I needn’t have worried. Shaun was super-cool, friendly, and entirely accepting of my wayward habits. I’m terrible at talking to stylists, but he listened to my poorly articulated preferences (still in the longish length range, with some layers, and avoiding my hair’s frizzy and puffy tendencies) and translated it into a great cut.

Often I have my clients ask me what they can do to sparkle, pop, and shimmer. I tell them that putting dark, sometimes even black lowlights against gray hair can make it look like actual silver. I do this a lot in large chunks of color, inspired by Susan Sontag, Gloria Steinem, and obviously Anne Bancroft’s sexy Mrs. Robinson.

While people often say that your hair is your most important accessory, I feel that your hair should be an invaluable asset that fits neatly into all of the other factors that equal the sum total of your personal style.

I think what Johanna and Shaun have created is really special. It feels like family. The family you create — not the one you were born into.