[reposted from iamsuperjen] 11.20.11 The search for the perfect Fix

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I just got Studio Fix-ed!

I've been meaning to get a much-needed haircut for weeks now and for the same amount of time, I've been plagued by the same eternal question: where? and from who?

I heard about Alex Carbonell some years ago from Bianca Gonzalez's blog. Now I've always admired Bianca's hair since... well, ever since I can remember! But while she constantly plugs Alex in her blog, I haven't actually tried to get his services yet.

For years I went to different salons searching for that perfect stylist but with no such luck. You see, my hair is super maarte. Namimili talaga ng stylist! When I was in Dagupan back in 2006-2009, I only allow one person to cut my hair and that was Joey of David's Salon-Nepo. I had a couple of bad luck with few stylists first before I finally found him but when I did, I almost always go back to him for my routine haircut. 

Anyway, I think I hit a home run with Alex because I absolutely love my hair! I didn't know what I was thinking going to different salons, trying out different stylists, when I've known about him all along.

Finally after many hours of soul-searching and internet research reading review after review about Alex, I decided to book an appointment with the master stylist himself.

I don't know if I'm just biased with all the reviews that I've read about him, but there was really something different about him. So let's cut to the chase, shall we? Let me tell you about my own personal experience with THE Alex Carbonell of Studio Fix.

I had a 4:30 PM appointment yesterday. When I arrived, the salon was packed with people! As in! Imagine Bench Fix on a regular weekend, parang ganun! Tipong pag walk-in ka, wala ka nang pag-asang makakuha ng slot for the day. Well yes, Studio Fix may be the big brother of Bench Fix but I never thought na magiging super packed with clients ang Studio Fix given na medyo high-end salon siya. Obviously, I was mistaken. Dun ko lang nakita first-hand how in-demand Alex really is. 

I was called in for pre-haircut rituals after 30 minutes of waiting. I didn't mind since there were a couple of magazines that I can leaf through in the receiving area and they offered me a drink while waiting. This is a plus since other salons only offer the client a drink while being serviced. Anyway. On my way to the washing area, I passed by Alex and he said "Hi, Jen! I'm Alex." 

Promise, nadistort ata yung pag-iisip ko that moment kasi no other stylist did that to me before. Parang, for a lack of a better term, na-"starstruck" ata ako kasi I used to only see pictures of Alex in the internet and now he's here right in front of me, talking to me! I don't know, basta there was really a surreal feeling sa mga ganung moments. Hahaha!! I felt kilig! I wasn't able to do anything but smile a very shy smile and murmur a barely audible "hi". Akalain mo yun? Lumabas talaga ang hiya ko?! Amazing!

Then he followed me to the washing area and talked to me some more. He instantly noticed that my hair was thin and politely confirmed if I had it chemically treated. I said yes but I have no intention to chemically treat it anymore because my hair is thinning already. 

I like it that he paid attention to my hair pre-washing because I think that's what stylists should look at before they cut their client's hair. Kasi how would they know kung ano yung totoong bagsak ng hair ng client nila if it's already wet diba? How would they know if a certain hairstyle will work or not sa texture nung hair ng client? Anyway, I don't know if Alex does that to all his first-time clients but I certainly am glad he did it to me. Plus points! :)

My original plan was to get a haircut only but since I was already there, I decided to have my hair colored as well. Studio Fix offers organic hair coloring (no ammonia!), which is perfect because it doesn't itch and it doesn't have that funny after-salon treatment smell. And it's okay for chemically-treated hair.

Alex decided to give me a darker shade of brown but a lighter shade than my original hair color since he assessed that my hair is too dark for my skin tone. I gave him complete authorization on what to do with my hair. He knows best, I figure.

The finished product. You can't really tell the difference since it's not your hair but I can! The color is a subtle shade of dark brown and it actually is lighter than my natural hair color. Best thing about it? My gray/white hairs are completely gone!

My hair was cut after coloring. Alex asked me what style I want and I said any style as long as it's not too short since I'm trying to grow my hair long. In my head, a hairstyle is forming in my imagination: shoulder length, no obvious layers, side swept bangs... I didn't tell him any of that but quite surprisingly, it's exactly what I got! Voila! 

I am a certified Alex Baby!

Alex also gave me tips on how to care for my hair. He said that protein is the nutrient our hair needs in order to be healthy. So we should eat a lot of beef and other food rich in protein. Drinking multivitamins helps in keeping hair healthy too! So I guess that's another reason to stock up on multivitamins! For my naturally wavy hair, applying leave-on conditioner helps tame the frizz. No more rebonding or perming or any other chemical treatments with ammonia that makes my hair fall off. Organic hair coloring is okay.

Overall, I am very pleased with the services I got from Studio Fix. I definitely recommend Alex Carbonell and Studio Fix to anyone who wants an amazing and memorable salon experience. :)

Studio Fix by Alex Carbonell

Level 4, Space 4-003A and 4-003B Phase II Greenbelt 5

Contact Numbers: (02) 501-3062, (02) 501-3064, (0927) 576-7698

PS: Alex Carbonell is available at Studio Fix on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. It's best to call in for an appointment ahead of time because it's kinda hard to book him on a short notice since he is almost always, if not always fully booked! :)