A few weeks ago, the lovely people at TRiM Hair Salon invited me in for a visit to their adorable space!
Located at 3851 Main Street in Vancouver, TRiM is a sweet neighborhood shop run by some seriously amazing people. You get that feeling right upon walking in. Welcoming smiles in a bright and cozy shop, perfect for a rainy day cut and colour like I experienced! And, it’s beautifully decorated, might I add — any place with pretty plants and a brick wall is sure to catch my eye!
It’s the kind of place that has care and quality written all over it. I got that sense when I snooped their Instagram, but even more so as I met and got to know my stylist for the afternoon: Michael! As we chatted, it became obvious that the stylists at TRiM understand their importance in getting to know the client, their needs and their hair. This is incredibly important to me as — I’m sure many of you can relate — my hair is so personal to me, and the state it is in can affect my mood and day-to-day confidence. Growing up, I’ve always struggled to get on a good basis with my hair. It is frizzy and fluffy and curly in a bunch of different ways, and never, ever, in the same way. For an example of how hard it can be to manage, all of the hairdressers I’ve ever had in my life have always said these first words to me: “Oh my, your hair is so thick, so curly! You have so much of it!” Needless to say, my straightener and I are best friends. But, over the past few years I’ve started to appreciate the fullness and the curls. I’m even more comfortable with leaving it natural once in a while. This is why I’ve really learned the importance of investing in a great haircut. It’s something that’s with you for weeks, and — like I said — impacts so much more than just appearance. It’s an extension of someone’s personality and individuality.
As I sat down to discuss my hair with Michael with a hot mint tea (I can get my hair done while relaxing with my favourite tea? Hello, ultimate pamper sesh!), I got to know why TRiM says that it “was designed to feel inclusive, to make new friends, and to convey the feeling of visiting a friend’s home.” We chatted about how the salon got started and he told me how the sense of community is so valued at TRiM. There is a lot of emphasis on not only creating a welcoming experience for the client, but also the stylists. This was obvious in seeing the genuine happiness invested in everyone’s work and the flow of conversation between each stylist and client. Everyone knew everyone, as they had put in the effort to build a lasting relationship with whoever walked in the door. I’ve never had a salon experience like this, and it was so heart-warming to be a part of!
Now, onto the hair! TRiM treated me to a beautiful cut and colour. Michael made sure to learn what I do with my hair and how I maintain it. I have had my hair drastically ombréd before but I am now totally in love with more natural-looking styles. This was perfect because Michael also suggested the same; he’s more for keeping the hair easily maintainable and healthy, so that’s what we did. First, we chopped quite a bit of length. My hair was pretty long and was starting to drag me down at this point. I had gotten into a mindless routine of doing it everyday, and it no longer excited me. We then added some hints of browns and caramels; it was like a mix of subtle highlights and balayage — “whispering”, Michael called it! And, can I just say? I. Am. In. Love!!! This was the exact look I was hoping for. I was so done with the monotone blah of my hair and was in the mood for something sun-kissed. My hair is now more lively and fresh, and I feel ahead of the weather game ’cause I don’t know if Vancouver is ready for Spring yet (it’s snowed a few times since I got my hair done). I really appreciated Michael’s knowledge while doing my hair. With the amount of heat-styling I do, I love that it still feels healthy a month after my visit to TRiM — no crispy ends, woo! With the length just under my shoulders I feel that it’s more of a style now. Both messy waves and sleek styles look so much better. And, together with how the highlights catch the sunlight, I look forward to doing my hair everyday.
Now, how have I been styling my hair since getting my new ‘do? Quite simply, actually! TRiM graciously gifted me a couple of products to try with my new style at home, and they’ve both easily become staples in my routine. And, both products are cruelty free, which I really appreciate!
1.) First is the Kevin Murphy ‘Blonde Angel’ Colour Enhancing Treatment. It’s essentially a purple conditioner used to tone blonde, grey or highlighted hair. Having had my hair bleached in the past, I understand the importance of having this on hand at all times if you want your colour looking the way it did when you left the salon. Since using it, I’ve noticed how soft my hair still is given that it’s been dyed. Because of its olive oil and Brazil nut extracts, it really adds the moisture and shine back into my hair. And the tones of my highlight “whispers” (lol!) are still the same! One of my favourite parts about ‘Blonde Angel’ is the smell. Squeezing this out is the best part of my shower because I get a whiff of lavender, my absolute favourite scent. The way I’ve been using it is by applying enough to cover the dyed part of my hair after shampoo and conditioner. Even though it only needs to sit in your hair for 1 minute, I leave it on for a little longer, just until I’m ready to hop out of the shower. This way I get the most out of the product. And because I’m not blonde, I don’t need to worry about my hair turning purple, haha!
2.) After washing my hair, I move on to styling. I have a limited set of products for my hair; I like to keep it quick and simple. Since visiting TRiM, I’ve only been using the Aveda ‘Smooth Infusion’ Style-Prep Smoother apart from dry shampoo. I have a de-frizz serum, but this Aveda one has replaced it and is SO much more light-weight. It comes out in a gel-like liquid and blends to a water-like consistency; completely non-gloppy and sticky. It says it defends against humidity, and boy, I can’t wait to have this by my side come summer! As you can guess by the texture of my hair, it takes a while to style it. But, ‘Smooth Infusion’ has … well … made the process a lot smoother! I squeeze 1 pump onto my hands and rub them together, then gently run my fingers through my damp hair so as not to concentrate too much product in one area. Next, I carry on with drying — either with a blow dryer or air drying if I’m not in a hurry. Then, onto my trusty companion: my straightener. Using this pre-style treatment has actually sped up how fast my straightener smooths through my hair; whether I’m straightening or adding waves, it just glides through! When my hair was dyed in the past, my straightener would just fry it up and make gliding through a dent-y nightmare. But now, with the care Michael put into keeping it healthy and with using ‘Smooth Infusion’, doing my hair is less tedious. Using it before styling on second or third day hair also softens the strands, and voila: my hair is done in a fraction of the time! And, going back to smell, this one is just as calming as the ‘Blonde Angel’ treatment. It has crisp citrus-y notes from the organic bergamot, and a little something else, perhaps from the sandalwood essence. Both of these products smell so natural that they give me a moment of aromatherapy, taking me back to the zen head massage during my shampoo at TRiM!
And that’s about it for my current hair routine! It’s become more streamlined now that I have a fresh, new look. I’m feeling more light and wild with the shorter cut, and the radiant tones have me ready for Spring. If you want to see the BTS of my visit to TRiM, peep the highlights called ‘New Hair’ on my Instagram here. And be sure to check out the amazing work they’re doing over at TRiM here. Who knows, maybe you’ll be inspired to make a little visit of your own?
