One of the things I love about my job is getting to know other local vendors and seeing them in action. Yesterday I got to check out the team at Kathy Evans Beauty Studio in downtown Kirkland and I’m hooked!
Kathy and I met at the Weddings in Woodinville tour last January. She impressed me with the fact that she was down to earth, friendly, and not all fussy and haughty like some of the other make-up folks I know, and I decided I wanted to get to know her better. Not all vendors are responsive to these “off hours” meet-ups, but Kathy invited me in to her studio so I could look around, meet her team and see what she does for clients.
I was lucky enough to experience the full treatment at her studio and I want to tell you about it, because it pretty much rocked. I am not one to get my hair styled and make-up done on a normal basis. Sometimes I am not one to put on make-up and style my hair at all; I don’t like to fuss over myself, it’s just not my style. Normally, walking into a high end salon is a little intimidating. But not here, folks. Kathy has created a space that is welcoming and comfortable. It’s a high end salon and you feel that when you walk in, but it’s a high end salon that you are invited to be a part of, one that you know you will walk out of feeling like you, only better.
The one thing that stayed with me from our first meeting together was when she talked to me about her clients and the experience she wants them to have. She isn’t one of those make-up artists that will pile on the make-up and make you look like someone else. If you are someone that normally wears very little make-up, you are not going to leave her salon with that stage make-up feel because that just wouldn’t be comfortable. You are going to leave looking and feeling like you, but a more dressed up version. She really listens to her clients; she interviews them as much as they interview her so she can get a feel for who they are. There’s even a questionnaire.
When I first got to the salon for my pampering, I sat down with Sandra to have my hair styled. Ummm … heaven. There is nothing better, in my opinion, than having someone do my hair. I love the scalp massage when its getting washed, I love that I am not the one fighting with the hair dryer and the flat iron and the product, and I especially love that when all is said and done, my hair looks awesome! The product she used was light and smelled great! My hair didn’t feel all stiff and “done”, I could still run my hands through it. I still looked like me, just with slightly bigger hair. Big in a good way, it looked awesome and fun and sassy – exactly the look I always TRY to achieve.
I sat down with Kathy next. I just love her. She is so easy to talk to and she genuinely loves (and is great at) what she does. She doesn’t sell any of the make-up she uses, which I like. To me this speaks to the fact that she really knows all the products out there and is going to use what works best for each individual person; she’s not limiting herself to specific brands. And because she knows it so well, she can tell you where to purchase particular items if you so wish - I loved the tinted moisturizer she used on me and am going to run out this weekend and pick some up.
The time went by quickly as we sat and chatted. Kathy is easy to talk to and easy to relax around. It was fun to sit in the chair and let her do her thing, it was easy to trust her. She helped me feel comfortable, confident and relaxed, and I frankly looked pretty awesome when all was said and done.
We had hoped to have a photographer there to document the process, but at the last minute she was unable to join us. I didn’t think to have anyone take my picture at the studio, so here is a super classy self portrait.
Thanks to Kathy and the team over at her beauty studio. What a fun afternoon! And to those of you in the greater Seattle area, the next time you have a reason to kick your look up a notch (a wedding perhaps?), I highly, highly recommend you check out the lovely ladies over at Kathy Evans Beauty Studio because they pretty much rock.
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