, Vennis says when it comes to her hair, she is always doing something new. The bob, however, has been one of her go-to styles, and she likes it so much that she has worn variations of it for the past year-and-a-half. “I like this asymmetrical bob because it’s a different twist on the style, it’s not commonplace and I like that stand-out appeal. I also think it works for me — it’s a good, standard look for work but can be dressed up for special occasions. I dyed my hair black; it’s the ‘it’ colour for the summer.” Carolene Dennis of Cutting Edge has been her hairstylist for over four years, and Vennis has a lot of confidence in her styling prowess.

Vennis’ take:

“Carolene uses high-quality products. She understands the texture of my hair and uses the products accordingly to enhance my hair and give it shine, bounce and improve its overall health. I love the way my hair looks when I leave her, the finish is always good.”

Her hair philosophy:

“I think it’s a good idea to understand your hair type and know what works for you so that you can give your hairstylist exact directions as to what you want. At the same time you can ask for guidance, but you also need to know your hair.”

Her hair-care routine:

“I relax, cut and colour every 6-8 weeks depending on the growth; right now I have a black rinse on my hair. I also shampoo weekly and get a moisture treatment every other week. I also wrap it nightly, then moisturise and flat-iron in the mornings.”

Her hair must-haves:

“It is very important to have a flat-iron and moisturiser is a must.”

Her hair-care secret:

“Eating well works, so I eat vegetables and drink lots of water. I recently heard that Vitamin E is good for hair, so I started taking the supplements. And wrap your hair every night, that’s a must.”

Yanique Forbes — Regional Product Campaign Manager

When Yanique reached a “milestone birthday” as she calls it, she decided she needed a major change, so she switched hairstylists and got a haircut, which she is now growing out. “Theresa Martin is a really good hairstylist, but I wanted a whole new me, so I decided to try Vonessa’s in Milbrook Plaza because I had heard a lot about her. I’m glad I did; I have never been happier with a haircut in my life,” she says.

Yanique’s take:

“Vonessa is a sweetheart, she gives individual attention to all her customers and she is a very good stylist, when I leave the salon, my hair feels like silk and it always looks good. It is good to have a relationship with your hairstylist, but if you have to go home and fix your hair afterwards, there is a problem.”

Her hair-care routine:

“When my hair was very short I had to get it relaxed every six weeks, now I can go every 7-8 weeks. I usually get it treated in-between those visits. In terms of shampooing, I do that at home weekly, I use Keracare Hydrating Shampoo, which Vonessa recommended and I also use the Keracare conditioner, but I mix it with either Motions or Mizani deep-conditioning treatment. I also wrap it at nights and brush and go in the mornings.”

Her hair must-haves:

“I’ve become very fond of Some of Marguerite’s Magic and the Hair Pomade from the Carol’s Daughter line. It’s fabulous! Very difficult to get a hold of though.”

Camille Taylor — Corporate Communications Manager

Three years ago, Camille realised that relaxers were not good for hair, and so she decided grow it out and return to her natural roots. The decision came at an opportune time, as she was also desperate for a new look, as well as a solution to her itchy scalp problem. Her hairstylist Marie Marsh helped her make the transition, initiated the ‘sister-locking’ process and now maintains her well-kept locks.

Camille’s take:

“Marie is very good at what she does and I trust her. I feel very confident that when I go to see her my hair will be well taken care of.”

Her hair-care routine:

“I visit Marie at least every six weeks for retightening and I shampoo every week with Suave Clarifying Shampoo, which I dilute, and I use Sister Locks Moisture Treatment to condition it. I also moisturise with Palmers Olive Oil Spray, which I also dilute. In terms of styling, I will either set it or plait it once weekly for a curly or wavy look, and I get it groomed once yearly.”

Her hair advantage:

“There are many advantages of having locks. It gives you quite a bit of freedom and flexibility; I don’t have to worry when I’m travelling and there are many styling options. I no longer have to worry about my hair when it rains or sweating the style out when I run. I save a lot on products and I have no hair time in the mornings or at nights.”

