The Benefits of Philip Hallawell Visagism for the Customer

If you ask her what she wants, she says right away that she wants to shorten her hair, or not, straighten it, change the colour, or that she wants to look like a famous person or adopt the newest trend she is seen in a magazine. Often the professional realizes that what the person wants is not adequate, but how can you tell her that? And what if the customer wants something "different" or, worse, does not know what she wants?

This is the experience of many people when they go to a salon to "do their hair". They may leave disappointed and not much different than when they entered. They do not feel remarkably like the famous ones they modelled themselves on and, even if they are in the latest fashion, they often realize that it did not look good for them. This is frustrating for both the client and the professional.

The experience of having her image created by a professional who works with Visagism Philip Hallawell is totally different and, when the job is done well, the client will never want anything else.

Until I received an invitation from the Senac-SP Beauty Technology Centre to develop a visagism work, which resulted in the publication of my book Visagismo: harmony and aesthetics (Ed. Senac-SP) in 2001, I rarely frequented salons. I was unaware of the daily reality of hairdressers, makeup artists and beauticians. When I launched the book, I got to know beauty salons and professionals in the area, and I soon realized that the professional who wanted to apply visagism, as I presented it in my book, would need to change their service.

The first and most important modification is to find out who the person is, before thinking about possible solutions for their image. The first time you see a person, Philip Hallawell Visagism requires a diagnosis of their physical characteristics and personality. The professional needs to be able to watch the person walk to the chair. That way you can analyse her walk, her gestures, her bearing, her attitude, and the way you sit. If she is already seated, the professional deprives herself of all this important information. When the professional acquires experience, he can analyse a person in less than a minute and, when she returns, he already knows him, so he does not need to repeat this step of the process.

It is also necessary to talk to the person; know her needs, her lifestyle and her desires. It also means that he must be willing to listen to her and then explain what he intends to do and how it will affect her, both physically and emotionally. This step in the process is important to make sure it meets her expectations. It may be that, when explaining what effect the hair will have, the person realizes that they do not want it.

In return, this part of the process is faster because the person usually already knows what they want to express and will give spontaneous feedback on how their image has affected them. It is at this moment that the professional discovers if he has really met his client's expectations. And so he grows, enriches himself and learns.

For the customer, the time devoted to him is invaluable. She feels special, valued, and appreciated. For many people, perhaps most, it is a rare experience. It may be the first time in her life that you feel seen as a human being, as you are as a person, and not as a thing. It creates a well-being that they want to repeat. In fact, we can say that exercising visagism is truly an act of fraternal love.

But that is not the only thing that sets the experience apart. Through Philip Hallawell Visagism, the person goes through a process of self-knowledge. He knows the shape of her face, the colour of her skin and the proportions of her features. Most do not know their physical characteristics, nor their strengths and weaknesses. Many people think their face is round - which they do not like – when, in reality, it is not. This simple discovery can give you great joy or even resolve a trauma. Know the laterality of her face and the difference between the mask side and the soul side. You will be surprised to discover that her face reveals her temperament and that her hair can accentuate both her strengths and weaknesses.

She will become aware of what her current image is telling of itself and how it is being seen. You will find that her image has a powerful influence on her relationships, both intimate and professional, and that many problems can be resolved by changing the cut, colour, or hairstyle. And most importantly, you will find that her image decisively affects her behaviour and self-esteem, which can create enthusiasm or depression. (See illustration)

This awareness leads to constant reflection on what you really want to express and the realization that she can be beautiful if the best of her personality is revealed, her positive physical characteristics are valued, and her image is created according to the principles of harmony and aesthetics. You will realize that you can have a personalized image, authentically hers, and will no longer seek to borrow someone else's image. At most, you may wish to express in her own way what someone you admire expresses, but you will think of the quality of the expression and not the way in which that quality is expressed. This reflection is an extraordinarily rich and rare experience, which most do not expect to have in a beauty salon, a place generally associated with vanity and futility.

All of this leads to a new attitude towards going to the salon. Instead of feeling like spending money on something superfluous, the person will start to consider caring for their image as an investment in a priority. You will notice that a good visagist professional, with mastery of techniques, can provide you with great benefits. Benefits in the professional and personal spheres and increased self-esteem.

This new attitude also implies greater loyalty, as the creation of a personal image is an ongoing process. Over time, the professional will get to know his client better. A person’s situation needs, and desires can change from one day to the next, but their being, their essence, always remains the same. The tendency is to want to have her image made by someone who knows you well and who has followed the transformations you have gone through. Finally, you will develop a relationship of complicity with her visagist.

A complicity that creates well-being, pleasure, and beauty, and that makes each client feel unique, valued, and appreciated, at one with life.

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