BEAUTY MANE LUXE

"Hair style is the final tip-off whether or not a woman really knows herself. "

— HUBERT OE GIVENCHY

Today's three top hairstylists, Paul Labrecque, Oscar Blandi, and Frédéric Fekkai, are set on fulfilling every wom an's wish for signature style-achievable in and out of the salon. Each of these longtime industry pioneers has applied his own distinctive touch to a line of person alized home hair-care products.

"I listen to the girls—they're my inspiration," says Paul Labrecque. His philosophy on hair is "Simple, sexy, and sophisticated." Relaunching a color-coded, graphic, eco-friendly (all containers are re-usable) collection, he has a four-step system—shampoo, conditioner, defining gel, and finishing spray—according to hair type. An "off the shelf and go" attitude toward product has won Labrecque even more fans—busy, self-assured women who don't want to be bothered with complicated treatments at home. The uptown-based, downtown-hip Labrecque wants "a woman to feel her 6 sexiest, in the easiest way possible." Guided by "beauty without pretense" and catering to an eclectic, design-savvy clientele, Labrecque's line is now featured in the hoppin' Hotel on Rivington, on Manhattan's Lower East Side.

Madison Avenue star Oscar Blandi admits, "Women inspire me to find a better product, to be a better chemist." Giving clients the chance to use what professional hairdressers use drives Blandi in his quest to restore hair to a healthier state. He employs old-world Italian methods and uses pure ingredients in his new products such as D'Alternanza shampoo, which exfoliates and nourishes hair; Ancora Colore dual enhancing system, a prerinse and conditioner that refreshes color between salon visits; Luce, a sheer water-based gloss, which takes moisturizing a step further, with emollients designed to lock in and protect pigment; and Proteine di Jasmine Mist, part of his unique "re-style" category, which protects hair from irons and blow-dryers.

"With Fekkai, there is no reason for a bad-hair day anymore," says Frédéric Fekkai. His latest collection, Summer Hair, is formulated to refresh, condition, and protect tresses from heat and sun. Fashion and high-performance ingredients come together in Sun Bandana, a light, water-resistant creme-gel sunscreen. Beach Waves and Wash & Wear, both lightweight sprays, give tousled, textured hair new meaning. "Enhance, update, and customize your look to fit your personality and lifestyle, and you'll always be stylish," he says.

Fekkai recently celebrated the opening of his 16,500-square-foot flagship salon and spa, relocated to the landmark Henri Bendel boutique, in New York.

"I wanted to create an out-ofthe-ordinary salon—modern, glamorous, and comfortable for my clients," he says. "With this environment, I feel we are representing the Frederic Fekkai brand in today's world. Our products make it easy for the customer to achieve great style—healthy hair—at home."

ROBYN DUTRA