Sherie Suckrajh — Product Specialist

Sherie usually has longer hair, but says it is now at a length that is more comfortable for her and easy to maintain. She usually wears her hair down, but opts for “a bun or a ponytail on bad hair days”. Whenever she wants a change, she has her trusty hairstylist Adecia Grant of Sheitel Beauty Salon is layer it or add a bit of colour.

Her hair-care routine:

“I usually get my hair relaxed every 3-4 months, I get a deep-conditioning treatment once monthly and a shampoo every other week. My hairdresser also uses the Kisii Leave-in conditioner, which is very good. I wrap my hair at nights and comb it down in the mornings, and for special occasions I get it flat-ironed, though when it’s shampooed it’s usually styled.”

Her hair advantage:

“My hair is easy to maintain for the most part, there isn’t much for me to do besides wrap it and allow my hairdresser to maintain it for me.”

Her hair must-haves:

“My silk wrap, hairpins, brush and comb are the basics, and either Fantasia IC Hair Polisher or Garnier Fructis Hair Polisher.”

Chelsea Scott – Local Enterprise Account Manager

Chelsea is very fond of hair dyes and enjoys experimenting with bold colours like blonde, copper and red, but she is also big on “healthy hair”, so she needs a hairstylist who understands how to do both. As such, she finds that Tanecia Thompson of Images is perfect for her, and has been her client for four years.

Chelsea’s take:

“Tanecia is great; she gives good advice, recommends products and is very knowledgeable about hair care. I like that, and I also love Images because everyone there is proficient; they take good care of your hair, they find out what you like and translate it into whatever they do. They share information about their clients in the event that your stylist is not in when you show up. They also assess your hair each week and let you know what is happening. The best thing about them, though, is the Images Rewards where you get points whenever you do a service and it translates into a cash value that you can use to pay for services at another time.”

Her hair-care routine:

I relax my hair every 3-4 months depending on the growth, and every week I get a shampoo and a leave-in treatment because of the dyeing. I usually wear my hair in a chignon and my stylist combs it once weekly, so I just tie it with a silk wrap before bed and brush it in the mornings, but for special occasions I will have it styled.”

Her hair-care secret:

I’m big on water; I drink at least two litres every day and I don’t consume any sweets or sugars because they make your hair break and your skin get unruly.”

Her hair must-haves:

“Chi Silk Fusion Hair Polish, and I never go anywhere without my flat-iron, especially when I’m travelling overseas. My brush and comb is always in my handbag too.”

Karen Phillips — Head of Marketing Communications

Karen is very conservative; she wears a short-cropped do – though not by choice, she tells our Under the Dryer team. She initially had very brittle hair, and had to go with a shorter ‘do to prevent her hair breaking, but now the style has grown on her so she has decided to keep it. Though she finds short hair a bit high-maintenance in some ways, in other ways the style works for her, as it is easier to handle after she goes to the gym. She visits Renown Haircare where her hairstylist Marcia Harris or her assistant Angie does a good job of caring for her hair.

Karen’s take:

“Both of my hairstylists are very good, and the staff at the salon is personable and experienced. They are very professional and have a good work ethic, plus the atmosphere is nice. As a customer for three years I have developed a rapport with them as well as with other clients. It’s generally a good experience.”

Her hair-care routine:

“I relax every four weeks, treat at least once monthly and shampoo weekly. I brush it down and tie it at nights and apply Optimum Feather-light Hair Dress every morning before curling.”

Her hair-care secret:

“I trim my hair often and take very good care of it; I also shampoo weekly and deep-condition when necessary because I work out a lot and I curl it every day, so I need to treat it so that the rigours of those activities don’t affect my hair.”

Her hair must-haves:

“Definitely the curling iron and my hair dress.”

Hair by:

Joylyn Miller of Hair Magic Beauty Salon

2A Derrymore Road, Kingston 10

Tel: 754-6783, E-mail: joylynemiller@yahoo.com

Make-up by:

Jeneva Whorms & Kishawn Daley of Urban Beauty

Shop # 13, Village Plaza, 24 Constant Spring Road, Kingston 10. Tel: 968-0506 or Suites 1 and 2, Eden Gardens, 39 Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston 5. Tel: 978-7745