“Success is a journey, not a destination”
by Dessie Bey
The ambiance in the reception area sets you at ease; a Charles Bibbs painting adorns the reception room wall. You recognize the culture of beauty that you will become in your own way.
Women psych themselves up for an appointment at the salon. We walk in knowing that we’re suspended in time and patiently wait. “Time waits for no one” but everything is on hold when a woman props herself in the chair of her stylist and lets him/her work magic. If you’re lucky enough to get on the books of Anthony Jefferson you count it a blessing.
Mark Anthony Hair Salon Inc. opened in 1998 and Owner/Operator Anthony Jefferson can boast of 25 years professional experience in the business. His résumé illuminates a history of service under premiere establishments: Pittsburgh Beauty Academy, primary barber instructor; stylist at Bobby J’s, Pro Hair Designs and Premadonna’s Hair Salon. Anthony obtained his barber and teacher’s license from the Pittsburgh Beauty Academy and was privately trained by Framesi International, the nation’s leading hair color company. He conducts professional photo shoots with nationally known photographers and his styles have been placed in national magazines. He travels the country teaching advanced color and cutting techniques. In 2006, he was inducted as a platform artist on the Framesi Italian Styles cutting team. The Mark Anthony Hair Salon team consists of four Hair Care Specialists: Tee, Angel, Char (who just signed on as a Framesi educator) and his wife Karmyn who is also a Framesi International Educator, a certified weave technician, and outstanding artistic hair designer, plus Shayla, an “on-call” esthetician. Talented, enthusiastic apprentices buzz around the salon to assist the stylists. It’s obvious they appreciate the opportunity to be trained by the cream of the crop.
“I love my hair.” How often do you hear women say that, Black women in particular, but these are indeed the sentiments of clientele of Mark Anthony Hair Salon. Straight, curly, long, short, braids, kinky twist, dreadlocks, the Mark Anthony team revels in healthy hair. When asked how “natural hair” is affecting his business, Anthony exclaimed, “What is natural hair?” While Stroking a clients draping, shoulder length, elongated curls, “This is natural hair.” I clarified that I was talking about the bush. “Business actually picked-up, hair still needs to be maintained, because you wear an afro doesn’t mean your hair doesn’t need maintenance.” A client chimed in “I come here faithfully to get my bush groomed” while another says “I can do that at home, I only need Mark Anthony expertise for the straight and curly look.” Yet another client testified of restoration of hair growth via Framesi products. “After trying to maintain dreads, my hair was so stressed it broke off and just stopped growing, I’m talking bald. I purchased the products with a bit of doubt but after about three applications I noticed a little peach fuzz, after continued applications, here you have it” as she ran her fingers through her hair. Mark Anthony Salon is tagged as ‘a chemical free salon.’ “Clients created the term ‘chemical free’ meaning ‘lye free’ absence of harsh chemicals,” Anthony says, “products that maintain the hair have certain balancing chemicals. We’ve evolved beyond the lye-based perms. We’ve actually gone back to the straightening comb, but it’s the pre-treatment that allows the hair to hold and keeps it from ‘going back’ so to speak. We understand that scalp treatment, shampoo and conditioning play an integral role in the cultivation of hair.”
“The ladder of success in never ending, as soon as you reach a goal, you set another.” With that said Anthony attributes his success to a team of stylist who evolve with trends and share their expertise; who are perfectionists and committed to their career; but says communication with clientele is the key. Your first appointment is a free consultation, from that moment on you’re in the Mark Anthony hair care system and you’re updated every appointment thereafter. History does predict the future, even with hair, “we have to know how a client’s hair has been treated in the past before we began our treatment, we have to make sure we use compatible products until the hair transforms to the clients desirable texture”.
‘Beauty is within, we bring it out’ is the motto for the salon. To let your beauty shine visit Mark Anthony Hair Salon, 209 South Craig Street, Pittsburgh (Oakland) 15213. Website: http://www.markanthonyhair.com/, or call 412-682-3670 for an appointment. Mark Anthony Salon prices vary but basically range from a $60 shampoo/set to $400 (and above) for a human hair sew-in weave.
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