By Stevie Wilson
One of the perks of writing beauty is that I get to try out lots of different products and services. Some days I come out feeling like a winner””others I get in my car and wonder what the heck was I thinking! Recently after a hair color treatment that had sadly taken my blonde hair from sun kissed to Sunkist Orange (ok, so I exaggerate a bit), I had been desperate to get my hair color straightened out and everything I tried wasn’t working so well””that is until I ran across Chop Chop, a unique hair salon and gallery at 830 N. La Brea Ave, LA (between Melrose and Santa Monica) 323.464.8100. The philosophy of this salon is “two parts hair salon, one part gallery, zero parts pretense”. You are in for a treat!
An amazing salon hides behind a benign façade and the moment you walk in, you can feel the difference. The space is different: high ceilings, wooden floors mixed with stone and some very interesting art work on the walls (hence the “gallery” in its name).
The salon is deceptively small because it seems much larger. It’s almost a Zen-like approach and everything is done to keep the client comfortable””including a wall-mounted TV so that you can watch videos. Even the stations are done in wood””no plastic or Formica in sight. It’s a different kind of ambiance and it’s very relaxing.
Darin Birchler, a stylist for more than 18 years (he doesn’t look that old!) has a distinct aesthete that’s visible within the salon configuration and art-work as well as his styling technique. Every stylist and colorist on staff follows this same approach: chat with the client, ask about lifestyle, their hair and what they want from their hairstyle.
I wound up seeing Joann Rodriguez for a color adjustment and not only did she notice the “overly warm” tweak to my hair but she caught the sections that had broken too. After a lengthy consult, Joann suggested breaking up the highlights with both warm and cool colors while touching up the roots. She used so many foils on my head that I looked like Tina Turner in “Mad Max and the Thunderdome! It was a time-consuming process (block out your time wisely. Don’t book any “must-see” appointments that day) but after I was washed out, my hair looked phenomenal!! Color was gorgeous ““and still is””a soft caramel and sandy blonde with lots of streaks that are subtle yet gleaming. Amazing!!
Darin didn’t have time to cut my hair but came over and played with the texture (lots of long curls) and suggested I return for a very specific cut where he would shorten the layers at the bottom to layers to make the curls spring up better. He’s not afraid of curly hair and that’s a rarity amongst stylists. (most haven’t a clue how to cut or dry curly hair)
I am definitely going to go back to experience the “magic” of Darin’s cuts. He and his staff did some amazing styles during the 2 ½ hours I was there for my color. It would be a wise recommendation to go in for a consultation prior to booking an appointment to get a ball-park idea on what can ““or can’t””be done, the time frame and the price. It’s not inexpensive but when you realize that your hair is gorgeous (and so are you) and you are getting compliments left and right, darlin’ you are so worth it!
Check out Chop Chop on the web at www.chopchopsalon.com
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