I n an industry that is louder, faster, and more filtered than ever before, Michelle Robert has built her reputation quietly. No gimmicks and no fear-based selling; just craft, consultation, and conscience.
For over 25 years, the founder and owner of Salon Michelle has watched hairdressing transform from a straightforward service into a hyper-visual, hyper-digital profession. While trends move faster, clients are more informed, and techniques are more advanced, Robert’s foundation remains unchanged. “Over time, styling has worked like every other science. It has become bolder. People are becoming more experimental with their hair,” she says. “There was a time when even using a hairdryer was almost taboo. Now, there is so much more training, more technique, more awareness.”
Social media has played its part. Clients walk in with references, vocabulary, and expectations. Curly hair is one of the clearest examples of this shift. “I remember there was a time when women hated their curls because they didn’t know how to manage them,” she recalls. “Now girls are learning to embrace it and make it look beautiful. There is a lot of evolution happening in how we study and maintain hair.”
FROM TABOO TO TECHNIQUE
Hair science has progressed, but so has responsibility. Chemical services are more sophisticated, but Robert is clear about boundaries. “Anything done in excess is the problem,” she says. “You want to straighten your hair? Do it. But give it six months before you do it again. Chemical treatments alter the pH of your hair. You need the right shampoo and conditioner. If you don’t want to invest in maintenance, then don’t do the treatment.”
She does not hesitate to refuse a service. “Yes, the beauty business can be lucrative. But what’s money without morals? A stylist must have integrity. If the hair cannot take another bleach service, we have the responsibility to refuse. We have to maintain the integrity of the hair.”
IT ALL STARTS AT THE ROOT
For Robert, every consultation begins with the scalp. “The first thing I analyse is the scalp. That tells you a lot,” she says. “Scalp health is extremely important because your root sits in the follicle, which is in the scalp. If your scalp is not healthy, your hair cannot be healthy.”
Hair fall and thinning are common concerns, but Robert looks deeper. “When I see thinning, the first thing I tell a client is to get blood tests done,” she explains. “You will be amazed at the number of thyroid and PCOS cases you discover. Hormones will always win the battle unless you address them.”
Supplementation, regular scalp massages, improved circulation and medical support when necessary are her first recommendations. “Cosmetic solutions come later. Hair and overall physical health come first.”
This philosophy underscores her belief that consultation is everything. “Consultation is the start and end of any good salon service,” she says.
BEYOND THE TREND CYCLE
Robert believes younger stylists sometimes overlook one crucial principle: patience. “Everything is not fashion,” she says. “You need to understand what your client does, what her personality is, how much she styles her hair. A trending cut may look spectacular when blow-dried in the salon. But what happens on a Monday morning?”
Practicality, personality and profession must align. “A good stylist gives you something technically right. A great stylist gives you something you will absolutely gel with.” Her role, she says, is not to dismiss trends but to contextualise them; to translate what is fashionable into something wearable and sustainable.
BUILT ON INTEGRITY, NOT ALGORITHMS
Digital disruption has changed the business landscape. Skill alone is no longer enough. “Today you have to be good, but you also have to be good at photography and social media,” she says. “Sometimes great photographers make better hairstylists online than genuinely skilled ones.”
And yet, what has sustained Salon Michelle for nearly two decades is something far less flashy. “We do not oversell and we don’t make clients feel bad about their hair,” she says. “If you do your work with honesty, your reputation is worth more than a few likes and follows.”
After 25 years, she is still in love with the chair. What excites her most is the immediacy of human reaction. “When you finish someone’s hair, the reaction is instant,” she says. “You either get the biggest smile, or you get a very honest look. I love that.” That balance of skill and sensitivity defines her work.
In a business driven by visibility, Robert has chosen values over virality. Her mantra remains simple: “Consult deeply. Protect the hair. Protect the client. And let integrity do the talking,” she signs off.