Color Me Pretty – Nelson Chan: Hair Color Master Craftsman

“What can I do for you?”

Those were the first words out of Nelson Chan’s mouth when I sat down for a consultation with the celebrity hair colorist at the Esetica Salon in Beverly Hills. His sincere interest in my wants and needs nearly brought me to tears. Over twenty-four hours, I had endured my fortieth birthday, had a huge blow-out with my boyfriend, and been in a car accident. I really didn’t need someone messing with my hair color, but I was more than ready for a big change — as long as it looked good.

I am intimidated by the “pretty people” who shop and have their hair done in Beverly Hills. Everyone always looks so beautiful and put-together in their designer clothes, but Esetica isn’t an ordinary Beverly Hills hair salon. The atmosphere is elegant and low-key — a perfect fit, as I was soon to learn, for Nelson Chan’s personality. Esetica looks like industrial loft with hardwood floors, modern art on the walls, an old-fashioned tin ceiling, and big comfy brown leather chairs.

Nelson listened patiently as I told him about my hair likes and dislikes. He told me he was an accurate and quick judge of character, and I wondered what he had decided about me as he got to work — mixing the chemicals he would use on my hair in a stainless steel bowl like a celebrity chef on Food Network Television.

Then with the assurance of a master craftsman, and an artist’s eye for detail, Nelson got to work on my hair. As he worked, I asked him about the latest trends in hair color. “For Fall/Winter 2006, the look is bold.” Nelson said. “Hair color right now is being influenced by the look of the 70s with bold one-color tones.”

An artist by nature, Nelson received his trained at the Umberto Salon, and his work experience includes work in Los Angeles and New York. His able assistant, Darlene, told me its not unusual for Nelson to have as many as five clients in various stages of the hair color process in the salon at any given time. While I was there, Nelson was in perpetual motion, overseeing the finishing touches on a variety of hair color looks, including one woman who had flown in from Arizona just to have him color her hair.

“Nelson is an innovator,” Darlene told me. “He is constantly experimenting with new techniques and new products.” Nelson’s celebrity clients include Heather Graham, Alicia Silverstone, and Sarah Michelle Geller. On the cutting edge with the latest trends in hair color, its no wonder that celebrities seek him out.

Both women and men seek Nelson’s services. “Women want drama and bold color,” Nelson said. “Men just want their hair color to look as natural as possible.”

Nelson revamped my home-processed hair color in three-steps: a base color to cover my grey hairs, then he applied dramatic low-lights to my wet hair, and finished with a gloss to add shine. In the end, I went from a Suzanne Sommers brassy blond to a mocha frappucino-colored Sarah Jessica Parker dark blonde.

I looked and felt delicious as I breezed past the people having a late lunch at the outdoor café at the corner of Brighton Way and Camden. It didn’ matter that I was wearing shoes from Target — I had great hair. Nelson Chan made me feel like a million bucks!

Check out more about celebrity hair colorist Nelson Chan at http://www.nelsonchanonline.com. Esetica Salon is located at 9635 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills (310) 274-1553.