Why R+Co?

As an owner, I am often asked: “How do you decide what product line to carry” followed usually by, “What’s the difference between one color line and another?” It seems like there are a million and one retail lines to choose from these days, both as a stylist and as a consumer, so I thought I would share my process for choosing to partner with a unique company like R+Co. This info could help you make your own shopping choices when you’re out in the world or on your sofa. 

The retail and color line are a huge investment for a salon so it’s a decision that takes me some time to consider as an owner. The three questions I ask myself are: What does this company offer the client? What does this company offer my salon business? And what does this company offer the world at large? 

You, the client: 

The first place I start with a product line is performance. If it doesn’t impress me with how it makes the hair look and feel, I won’t even consider going further. Does the mousse give great body without being too sticky? (Looking at you, Rodeo Star) Is the serum luxurious without being too heavy? (It sure is, Optical Illusion Smoothing Oil) Does the curly line service a range of curly textures or only those with coarse hair? (I love you, Rebounce, our top selling curl cream) Is it easy to use? Does it have a pleasant feel in the hands and hair? What are the fragrances like? (Delicious. They are delicious) Do their color care segments offer longevity for color treated hair? Fragrances are extremely personal, so they have to be pleasant without being overwhelming. I’m really looking for standouts here, because there is so much on the market, and as professional hairstylists, we can make pretty much anything work. What will my client like and be willing to invest in? What will be worth the money? 

When it comes to choosing a color line, the performance aspect takes on a whole other dimension because the outcomes are more permanent. Great technical performance in a color line means the color comes out the way you expect, and if you have to make an adjustment, it is simple to figure out. Creating a healthy look and feel in the hair with a minimum of chemical exposure is ideal. Shiny, beautiful color is essential: bright blondes, knock out redheads, stunning brunettes, spectacular fantasy. Whatever color our client imagines, we must have the tools at our fingertips to create it. 

We brought in R+Color at the beginning of October and it has been a seamless transition. The outcomes are beautiful, predictable, and they last. The colors are gorgeous, especially the cherry chocolate trend this fall, and the glosses provide unbeatable shine, leaving the hair silky and touchable. I’m so delighted to be able to offer it to my clients. 

Union Beauty: 

When we partner with a retail company, we are promoting their product, so in exchange we expect that they offer the salon a level of support in doing so. That support should include a sales representative that makes ordering simple, comprehensive technical and product education, and business tools that help us promote our service and retail offerings.  

Luxury Brand Partners, the parent company of R+Co, R+Co Bleu, and R+Color, has really knocked our socks off since we began working with them in 2023. They are willing, positive teammates who jump through all the hoops to make sure we have what we need. The education they offer is imaginative and expert, and our experience with the educators has been invaluable. Nationally, they invest in a marketing campaign so that most clients know who they are and ask for their products by name. This is really behind the scenes but takes a lot of pressure off of us so that we can spend our time and focus on your experience.  

It feels great to work with a national brand that invests in the success of salons at a time when it sometimes feels like it’s us against Amazon. An example of this is R+Co’s affiliate program, which makes it possible for our guests to buy retail directly from the manufacturer. You get the convenience of a product shipped to your doorstep and we get the benefit.  

The world: 

We’ve gotten many compliments so far about the look of the R+Color packaging on the shelf, but there’s more to it than great looks. The boxes, tubes and bottles of the retail and color lines are all 100% recyclable. What’s more, the plastics from the bottles are 55% PCR material. PCR packaging is gathered from domestic US sources and reduces virgin plastic consumption, which decreases the use of fossil fuels and energy used in package manufacturing. We’re proud to work with a company that invests in minimizing their footprint. 

As consumers, our choices matter! I take your choice to be in our chairs very seriously and make every effort to ensure that we’ve chosen the best tools on the market to execute your service. As a small business owner, I’m happy to create relationships with companies that share our vision. Thanks for reading!

I can’t wait to talk about your home care next time you’re in the salon. 

Upgrade your self-care with a LUX service

You’ll notice when you book an appointment at Union Beauty, you are asked if you would like an Express or Lux experience. But what is the difference between the two? 

Sometimes you just want to get in and out of the salon: get that new growth touched up and head out leaving refreshed. We get it! For this scenario, we offer an EXPRESS service. An EXPRESS service is for the client who is looking for a technically skillful cut or color, but who has a little less time to be in the salon. Perhaps you’re a client whose hair does not require any extra styling, or you love to let your hair airdry. Your hair is relatively healthy and you’re on top of your home care routine. The EXPRESS service is for you, too! 

The salon can also be a place for some serious self-care time. Do you want to de-stress, detoxify, and level up your salon appointment?  We suggest LUXing your service.  

