Today Under The Dryer takes you on a journey to the second city to meet aesthetician extraordinaire Norma Webster, founder and managing director of Norma Webster Salon, Spa & Cosmetics, and her daughter/deputy managing director Monique Webster, at their recently opened location in Fairview Shopping Centre. The multi-talented styling duo enlisted their capable team to demonstrate the very skills and work ethics that have kept their establishment at the top of the beauty industry for 38 years.

Join us as we learn a thing or two from the ‘pros’.

Keratin-Cured

Christine Gourzong – owner, Bohios Home Furnishings and Accessories

Christine likes to keep her unruly curls under control, and tells our team that her expert stylists Norma and Monique Webster have been doing an excellent job of it for over 11 years. However, she struggled for years with various treatments and products that had little or no effect on her untamed tresses, until four months ago when Monique recommended the keratin treatment. Today she is enamored with her “cured” hair, and happily shares her haircare story with us after visiting the salon for a quick styling job ahead of her appointment.

Monique’s Vision:

“I knew the keratin treatment would be perfect for Christine so I recommended it, and she is really seeing and feeling the difference. She also enjoys the fact that it allows her the freedom to wear her hair straight or curly as it is merely a protein coating over the hair, not a relaxer.”

Christine’s take:

“My hair was always very hard to manage until four months ago when Monique recommended that I try a keratin treatment and now I love it! It’s much easier to style, more controllable, and it also dries faster when I shampoo. I can also wear my hair either straight or curly, as the treatment does not cause me to lose my curls. It’s the perfect cure.”

Her Haircare And Beauty Regimen:

“I visit the salon once a week to shampoo, style and get a mani-pedi, and my hair usually keeps the style until the next visit. Of course, if something comes up, I just pop back in for a quick fix. I also put my hair in a bun before bed.”

Her Must-haves:

“Since doing the keratin treatment, I have to stick with that line of products as they work best for my hair. So Juvexin — a keratin shampoo — and La Brasiliana Define & Shine hair gloss, which is a keratin serum, are my must-have products.”

From Clients to Cocktails

Melissa Tavares – manager, Hilton’s Pharmacy

Raven-haired Melissa loves her fabulous tresses, and has learnt over the past 20 years to put her trust in Norma Webster, who has been styling her hair since the age of seven. For her, being a client of the salon was inevitable, “because the whole family comes to Norma Webster,” she explains. She visits the salon quite regularly — every three or four months for a relax and colour, and bi-weekly for shampooing and mani-pedis. At nights she applies One ‘n’ only Argan Oil to the ends of her hair and puts it in a bun before bed. She also says she usually prefers updos, but lets her hair down at times. Today she wants a chignon, which is great for her job as well as for her evening event. Norma instantly gets to work.

Norma’s take:

“I’m giving Melissa a nice evening look for her cocktail event; it’s a chignon, but I will first blow-dry and flat-iron so it comes out smoother. She has gorgeous hair, but she also has such good bone structure that I enjoy pulling the hair away from her face sometimes to show off her beauty.”

Melissa’s Take:

“I really like this look. It’s just so elegant and professional. I don’t have to worry about the wind or the humidity… and it’s very chic for evening too.”

Her Must-haves:

“My One ‘n’ Only Argan Oil and Mizani Humidity Resistant mist — I definitely cannot live without those. There are also a few Dominican keratin products that are great for retaining moisture and preventing breakage that I really like.”

Volumes of Fun

Sonya Allen – corporate account officer, JIIC

We just love the fun, flirty curls Sonya sports, and she does too. She likes to “have fun” with her hair. Norma Webster suits her perfectly, she tells Under The Dryer, as the stylists there encourage her to try new hairstyles every so often, which of course, she loves. She visits the salon twice monthly for “the total body experience” as she puts it, and maintains her hair at home between visits. Her hair usually retains whatever style she gets, therefore, all she needs to do is set her hair nightly or allow the style to “fall nicely by itself”. Today she’s looking for volume and fun, which Norma is happy to execute.

Norma’s Take:

“Sonya is corporate but trendy. She’s not conservative at all, so this curly style suits her very well.”

Sonya’s Take:

“I love it, as usual. I can’t speak enough about how great this salon is. I’ve been coming here for almost a year now and I have never been disappointed. The service is excellent. The staff is pleasant, courteous and very knowledgeable — they also use the best products and they are well trained, because Norma has a wealth of knowledge. I get a total body experience here — eyebrow waxing, manicure and pedicure and hairstyling. You can’t beat that.”

Her Must-haves:

“Design Essentials Hairdress, Mizani Night Conditioner, My Shelley Kyle Sorella Parfum and Body Bling — all of which I get here, so the experience doesn’t end here, it follows me home (laughs).”

