Paris Beauty: Hair That Speaks to You in Paris

For decades, Parisian woman have been branded with the iconic image of being poised, well styled and groomed. Whether this cliché rings true or has been fiercely exaggerated, the fact remains that Paris beauty and fashion have earned their authority. Following closely in the footsteps of these celebrated industries is hair care, and finding a salon in the City of Light is no easy feat. Looking chicly parisienne is not as effortless as it may seem. But I guess we all sort of knew that.
In a city where attention to one’s appearance is almost a cultural expectation, naturally the offerings of coiffeurs are endless. Desperately seeking personality and wanting to avoid language barriers, or worse, cultural differences when discussing hair, I decided to think outside the French box and see what else the city had to offer.

Style Pixie—an English salon located in the Fabrique art gallery in the up-and-coming Ivry-sur-Seine, just outside Paris—offers just what an Anglo like myself had been looking for all these years in Paris: precision, comprehension of thick hair, excellent service, charisma and competitive innovation that could rival both London and New York.
Owner Victoria Nelson, whose credits boast over 25 years of experience worldwide, opened the doors of her Parisian salon—with its jaunty turquoise walls and metallic silver accents—five years ago, and it has been the best-kept secret for the Anglo community in Paris. Well, not for long. Style Pixie is a full-service beauty salon that specializes in high-quality hair care and offers depilatory services as well as nail care.

To celebrate the success of the flourishing salon, Style Pixie hosted “Illuminata,” a hair/fashion show boasting the innovation of its renowned stylists. The show took us on a journey of four personalities expressed through elaborate hair design, opening with “Dior Fun,” a modern-day take on the refined Jackie O. image. This Jackie may have been demure in her tea-length dress and cardigan, but her highlighted, candy-pink tousled chignon, detailed with Hollywood’s darling braid du jour, the fishtail, suggested that the next phase of simple elegance is perhaps not so simple.

“Whimsy” conveyed life as art through towering hair, exaggerated buns with flashes of colors in hues of electric blue that complemented the models’ structural and conceptual ready-to-wear. “Nature” brought out Style Pixie’s carnal side, with animal-print hair in bold colors. The show closed with “Happening,” a modern-day, swinging London look with a nod to the iconic Vidal Sassoon bob in a bold cherry red. A spirited model revved up the crowd with his razored cerulean blue cut, and his contagious joie de vivre got the crowd wiggling along as he turned the show into an impromptu dance party.

“Illuminata” was original, contemporary yet classic, and left us showgoers enchanted with the magic that is Style Pixie. Finding the right stylist is a personal and, at times, difficult decision, especially in a city that is saturated with choices promising that coveted Parisian beauty. What makes Style Pixie stand out from the others, aside from quality and innovation, is that it offers personality. Book your appointment to find out how you can express yourself through your hair.

Related Link
Style Pixie Salon
Lisa Czarina chronicles her adventures of love and dating in the City of Light on her blog.
Editor’s note: Have you downloaded any of our walking trips yet? We have three new trips on offer, and the canal Saint-Martin area is just one of them.