Upgrading to a LUX haircut includes a customized conditioning treatment with your cut and style. Upgrading to a LUX color includes a customized conditioning treatment and styled blow-dry service.  

Based on the condition of your hair, your stylist will diagnose what your hair and scalp might benefit from the most. Conditioning treatments can support your hair in a variety of ways: moisturizing to help with frizz or dryness, strengthening to address chemically processed or compromised hair, soothing to help irritated or dry scalp, and detoxifying to reduce buildup.  These treatments process instantly, for 5 minutes, or 10 minutes or longer depending on what is being treated. This experience includes additional massage, scalp exfoliating, or other manipulation techniques depending on the conditions your stylist is treating. 

For LUX color services, you will also receive a styled blow-dry finish. This means the stylist will take extra time to thoroughly style your hair. You and your stylist will determine what you’d like for your blowout. While your stylist gets that blow dryer arm workout in, you can relax, close your eyes, and enjoy the experience. (Or you can continue chatting with your stylist and shout over the blow-dryer. Both options are valid!) No matter what, you’ll receive an eye catching, polished look.  

By upgrading, you can take more time for YOU and leave with moisturized, healthy, gorgeous hair.  You can book your next LUX service online or by calling the Front Desk. 

It Begins and Ends with the Consultation

A hair mentor once told me, you can do the absolute best hair in the world, but if it’s not what the client wanted, it doesn’t matter. As stylists, this can be humbling because we always work to give you the best technical outcome, the best and most current cut and color. A critical component that helps us accomplish this for you, our client, is the communication we make space for behind the chair in the consultation. Like any relationship, good communication builds trust, and we rely on that trust to support you through the service. 

In the consultation, we use this face-to-face opportunity to gather information about your ideas for your hair, things you love, things you might want to change or are challenged by, and what inspires you. We love using pictures as inspiration, because it’s the fastest way to understand expectation. While we’re talking, we’re also visually and tactically assessing the condition of your hair. What’s the density and texture? By sliding our fingers down an individual hair strand or stretching it between two fingers, we can evaluate porosity and elasticity.  Does it appear flat, fluffy, frizzy? Curly in some areas and not in others? Where are the whorls, what direction does your hair grow in your hairline?  All of this helps us understand what some potential outcomes are. 

The beauty of hair is that there is a wide variety of choices both in how to style, cut and color it. We’ll continue to ask questions to help us narrow down the options we may offer you. Sometimes what guides us is actually what your hair will do, or what you’re open to looking like. Sometimes we get a light bulb idea and it’s our job to convince you that a look that never occurred to you might be something to consider. And because of the trust you have in us, we’re able to create something you didn’t know you’d love. 

The consultation is just as important for an existing client relationship as it is for a new guest.  When we are engaging a client we’ve seen before, we can discuss new possibilities for a direction we can take their hair seasonally, or how to meet new life stages.  There are guests who have a length or shade they like to maintain, and others who grow the hair out then chop it off. Where are we in the cycle, and what is the interest in incorporating a new trend? 

One of our favorite things is when we have a relationship with a client for some time, we’ll develop our own very specific language for details. With one client, I talk about making her bangs look “chewy” (choppy). With another, I’ll have the client shake her head to style the final cut or handle it herself to put it in the right place with her favorite pomade.  It’s the best version of a collaboration, one in which we practice how to make it the best version it can be each time. Ultimately, taking a moment to meet you where you are and support you to understand the nature of how your hair works is what makes us happy and inspires us to serve you.  

The team and I look forward to our next conversation about making you the very best version of yourself you can be.  Hope you’re having a great hair day. If not, let’s talk about it!

 All the best, Angela

Welcome to our blog!

It’s our newest project, taking an opportunity to share what it’s like to be a salon owner, a hair stylist, a front desk coordinator, and a member of a really sweet team and community. When I opened Union Beauty eleven years ago, I wanted to create a neighborhood spot where my stylists and I could do excellent hair in a warm and kind space. I couldn’t have imagined our journey to this point: thousands of clients met and served, so many staff along the way, and so many neighborhood friends made. Our special vantage point here on Union Street in Park Slope affords us a wonderful window into our corner of Brooklyn.  For me, the best part of being an owner is facilitating that relationship between client and stylist, supporting a space and team who meets each client where they are and makes them feel great.  

Have you ever wondered what the point of a consultation is? Why and how do we choose our retail brand partners? Are bangs a good idea? What does our front desk team do if they’re not answering the phone? What can you learn in a hands-on styling class? What is a whorl?! WHAT IS THE HALLOWEEN THEME THIS YEAR? Check back here to find out!

xo Angela

Impromptu 10th Anniversary Celebration!