‘Sleeked’ ‘N Streaked

Dominique Peterkin – director of sales, The Palmyra

“Norma Webster is the best! I have tried others and the results are just never the same. I always find myself back in here the next day ashamed and asking Monique to fix my hair,” Dominique quips as if on cue. We reckon, of course, that there must be a good reason, or quite a few, for her being a client for 16 years, and she was happy to share them with our team.

Monique’s Take:

“Dominique is one of our most faithful clients; she has been coming here twice per week for years, and we know exactly how to cater to her needs. She visits us for routine treatments, and since she is in the hotel industry, for special seasons like Christmas or New Year’s she books her appointments a month in advance.”

Dominique’s Take:

“My working environment is very corporate, but edgy, so I need to be on my A-game at all times. I usually wear my hair like this (straight) because I like to keep the look very polished and professional, so I get it flat-ironed and I recently tried the keratin treatment, which is good. I like that Norma’s is a one-stop for me, as I get my nails done while I’m doing my hair. They’re very quick, skilful and they get me out of here in exactly an hour.”

Her Haircare Regimen:

“I come to the salon twice weekly to get my hair shampooed and flat-ironed, and I practise ‘over-brushing’ religiously at nights before bed — it’s a Silvera family tradition where we hang our head down and brush our hair into an upside-down bun at the crown. It adds volume and keeps your hair dead-straight, that’s my haircare secret.”

Her Must-haves:

“The Brazilian hair treatment, La Brasiliana shampoo and the Redken line of products, which works very well with my hair type. Also lotion and lipgloss… I can’t do without those things.”

New Year, New ‘Do

Ywanada Nelson-Watkin – receptionist/supervisor, Norma Webster Salon, Spa & Cosmetics

We all know that women in particular enjoy changing their look, especially their hairstyles at the beginning of the New Year. This is exactly the case with Ywanada who felt change beckoning and mentioned it to her boss Norma who instantly decided to transform her for 2011. Soon, she was stepping into the New Year with confidence and a brand new look to match her attitude.

Norma’s Take:

“I like it when my staff looks their best, so when Ywanada said she wanted a new look, I was happy to assist. I gave her a relax, wrap and then curled with a small flat iron to finish.”

Ywanada’s Take:

“I’ve always preferred shorter hairstyles and Mrs Webster gives me the best cuts. They not only look different from the rest, but she also focuses on my hair’s health. When I go home I don’t have to do much, because she already takes good care of my hair. I wrap it before bed and get my once-weekly shampoo and bi-weekly intensive treatment at her insistence. I also relax every six to eight weeks.”

Her Must-haves:

“The Mizani and SoftSheen Carson lines work best for my hair type; they give my hair sheen and help to keep it healthy. So I use either of those products usually.”

Straight Chic

Monique Webster – deputy managing director, Norma Webster Salon, Spa & Cosmetics

As the salon’s deputy managing director, aesthetician, and the daughter of the inimitable Norma Webster, there is no doubt that Monique must always look her best. That, of course, means a fabulous ‘do, but luckily for her, that’s a bit easy. Her hair is natural, curly and quite easy to manage, she explains. But for some time she has been sporting a straight, chic look (which Little Fockers star Jessica Alba recently got). She likes the style because it’s professional, trendy and segues from day to night. Under The Dryer shares more of her haircare secrets.

About Her Hair:

“Mom cuts my hair whenever I need to have it done. Besides that, I blow-dry and flat-iron it once per week to get that straight, sleek look and wear it curly on weekends or on my off days. I also don’t use many products because of my hair type and style, besides a good mousse and either Redken Smooth Down or Design Essentials serums. At nights I simply go to bed and my hair retains the style, luckily.”

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Bet You Didn’t Know That:

o Norma Webster Salon, Spa & Cosmetics carries the Shelley Kyle fragrance line of perfumes and scented lotions — exclusively, of course.

o As the name suggests, Norma Webster’s not only retails a selection of first-rate haircare products and cosmetics, but also carries its own line of cosmetics. A “well-kept secret for years”, according to Norma Webster herself, the brand boasts skincare products, liquid eyeliners, eyeshadows, lipsticks, photo finish foundations and even scented candles. She is now looking to expand the line and offer it on the open market, but until then, you can always pay them a visit.

Shot on location at:

Norma Webster Salon, Spa & Cosmetics

Shop #6, Fairview Shopping Centre, Alice Eldemire Drive, Montego Bay. Tel: 953-0005/953-0007,

E-mail: normawebstersalonspa@yahoo.com

URL: www.normawebstersalonspa.com