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A Pioneer in Hair
Design. A Visionary in Personalizing Hair Care.
She travels the globe transforming the locks of
glamour icons needing no mention of last names:
Whitney, Donatella, Iman, Naomi.
Her wizardry in revolutionary
hair design has landed her a coveted place on
Oprah, countless movie sets, and even
scored her an Emmy Award nomination. But hair
stylist Ellin LaVar will be the first to tell
anyone who asks: It doesn’t matter who you
are—the right hairstyle can transform your
look, even your life.
Ellin experienced the life-changing
power of hair design firsthand. As a child growing
up in Mount Vernon, New York, Ellin used her already
burgeoning gift with hair innovation to compensate
for a botched perm, that caused much of her hair
to fall out. The ambitious 9-year-old crafted
her own method of braiding, that seamlessly added
thickness and length. Her braids caught the attention
of several Westchester neighbors as well as her
sisters, thus a young entrepreneur was born. Ellin's
front stoop provided a platform for the beginnings
of her tiny business. By age 12, she had already
moved on to her own chair at a local salon. And
by 16, her mastery with inventive styling caught
the eye of Essence Magazine’s Susan
Taylor (who recruited Ellin to create her own
trademark look).
But her greatest achievement would
come a few years following. A technique Ellin
named “Invisible Braids” ultimately
revolutionized the weaving and hair extension
category, and changed the lives and looks of everyone
from chemotherapy patients to harried clients
who couldn’t live without the ease and convenience
of a flawless weave. Proving she’s an advocate
of doing things her own way (and that any woman
can truly do it all), Ellin used her success in
the hair business to earn a degree in psychology,
travel the world for clients, and launch her own
Upper West Side salon
for a growing clientele (after several years at
the Harold Melvin Salon in NYC, which functioned
as her '90s headquarters).
Today Ellin continues to extend
her mastery to a variety of venues. She’s
expertly manned the manes of Julia Roberts in
Knotting Hill, Stepmom, and
Runaway Bride. She created transformative
looks for everyone from Heidi Klum and Courtney
Love to Kevin Bacon and Forrest Whitaker. But
on most days, you’ll find Ellin busily overseeing
her salon,
doting on a nonstop stream of customers, or promoting
Textures™,
her newest creation, a complete line of natural
haircare products.
The Textures™
collection reflects a culmination of Ellin's decades
of experience working with textured or “challenging”
hair types. Each of the eight products - from
LiquidMotion
to the Reconstruct
Masque- directly addresses the special
needs of curly, thick, coarse, or brittle hair.
Having proven herself as the definitive authority
on textured
hair, Ellin's new line of premium
performance products delivers the highest-quality
ingredients
and professional results.
After more than 30 years in the
business, Ellin has proven it’s a personalized
approach that sets not only her contributions
in the hair world apart, but also her life. “The
industry and hair styling are always changing
with new products and trends,” says Ellin.
“But I still love sitting down with a client,
one on one, and creating a look that’s perfectly
tailored to his or her face and attitude. It’s
extraordinary to watch a client leave my salon
and know he or she feel fantastic. A great hairstyle
really can change your life.” |
