Over 30 Years of Experience—and She Still Loves What She Does

 

With more than three decades behind the chair—and many years owning her own salon in Syracuse, NY—Michelle has had plenty of time to learn hair from just about every angle. And when you've been doing hair that long, you learn something even more important than how to make a great color or a great cut:  You learn what works.

Michelle works with men and women of all adult ages and all kinds of hair—short, long, fine, thick, straight, wavy, curly, they book for color, highlights, lowlights, cuts, styling, and everything in between. She's not about forcing your hair into a trend.

She's about figuring out what you want and making it work beautifully for your hair.

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Yes, She Really Knows Her Color

 

Michelle is a Redken Certified Colorist and uses Redken products exclusively. Color is a big part of what she loves to do, and she has the experience to work with a wide range of looks and starting points.

Think:

• Full color and root touch-ups

• Gray coverage

• Highlights and lowlights

• Dimensional color

• Blondes, brunettes, reds, and everything in between

• Color corrections

• Natural-looking color

• Cuts and styling for all types of hair

She doesn't do every trend under the sun—and that's intentional. Balayage, vivid/fashion colors, and perms aren't her thing. 

There are plenty of other things she is really good at.

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Bring the Pictures. She'll Figure Out the Rest.

 

You know those times when a client brings in three pictures that all look completely different and says, “I want this”? Yep. Michelle knows exactly what to do with that. Photos are great for inspiration, but sometimes they're heavily filtered, professionally styled, or even AI-generated. Michelle has the trained eye and experience to look beyond the picture and figure out what the client is actually drawn to. Maybe it's the color. Maybe it's the brightness around the face. Maybe it's the length, movement, shape, or dimension. Or maybe it's a combination of five different things.

She'll talk it through with you, look at your actual hair, and help translate the inspiration into something that makes sense for you because the goal isn't to recreate somebody else's hair. It's to figure out what you really want—and make it yours.

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Healthy Hair Comes First

 

Michelle is not going to fry your hair just because a picture says it can be done. If your hair isn't ready for what you're asking for, she'll tell you.

But she won't just say “No.” She'll say something more like: “We can do "this" today and get you closer.” Maybe there's a different color technique. Maybe there's a smaller change that gets you moving in the right direction. Maybe there's a little patience involved. Whatever the answer is, the goal is the same: Beautiful hair that is still healthy when you leave the chair. That's one of the reasons her clients trust her—and keep coming back.

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What Should You Book Michelle For?

 

Honestly?

Just about anything hair-related.

Michelle is a great choice if you're looking for:

• A haircut that works with your actual hair

• Highlights or lowlights

• All-over color

• Root touch-ups

• Gray coverage

• Dimensional color

• Color corrections

• A fresh new look

• Help maintaining a color you already love

• A stylist who can work with your particular hair type, length, and texture

• Someone who will actually listen before picking up the scissors or color brush

She doesn't have one specific “type” of client. Her clients range from their 20s to their 90s, and their hair is just as varied. If you have hair, there's a pretty good chance Michelle can do something with it.

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Her Chair? Depends on You.

 

Michelle is really good at reading the room. Some clients want to talk the entire appointment. Some want to relax. Some have a story to tell before they've even taken off their coat. Others just want to sit back and enjoy having someone else take care of everything for a while. Michelle meets you where you are. She's warm, funny, straightforward, caring, and genuinely interested in the person sitting in her chair. And if you need an honest opinion? You'll get one. Not because she's trying to talk you out of what you want—but because she's looking at your hair, your goals, and the end result all at once.

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Italian Roots, Big Family Energy

 

Michelle is originally from Syracuse, NY, and comes from a big Italian family. So naturally, taking care of people is practically in her DNA. And then there's the food. Michelle loves to cook, loves to talk about food, loves sharing recipes, and can apparently turn just about anything into an Italian cooking conversation. And this isn't just website fluff. We've tasted her cooking. The food. The desserts. All of it. There has yet to be a disappointment. So don't be surprised if your appointment somehow turns into a conversation about what you're making for dinner, where to find the best ingredients, or a recipe you absolutely need to try. You came in for your hair. You may leave with a recipe.

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Life Outside the Salon

 

When she's not behind the chair, Michelle loves spending time at the Florida beach, cooking, and traveling back to Syracuse to visit her sons.

She brings that same caring, family-oriented personality from home into the salon—which is probably why her clients don't feel like strangers for very long.

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The Michelle Difference

 

Experience matters. Knowing hair matters. Knowing people matters too. Michelle listens. She pays attention. She knows when to push a little, when to say “let's try this instead,” and when to simply give you exactly what you came in for. She'll help you find a look you love—and, just as importantly, help you keep your hair looking healthy along the way. Good hair. Healthy hair. A really good consultation. And probably a conversation about food. That's Michelle.