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| Most of us have thought about coloring our hair at some point. Perhaps we want to transform our mousy brown locks into golden tresses. Maybe we want to return our gray strands to their original hue. Or perhaps we just want a little something extra to add life to our natural hair color. If you have ever tried to color your hair yourself, you know how tricky it can be. The process is a messy one, and the result can be something you neither expected nor wanted. As an American Board Certified Haircolorist with nearly 40 years of experience under her belt, Nancy Vinger says she can help you get the hair color you want. Nancy’s first experience with hair care was in her high school’s cosmetology program in California. From there, she went to southern Florida and continued building on her experience in her salon over the next 20 years. At that point she decided to move to the Quad Cities to be closer to her sister, and she has been in business here ever since. In 2006 after months of study and practice, she took the exam to become an American Board Certified Haircolorist. “The exam lasts all day and is set to a very high standard,” she says. “Generally only 20% of the people who take the test actually pass it. I definitely think there is a need in our industry for people to hone their skills. I’d like to see more people take the exam and raise the bar a bit for the quality of hair coloring.” While Nancy provides haircuts, styling, and other services as part of her business, she says her favorite thing to do is color hair. “Hair color has been my love for probably the last 35 years,” she shares. One thing that Nancy says sets her apart from the competition is that the first appointment with her is always a consultation, which lasts about a half-hour. “I like to talk to my clients to find out what they want and to let them know what I can and can’t do,” she says. “I’m very honest with people about what can realistically be done with their hair.” The consultation covers all the bases, Nancy says, including how much work the client wants to do on her hair herself; what her lifestyle is like; and what she has had done to her hair in the past. Nancy says this is very important because treated hair will respond differently than untreated hair. Her goal for each client is healthy hair and natural-looking color. She must also consider the thickness of the strands and whether the hair is curly or straight since these things affect how the hair should be treated. After that, she and her clients discuss color options. Nancy says she will bring out swatches of color so her clients can see the color alongside their skin tone. She will discuss with them whether they want the color to “whisper,” “talk,” or “scream.” She will also talk about hair products and the importance of protecting colored hair properly. “Coloring your hair is an investment, and you need to take proper care of it at home to keep it looking good,” she states. Andrea Gullickson has been one of Nancy’s clients for 19 years. She says she would definitely recommend Nancy to anyone looking for a stylist. “She is always professional, and she really listens well to what you want to accomplish. Plus, her results are always consistent and natural-looking, which is exactly what I want.” Andrea says she also appreciates the fact that Nancy continues to educate herself about her profession even though she has so much experience. “That really says a lot about her I think.” Nancy offers several coloring options to her clients, such as single- process color, partial color, highlights, and lowlights. Single-process color covers the entire head of hair, whereas partial color is used when only a portion of the hair will be colored, such as framing the face with highlights or touching-up roots. Highlights add lighter tones to the hair, while lowlights add darker tones. Nancy also provides corrective coloring for new clients, which she says can be either a very minor or a very involved process depending on what has been done to their hair before coming to her. “Sometimes it doesn’t take much to fix, but occasionally we have to remove the old dye completely and then re-dye the hair to the correct color,” she explains. Nancy uses either permanent or demi-permanent dyes, depending on the procedure and the client’s wishes. Permanent dye is applied to the cortex of the hair, replacing the hair’s original color. This makes it perfect for covering gray hair, she says. This dye does not wash out or fade over time, so Nancy says she makes sure her clients understand that it is permanent and requires occasional maintenance such as touching-up the roots. Demi-permanent color is a glaze that is applied just below the outer surface of the hair, and fades over time. Nancy says demi-permanent color is perfect for clients who are new to having their hair colored and don’t necessarily want a permanent change. Although hair coloring makes up the majority of her business, Nancy provides other hair care services such as permanent texturing and special- occasion hairdos. Most of these services also include a relaxing shoulder massage. Protein and moisture treatments are important services she provides to keep her clients’ hair healthy and shiny, she says. “Hair is made up of mostly protein, and treating hair with chemicals removes some of the protein, which weakens the hair. Other things damage hair too, like sunlight, hot blow-dryers, and flat-irons. Replacing the lost protein keeps hair healthy and strong, which is very important when coloring hair. Many people don’t realize that the fiber of the hair needs to be in good shape in order to get good color results,” she explains. Nancy says that her favorite part of the business is making people look and feel good. “Looking good has such a big effect on a person’s mood, and I love being part of that process. I get instant gratification every half-hour or so!” she says with a laugh. You can find Nancy at On The Edge Hair Design at 1850 E. 53rd St. in Davenport. For more information on Nancy’s services, hours, or to make a consultation appointment, call 563-508-0901. You can also visit her Web site at www.nancyvingermastercolorist.com/. |
Nancy Vinger, |
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