Hollywood loaned out one of its hottest stylists last month: Matrix celebrity stylist George Papanikolas took an evening off from coloring clients like Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Miranda Kerr and Minka Kelly, and took the stage for an evening of haircolor education.
Originally planned as an intimate look and learn for 40 attendees, the class sold out in less than 48 hours, prompting organizers to move to a larger venue in order to accommodate the 300-plus hairstylists wanting to attend.
InStyle, Allure and People magazines have all recognized Papanikolas as one of the country’s top colorists, and during his three-hour class, he provided fascinating demos and insights into his signature seamless, sun-kissed Balayage haircolor techniques.
He also dished on his experiences working with A-listers in L.A., New York and Dubai. In his class “Celebrity to Reality” he prepared four stunning models, and demonstrated two of his most effective celebrity techniques: the two-step Balayage and the backcomb Balayage.
For each demo, he worked with popular Matrix color products, including Light Master lightener and Colorinsider ammonia-free permanent color.
When an audience member asked him why he prefers Matrix haircolor, Papanikolas said,
In addition to color techniques, George took questions from the audience about a wide variety of business and service topics, including how to charge for various color services and the importance of social media for today’s salon professional.
“Every day I get three to five new people, who saw my work on Instagram,” Papanikolas said. “The first time I went to Dubai to do clients I didn’t know anyone, but when I got there, I was booked solid, because they had all seen my work on social media.”
While Papanikolas is a proponent of techniques that are quick and streamlined, he also stressed the importance of maintaining the artistic aspect of every color service. “It’s ok to be fast,” he said, “but don’t be mechanical. You have to really look at the hair as you’re working, consider what you’re doing. We can’t ever forget that we’re artists!”
About Matrix: MATRIX, a leading professional haircare and haircolor company in the United States, is part of L’Oreal USA’s Professional Products Division. To find out more visit Matrix.com.