"I make a point of passing on my expertise to my team" Betty Villemade

From starting out in a salon in a Parisian suburb to acquiring franchisee status and opening a Jean Louis David salon in Tours, Betty has demonstrated meticulous skill over 30 years, mastering all kinds of cutting, colouring and styling techniques which she now passes on to her team of hairdressers. We interviewed this expert who makes a point of staying true to the Jean Louis David brand image.

Why did you choose to join Jean Louis David?

Betty. I chose to join the Jean Louis David network as I was drawn to its top-of-the-range concept. I wanted to offer my customers a prestigious service. At Jean Louis David, everything is attractive.

I also learned how to be meticulous in my work alongside Mr Jean Louis David himself as I was lucky enough for him to have trained me. He was a man who taught me how to stay true to the Jean Louis David concept whilst dressed in a white shirt with clippers always at the ready in his pocket. That meticulousness at every stage, from customer relations to cutting techniques, was both educational and reassuring. You just have to follow the procedures and the recommendations that go with the products to get excellent results. With Jean Louis David you can't go wrong.

During my career, I've done my utmost to live up to the Jean Louis David concept and remain true to it, first as a partner and then as a franchise holder with my own salon in Tours, where I make a point of passing on my expertise to my team.

What makes customers want to come into a Jean Louis David salon?

Betty. I'd say it's the Jean Louis David collection visuals, such as the ultra-dynamic looks from the Autumn-Winter 2017/2018 collection. Also the fact that every haircut can be personalised and reinvented with styling. That's really one of Jean Louis David's main strengths. Customers expect us to teach them how to style their hair in different ways with a hairstyle for daytime wear and another for evening, for example. That way they can style their hair themselves when they leave the salon.

When a customer comes into your salon, how do you advise them?

Betty. It all begins with a personal assessment. The customer takes a seat and explains to us what they would like, showing us visuals from Instagram or from the Jean Louis David collection look book on their smartphone. We then try to find out what they think of their hair and we take a look at their hair to see if it has been recently damaged (by the sun or bleaching), for example.

Our role is to then direct the client towards visuals which best meet their expectations, and also suit their hair type, colour and condition. Once we're in agreement, we draw up a quote. This personalised assessment and quote are a guarantee for the customer. There are no surprises when they look in the mirror, go to pay at the till or style their hair the following day.

And how do you help a customer who has used a home-colouring treatment that went horribly wrong?

Betty. I have to admit, this isn't the easiest of jobs! You must reassure them, be able to meet their needs as much as possible and make you don't damage hair that has already been coloured. The idea is to rectify any damage the colouring treatment has caused with another treatment that is within their price range and is not overly damaging on their hair.

Recently, a distraught customer called me after having tried to put streaks in her own hair. The very runny product had run down her locks and had given her an "orange trickling effect" and of course she'd rinsed it out as soon as she realised there was a problem, so the product didn't have time to work fully. In that case, we decided to cover the unintentional bleaching with a gentle colouring treatment.

Which technique do customers ask for most in the salon?

Betty. These days people want a colouring treatment combining an array of different shades. When customers come into the salon they want the expertise of a colourist who can apply colouring products to perfection, but who also who knows how to give a boost to the colour by adding contrast. This desire for skilled expertise and personalised application also applies to the upkeep of roots. To get the same colour when retouching, you should never use the same mix or apply it in the same way as before, since your hair changes with the seasons and your lifestyle. That's a professional stylist's secret for guaranteeing the customer an impeccable hair colour all year round!

This season, what is the trend for having an array of varying shades?

Betty. We often go for Sunlight, an exclusive Jean Louis David technique, which partially lightens your hair to light it up and give it that "sun-kissed look". We adapt this colouring technique to the chosen haircut, as the latter determines the areas to lighten (or not) to create contrast, allowing you to work with both volumes and an array of shades.

As someone who masters all aspects of hairdressing, what do you enjoy the most?

Betty. Now that I master all aspects of the trade, I am focused on passing on my expertise to the next generation. My aim: to impart to my team the personalised techniques which are an integral part of the Jean Louis David experience, and which lead to its exceptionally high standards.