Local Stylists and Their Insider Beauty Tips

With the summer heat wreaking havoc on everyone's hair, Patch hit local salons to ask their veteran stylists the best tips for style, upkeep and trends. 

Ray Ragsdale, Ray’s Hair Care, 2544 Lemay Ferry Road
Training: Excella Beauty College
Experience: 34 years
Advice: “Nowadays, anything goes. You see a wide variety of styles on television and in the movies. The styles at the Emmy Awards looked like wash and wear. We still do plenty of washes and sets here.”

Billie Smith, Mane Reflections, 3551 Ritz Center
Training: Weber Coiffures
Experience: 30-plus years
Advice: “I think everyone should use a good shampoo and conditioner that’s right for their hair. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Another thing that’s important is to get your ends trimmed regularly.”

Linda Bauer, Solutions Hair Studio, 5430 Lemay Ferry Road
Training: Excella Beauty College
Experience: 30-plus years
Advice: “You can be sure with hair styles that what goes around comes around again. We don’t do many sets at this salon, mostly blow out styles. We offer hair replacements here and do quite a few of them.”

Kristie Mankowich, Changes Salon and Spa, 13218 Tesson Ferry Road
Training: La Plante School of Hair Styling
Experience: 2-plus years
Advice: “I enjoy incorporating some of the new techniques in my styles. Feathers are one of my favorite styling extras. We have a large variety of feathers in stock at the salon. Hair flair (colored tinsel) is another of my favorites.”

Simone Riehl, Upper Cuts, 4530 Lemay Ferry Road
Training: La Plante School of Hairstyling
Years of experience: 6-plus years
Advice: “I enjoy hair coloring. Highlights, foils, all over color, I do it all. My most favorite are doing trendy styles with funky colors. If you want rock ’n roll hair, I can do it."