http://candiandco.co.za
Location: Randburg Square Mall, Shop 552 (next to Markhams), Corner of Oak Ave and Sentrum Road, Randburg
Bookings: (011) 781 36 11
Operating Hours: Monday – Saturday: 9am – 6pm
Sunday: 9am – 4pm
I was on high alert after hearing about ethnic hair salons that would soon open up across the nation (via Sorbet at that time), high alert! Its not to say that we don't have ethnic hair salons, we do, its just that they either don't live up to par or they just don't know how to take care of ethnic hair the way it should be taken care of, the way we are all learning to better take care of it.
May 2014....Candi&Co open in Randburg Square Mall. The first of I believe many.
I emailed to arrange an appointment but couldn't wait for the replay and decided to pay them a visit the first Monday of their existence. The reception was warm and welcoming, the lady at reception explained a few things and when I asked about how they dye hair she summoned Brian the Head Stylist (funny thing was I had communicated with Brian about something else earlier this year and had never met him and then to meet him there and for him to remember my emails...sometimes good signs smack you in the face #excitement for days) I got a big hug and he showed me around and chatted a bit about hair dye as I contemplated having mine done there....a major step for me as I have been coloring my own hair with various home kits for years (more than 10 years) so having a salon do it for me was me opening myself to them, really trusting them.
After the first part of the colouring/hair dye process was completed - basically lifted off the colour that was there to make a single shade base to work with (Brian won't call it bleaching as bleach in the bleach sense was not used)
Appointment was set for the Thursday the same week and I did a bit of research of my own on the dye to be used. Thursday quickly arrived and my hair was dyed. The colour didn't come out as I expected and a different shade was used on my roots which came out darker than expected but I wasn't bothered about...to be honest I just didn't know how to feel. The whole process of colouring the hair was great, no breakage - if anything my hair actually stopped breaking considerably after I had it dyed perhaps because dying your hair can change the structure of the hair strand so the new growth differs to the hair that is there and the join between the 2 can weaken therefore when you colour both the new growth and the rest of the hair, the strand structure becomes uniform and there are no more weak links, what does perhaps weaken further are the ends - lol this is my own theory and I'm sticking to it.
So I walked out not jumping for joy but not dismayed either, my hair was darker and I missed my golden blonde terribly but it felt healthier and the colour wasn't bad. I decided to wait, the research I had done confirmed my waiting...after co-washing the next day (I wet or co-wash daily to get my preferred curl pattern) I noticed something..the colour lightened. By day 3 when I left for Cape Town, I still wasn't jumping for joy but I was happy. Demi dye is in the middle of semi permanent and permanent so yes it changes as its not as permanent and change it did. Now, months later, my hair has lightened but it doesn't look dull or like dry grass or faded. All is still good.I think I like the fact that like me, the colour keeps changing.
Would I colour at Candi&Co again? YES most certainly and I think I might go lighter, I will decide at the time as I might do the same colour since it lightens anyway.
The next thing I had done was a regular blow out...Thabo took the reigns and did his thang. The result was flawless. Thabo's hairwash is heaven by the way, it includes head massageS.
I have had my nails Candi coated, lasted a whole week with minimum chipping. (just basic nail varnish not the gel)
8 Day Old nail varnish
I have also tried out their Flexi Rod style...loved it. Had a gazzilion rods in my hair but one has to do so in order to achieve the luscious curls.
The serious faces do smile
The Flexi Rod Style
I have also bought a few of the products they stock, Three Sisters of Nature included.
I plan to try as much as possible off their Hair and Beauty Menus so watch this space.
To top it all, Candi&Co have a Loyalty program so you get back as much as you give.
I had a brief chat with the MD of Candi&Co, an amazing lady, beauty, brains and heart, Candice. She gave me some great insight into her career history and the birthing of the Candi&Co concept...she was attracted to the Sorbet Group by their work ethic of 'people before profits' and I feel that same ethic is shown in the salon, out of the whole conversation that is what stuck with me because that is what I could relate to in my experience there...'people before profits', have you ever!
Why you are waiting to get an appointment or still have not paid them a visit, I really don't know...live a little and get candi coated #ownit
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