Luxelab Salon: A Jewel in Santa Monica

In a not so far away land, but far enough from the hair melodramatics of the Beverly Hills woman, resides the quaint yet sophisticated Luxelab Salon in Santa Monica. A plush environment without Hollywood theatrics attracts those of no-nonsense attitudes and celebrity clientele in search of designer haircuts. One would only suspect that Barbie, now retired from her film career and in her mid-30’s, accompanied by hubby Ken, would be frequent patrons of this belle-of-the-ball beauty parlor.

Upon entering this house of hair, everyone is greeted with a complimentary hair analysis and free moisturizing treatment. “Hair needs to be maintained on a daily basis,” says co-owner David Abrams, who started Luxelab with his partner Jason Lara in 2002 after recognizing the need in the market for something different, which is where Blonde-Aid comes in. After sitting in her chair and trying everything on her product shelf, Abrams and Lara decided to rescue Goldie Locks. Made with the intentions of curing the frizzies and fuzzies of damaged hair (especially for, but not exclusive to blondes), Blonde-Aid has become the salon’s number one requested treatment. The lab also offers fresh treatments from Kerastase and Bumble And Bumble.

“We weren’t in the Maserati market, we wanted to be in the Lexus market,” says Lara about why they decided to set up shop in the neighborhood-oriented LA niche. And, like affordable luxury, their menu of haircuts averages $110, lending a mass appeal to the Prada-wearing, well-educated neighbors as well as the trendy passersby. Abrams remarks that the “clientele is smaller but the level of creativity is lower in Beverly Hills.” When Barbie wants a new do, her fame does not excuse her from the appointment book. According to Lara, the salon policy has it so “when celebrities come in, we tend not to make a big deal.” Like most other salons, there are no special “celebrity rooms,” although the roster includes a certain red-headed Desperate Housewife and an A-lister that’s Legally Blonde.

Another unique process that Luxelab subscribes to is matching the customer’s savvy needs with the right artist. “We refer the proper hair dresser to the proper client,” says Lara, who exposes his stylists to an array of lifestyle development classes. It’s not unusual for the staff to have Yoga teachers, skincare specialists and finance gurus instruct them. “We try to teach young hair dressers to save for the future…a lot of times they don’t think about that,” says Lara, who also sends his staff to cities like New York to meet with vendors. Abrams and Lara are cultivating a team of hair experts that can charm any prince or princess’ mane into a fantasy hairstyle.

For more information or to book an appointment, visit www.luxelab.com

A Note On Blonde-Aid Hair Masque
When it comes to Blonde-Aid, it’s all about the Benjamin – like the pioneering inventor. Hair specialists David Abrams and Jason Lara mixed chemicals until they saw sparks of this moisturizing treatment fuse. Unlike its color-specific name, the product can be used on any shade of hair because it is free of dyeing agents. After one use, the cream left my hair feeling thick, shiny and voluminous. But for a water-based product, my hair was left surprisingly oily. The resonating smell of fragranced hair dye was a tad pungent and left after two washes. Yet somehow after one treatment, applying heat from a hairdryer and flat iron felt almost guilt free!