Sexy Science: Embrace Your Inner "Hair Nerd"

Wella World Studio in New York City offers a long list of unique classes for continuing education, including Color Correction, Color Essentials, and one of our favorites: Sexy Science. 

Sexy Science dives deep into the latest explanations concerning the structure and chemistry of hair, while exploring the theory of color and contemporary color. American Salon’s own Executive Editor, Andrea Dawn Clark and I were lucky enough to pop into a Sexy Science class and we weren’t the only ones shocked by the hair wizardry. 

Dena Gardella (back) and Jenna DeCarlo rinse out their color to see how the formula reacts on different hair types. 

After two jam-packed days of testing color on different hair types, an interactive class discussing all things hair related, and learning that Sweet’N Low doesn’t actually stop the burning after color application (we were shocked too), long-time hairstylist Dena Gardella said, “I’ve been to a ton of color classes, and this is easily the best one I’ve been to. It’s so different.” 

What exactly sets it apart? Lynette Tatum, Wella Studios Signature Artist and Sexy Science instructor, said the class is designed for the hair nerds. But don’t take offense to that terminology—If you ever find yourself wondering why Caucasian hair reacts differently than Asian hair, or how hair color removes the hair’s F-layer and why you need to replenish it, this class is for you. 

Lynette Tatum compares Asian, Caucasian and African American hair swatches to see how much they lifted. 

Though Sexy Science doesn’t provide any formal certification—except an awesome frame-worthy document—Tatum says it makes hairstylists more well-rounded. “Our goal is to explain why you’re doing what you’re doing, so if a client asks a question in the middle of a color process, you’re armed and ready with the explanation.” The class not only gives stylists a better understanding of hair, but it leads to a higher level of confidence in what they do and allows them make better choices in the salon. 

For more information on Wella World Studio and class offerings, visit www.wellaed.com

About: For over 130 years, Wella has been delivering innovations and services that enable hairdressers’ creativity. The company’s story begins in 19th century Germany, with the vision and passion of one hairdresser, Franz Stroher. More information is available at www.wella.com.