Nothing Beats a Great Hair Day

The easiest way to make any day a good day is by having a great hair day, which is why I got my hair done with Kathlyn Crawford at Head Over Heart Salon, which just opened near Grant Park. Kathlyn is the only person I’ve trusted with my hair since moving to Atlanta in 2021, and for good reason. Her specialty is curly hair and color, which works well for my naturally thick, wavy, and un-naturally colored hair.

Stylist Kathlyn Crawford mixes the coloring for Katie’s hair.

The appointment begins with a complementary Topo-Chico and a discussion of what we’ll be doing today. Today’s goal is transitioning my current copper back to the blonde I’ve rocked most of my life. Kathlyn has already told me that a one-day transformation would be too rough on my hair, so the plan for today is a transitional red that’s closer to the natural color of my roots. It’s a “darker to go lighter” situation, because, as Kathlyn explained, this warm-neutral red will be a better and easier-to-lift base for the eventual warm-blonde than my current, though technically lighter, cool toned shade. It is this masterful understanding and use of color theory that will allow my hair to stay as healthy as possible before my wedding in November.

She takes great care to make sure all my hair gets fully saturated with the color before letting it set and eventually rinsing and replacing with a deep-conditioning mask and scalp massage.

The “before” photo from Katie’s visit to the hair salon.

The “after” photo from Katie’s hair day.

After the mask is rinsed out, we return to the salon chair to begin the “cut” part of my haircut. Kathlyn adds long layers and cuts pieces to frame my face, making me feel like I’m the high-powered fancy lady I always pretended to be when playing “hair salon” with my sister. I can truly relax, knowing my hair will look great because Kathlyn really gets how to work with thick hair beyond just pulling out the thinning shears. I’m sure many can relate to hearing “you just have too much hair, it needs to be thinned to do anything with it.”

Kathlyn finishes up my appointment with a blowout using Davine’s products, which smell amazing, making sure each newly trimmed strand gets its special treatment with the round brush. Beyond the physical aspect of my cut and color being refreshed, going to the salon, and taking that time for self-care allows my whole person to feel refreshed as well. I’m so happy with how my hair has turned out, and I can’t wait to show it off on the town.