Before you visit Colors and Peach for the first time, there’s little doubt that you’ll be intimidated. The highlighted content creators, local influencers, and the meticulously managed Instagram feed are enough to give it expensive luxury vibes without trying too hard.
Coming from a traditional conservative household didn’t help either as this would be my first time doing something radical with my hair, especially with an unusual hue. I tried coloring the ends of my hair, which worked out OK because I knew I could always cut it off, but dyeing the majority of my hair seemed… permanent.
That is a term that I dislike as well. There seems to be no way out, and I loathe not having control over the things I can. Perhaps, this is a normal response when you’re in your early 20s when everything isn’t the ideal world you visualized upon finishing college and you’re slowly trying to fill in the gaps of not knowing where to go next. But enough about me; the first thing that came to mind when I walked inside the salon was its pleasant ambiance: the excellent balance of its interiors’ colors and the warm atmosphere among the personnel can instantly be felt.
Jamie Fernandez gave me a warm welcome and asked for my name before inviting me to sit in a chair and explained the process based on the color I wanted. Before they locked in treatment, they went through two rounds of bleaching, then colored and toned my hair.
This made me feel more at ease because it allowed me to see how my hair was being cared for step-by-step from a scientific standpoint. It also comforted me because I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with salons – from stylists trying to finish a haircut as quickly as possible to accommodate more customers, to staff competing over who should handle a specific client, the heavy smell of chemicals in the air, and the look of judgment I usually get when I walk into a salon because of how I look like.
To give you an idea, that’s typically an oversized shirt tucked into slacks and paired with sneakers. Did I mention the frizz in my hair crying for help?
Anyway, I pride myself on being a storyteller, so it didn’t take long for me to ask how they came up with the salon’s name, the challenges they faced during a global pandemic, and how they operate, among other things. Who’d have guessed I’d learn the distinction between Asian and European hair? Furthermore, who knew there was sunscreen for hair?
It’s easy to categorize a salon based on its branding and target market, but it’s not every day that you see a local salon attempting to break free from the stigma associated with hair care. There’s more to it than bleaching and dyeing. That was one thing I really loved about the salon: they prioritized science and ethics over everything else.
They took their time to research what Cebuanos need to know about hair care, especially given our weather. Furthermore, before recommending a procedure, they examine each client’s hair condition and clearly explain the benefits of each phase. The best part is that they inform their customers of the complete cost of the service depending on the menu price.
As I learned more about their story, I couldn’t help but admire them for their transparency and the constant pursuit of growth: tips are consolidated to ensure that everyone collects the same amount; training is held on a regular basis to keep their stylists on top of their game; and their success has brought their team closer together than ever.
Jamie got real with me when she remarked, “Who would spend this much on hair during a worldwide crisis?” The truth is that only the market can provide an answer. It’s costly, especially for a post-graduate student such as myself, but I’d rather save my money and return to Colors and Peach knowing that I’ll look my best.
Most people forget that a bad experience costs more in the long run, and I know this because a bad haircut makes you spend more time in the morning trying to look presentable, a badly bleached hair can cause irreversible damage, and a color that doesn’t turn out the way you expected can be a source of disappointment.
Anything that drains your energy and causes you to lose your peace of mind is just too costly, especially in these tough times when we’re all working hard to keep our sanity afloat. If I’m going to a salon, I might as well sit down and relax, and that’s exactly what happened — I walked in with frizzy hair and went out a lot happier!
I figured after the treatment that maybe change isn’t so bad as long as you have people who are willing to guide you through the changes and it doesn’t hurt to explore other choices at all and this applies to everyone in all age brackets – may you be in your roaring 20s or in your fun forties. For now, I am currently enjoying my pastel-colored hair inspired by James from Pokémon. Who knows, I might suddenly embody the duo by sporting Jessie’s hair on my next visit!
COLORS AND PEACH
GPH Central, Kasambagan (across Castle Peak Hotel)
Open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays)
3rd floor, Ayala Malls Central Bloc, Cebu IT Park
Open 10:00 a.m. to7:00 p.m. (closed on Wednesdays)