Make Me Fab Mondays: Wishing for “dryer” days

Hey Divas,

If you’ve lived in Atlanta within the past few years, you know how unreliable the weather has been. Cold when it should be hot. Hot when it should be cold. Wet when it should be dry; etc, etc. I mean, it’s has been so unpredictable lately, that even Miss Cleo would be stumped at giving an accurate forecast. 😀 So the other day I received a last minute invite to an event, on what had to be one of the wettest days Atlanta has seen since the great flood. 😛 and I got caught in the downpour… without an umbrella to cover my head. So needless to say my hair was a complete and utter mess! And not the kind of mess that a can be remedied by a wide tooth comb and a scrunchy either. No ma’am! This was gonna take some real “hocus-pocus” to repair. It needed to be styled ASAP, and there simply was no time to do the “salon scheduling two-step” with the local salon to get an appointment four or more days out. That simply WOULD NOT do. I know you’re thinking, “There can’t be a happy ending to this fairy-tale, right?” Well, fear not my lovelies. I will tell you how I discovered a place where “magic and martinis” aren’t the only things being served on the menu. 😀

A little while back I attended the grand opening of Drybar in Buckhead where I met one of the fabulous stylists there named Hilairy Munley. I’ll get back to Ms. Hilairy (aka the Houdini of Hair, and bka the Copperfield of Coiffure) a little later. 😀 Drybar is a uber-chic salon that specializes in blowout hair styles. Yep, blowouts! No cuts. No color. Just Blowouts. Oh, and they serve drinks there too. What a fabulous concept, right!? I mean, how many times have you been to the salon and wished you were somewhere sipping on a Mimosa? Well at the Drybar you can do just that. See, you can have a glass of wine, a mimosa, some champagne, and get your hair blow dryed in a variety of styles named after cocktail drinks. That’s right… “cocktail” inspired styles that are just as dee-lish as they are fabulous!

 

Alli Webb, founder and “blow dry maven” of Drybar, candidly talks about her ‘Ah ha’ moment that led to launching the business: “Even though I’m a licensed hair stylist, I was never able to blow my hair out exactly how I wanted it myself. I got fed up overpaying at the salon that cut my hair, and really didn’t love going to a discount chain. The “ah ha moment” for me was when I realized that if I created a fun, beautiful atmosphere but was able to charge a discounted price, it would be the best of both worlds and women would come running. And that’s exactly what happened.”

Alli, who built her reputation amongst the celebrity elite, established Drybar in Los Angeles in 2010, and has since expanded the operation to multiple locations on the West Coast such as Brentwood, Newport Beach, Pacific Palisades, San Diego, San Francisco, Studio City, West Hollywood, with future locations opening in Manhattan Beach and West Lake Village. Drybar also has many locations throughout the U.S. in cities such as Scottsdale Arizona, several locations in New York, Dallas and Plano Texas, and Atlanta Georgia.

So, upon entering Drybar, located on Paces Ferry Rd in Buckhead, I was immediately over taken by how much the ambiance felt just like a cocktail lounge. Styling chairs were set as bar stools, with iPOD docking stations and foot rails around the bar/styling area, AND there were L’Oreal and Moroccan Oil hair care products displayed on the walls behind the bar like top shelf spirits. Too Fab! These were just a few of the cues that completed the bar-like feel and decorum. And just like most bars at 6pm, the place was packed! At each station there were ladies “sipping in style” with other patrons socializing in the lobby while enjoying wine, champagne as well as other light beverages. The atmosphere was very lively and inviting, and the music set the mood for an exhilarating experience. Wow! This was by far the chicest happy hour I’ve ever been to!

After my moment of euphoria, I checked in with Drybar managers Brandy and Katerina, who asked what I would like to drink. Hey, after my bout with the Atlanta Monsoon, I was in desperate need of a hot tea. Yep. You heard me right…a simple hot green tea. See, Drybar also caters to those with non-alcohol tastes; as well they have a two drink limit.

Ok, so, hot tea in hand, I made my way over to Hilairy “Houdini” Munley  :-D, who sat me down in her styling chair as she talked about the services that Drybar offers on their “menu”. Ok, so what’s on the menu? You want your hair straight with a little bit of body (Straight Up)? How about a smooth and sleek look (Manhattan)? Or, do you prefer lots of loose curls (Cosmopolitan), or a messy/beachy look (Mai Tai), or a combination of both (Cosmo-Tai)? Maybe you wanna go for volume (Southern Comfort) or a short and sweet look (Hot Toddy). Whatever style you choose, you can be sure to look intoxicatingly fabulous! No matter how long, or how short, how thick, or how long, whether curly or straight – it’s always one flat fee of $35. And your wash is also included! And, they also offer updo stying (Up-Tini), and you can even get your little diva all dolled-up with cute curls (Shirley Temple). Fabulous!!! View Drybar’s full service menu.

After getting the skinny on their services, I made my way over to the shampoo bowl where Hilairy “Copperfield” discussed all the products that she would be using in my hair. She stated that Drybar uses all Moroccan products, from the moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and the hydrating styling cream. They can also add L’Oreal treatment to your shampoo called “Hair Shots” which are repair and rejuvenate treatments for dry, weak or color-treated hair. Also, you can include a 10-minute scalp massage during your shampoo called a “Floater”. I’ll have another round please…thanks! 😀

Now it’s time for my blow out. Hilairy ”Angel” showed me several looks that they offer from their Look Book, and explained that their preferred styling method is front-to-back blow dry styling. So, I opted for the Straight Up style with body and volume at the top…just like me! 😉  Hilairy also stated that all stylists attend additional training courses year-round so they’re well versed on various styling techniques.

 

 

She mentioned Drybar’s membership options that are designed with your budget in mind. They offer cost conscious pricing for both “regulars” and “barflies” (too cute!) who want to get the most from frequent visits. You can even set up a “bar tab” by purchasing a bunch of blowouts at once, and they will keep track of them and take them off your tab each time you come in. How cool is that!!!? And of course, if you just want to get the girls together and go “bar hopping” (that one is mine), they also have a party planner on staff to handle all your needs.

Ok, so Hilairy was almost done working her “magic” on my hair, and because of the dreadful weather outside, she used this Moroccan flexible holding spray that smelled absolutely heavenly! Now it was time for the big reveal… Ta da!!! My hair was sooo soft and silky, and just flowing!!! Love it! I was so amazed at the results! Hilairy definitely has a career as a master stylist, and/or a magician, or in the case of my hair a little bit of both! 😛

 

 

 

I had such a wonderful time at the Drybar in Buckhead with all the fab stylists that I met during my visit, such as René Flores and Seth Truett, who kept me in stitches the entire time. Thanks to the fabulous Hilairy Munley (@hilairymunley) for working her magic on my hair, and Drybar Atlanta GM Lisa Linehan (@lisalinehan) for the gracious invite. I absolutely loved loved loved my hair, and the amazing staff was so nice and “bubbly”. 😀

I’d like to propose a toast to fabulous hair…Cheers!

Call Drybar at 404.382.5310 to schedule an appointment with Hilairy, Rene’, Seth, or any of the fab stylists at Drybar, or you can book your appointment online!

Drybar is located at 102 West Paces Ferry Rd NW Suite B, Atlanta, GA 30305

And, they are open 7 days a week!
Monday – Wednesday from 8am – 7pm, Thursday – Saturday from 8am – 9pm, and Sunday from 10am – 7pm

 

Check out more haute photos from my Drybar experience.

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