I have been following Nicolette, ever since she joined the team at ViviD Salon. She’s a talented artist and has a firm grasp of what it takes to make it in the beauty industry – it’s a perfect combination.

Nicolette Calautti

Instagram: @letstalkhairr
ViviD Salon

What inspired you to pursue a career in the hair industry?

Lucky for me, my high school offered a cosmetology course which I initially took so that I could learn how to do things like hair, makeup, nails, waxing etc. for myself. I immediately fell in love with the hair portion of the class and my passion for hair grew from there.

Where did you train to become a hair professional?

I attended the Fiorio Beauty Academy for the base of my hair training, but in this industry, the training never ends, as trends are always changing. I continued attending different classes throughout the years of being in this industry and noticed the biggest growth in my craft with each class I invested in.

ViviD Salon is a hub for some amazing artists. How did you come to join the team?

I have been a fan of my boss Diana’s work, from very early on in my hair career. Her hair blends are hands down one of the best in the industry. I’ve taken multiple of her classes prior to joining the ViviD team, that is how we became acquainted. I love her way of thinking and breaking things down to create drop dead gorgeous hair transformations. It’s actually crazy when I think about the fact that I work alongside her on a daily basis. If you would have told me at the beginning of my hair career that I would be painting hair next to @dvcolour I would have never believed you! Vivid Salon felt like home from the moment I stepped foot into the salon. I am blessed to be part of such an amazing team.

What are some services that you specialize in?

I am actually the only person in the salon at the moment that offers all services. I specialize in colour/ balayage techniques and I am an extension specialist. Other services I offer are haircuts and hair treatments such as hair botox.

You are an incredible hair artist and you know how to showcase your work. I like your Instagram page, because you post with purpose. Do you have any social media tips/advice to share?

With social media being such a huge part in growing your business, when it comes to doing hair, I definitely needed to step my game up with the kind of content I was posting. I’d say I saw the most growth with my social media when I started posting consistently. I try to post at least 2-3 times a week and I always try to have something on my stories. I use relevant hashtags and try to incorporate trending audio. Everyone knows reels are huge right now, so I try to take different kinds of pictures, videos and poses of my clients. All this allows me to have lots of options when posting to attract different kinds of clients and followers. If I had to give one tip when it comes to creating content it would be to capture your client’s hair photos and videos in different kinds of natural lighting. Lighting is a big deal when it comes to showcasing your work.

What are some of your favorite hair products?

I’m loving K18 right now. It allows me to really protect my client’s hair when bleaching and keeps their hair healthy and strong with continued use, post hair appointment. Another product I love are the Revlon colour bubbles. There are a multitude of colour options available so I can match my clients up with a toner bubble that will not only keep their specific colour looking fresh for months after their appointment but, it also is a treatment mask adding moisture and shine to their hair.

I am seeing more articles and products that focus on scalp health. What are some things people can do to keep their scalp healthy?

Scalp health is really important, a healthy scalp promotes healthy hair growth. I’d recommend doing a scalp exfoliating scrub at least once a month to remove any buildup. Also brushing your hair and doing scalp massages are great ways to keep the scalp happy, it stimulates blood flow and has shown to promote healthy hair growth.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned so far, in your years in the industry?

I am 100% an introvert and working in a salon actually scared me a little bit at first. When I told my family I wanted to be a Hairstylist the first thing they said to me was “But you don’t talk to anyone…”

Actually being in the industry has shown me that being in the right salon is so important for your personal growth and overall salon culture experience. What I love most about my salon’s culture is that I get to be surrounded by like minded hair artists who are all so ambitious and talented in their own unique ways. I get to listen to music all day and have as much or as little conversation with my client as they wish to have all while doing what I love.

Making my clients feel beautiful and confident makes my heart feel so full most of the time it doesn’t even feel like I’m working!

Human connections. That is what makes salons and barber shops so important to our community. It’s not just a place where you get pampered; it is a place to connect with other people – talk about what is going on in your life, the news, gossip and get advice. What do you like most about the salon culture? 

Consultation is key. I never used to take consultations as seriously as I do now. Realizing that you are the professional and your clients are trusting you to educate them and help them understand the boundaries of their hair and what they can expect at the end of their hair appointment.

It creates trust between you and your clients.

When you are both on the same page, it allows them to also feel comfortable in letting you know if there is something they wish to tweak. Once your clients trust you, they will be loyal to you and that all starts with the consultation.

How would you describe your personal style?

I’m so chill and casual. I love staying in and being comfy as much as possible. When I do go out I definitely stress about what I’m going to wear, dressing up is definitely out of my comfort zone. I also hate shopping so that also doesn’t help when it comes to my style – Lol.

What is your favorite thing to do on your days off?

If the weather is nice I love to go on hikes on nice trails, it’s actually one of my favourite things to do. I also try to get any self-care service done on my days off as well which always makes me feel great and ready for the oncoming work week.

What is your favorite way to pamper yourself?

I never use to put myself first or pamper myself until this year. Now that I have started incorporating more self-care into my life I realize the importance of giving yourself that time to get yourself together and feel good. I make it a priority to get a massage done at least once a month, I just recently started seeing a chiropractor and I really enjoy either going for a facial every few months or doing a lavish skin care routine at home whenever I need a pick me up.

I am always looking for new places to eat, when I visit cities. What are some of your favorite spots in the GTA?

I’m not big on going out much but I have recently been to Myth in Toronto with my coworkers, the food and service was amazing and it was a very nice vibe. I also recently went to Yo Amos Tacos in Vaughan with a few friends and that was also very fun, great music, drinks and nachos!

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?

I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii but I’d love to travel to as many places as possible.

Finally give us three words that describe you best.

• Empathetic
• Hardworking/Goal Driven
• Loyal