Amy Abramite, Creative Director at Maxine Salon, is no stranger to venturing outside the states for creative explorations. This past June, her travels took her to Paris, France for a two-day L’Oreal Professional “World Tour” class to get the latest scoops on cutting-edge coloring and styling techniques to bring back to Maxine Salon.

How did you get the opportunity to go to Paris?

I was able to attend this French school through a special course designed for American stylists through L'Oreal Professional called the World Tour. The World Tour allows hair professionals to experience education, fashion, and culture in foreign cities. I've attended the tour 8-years in a row, and have studied at multiple schools in London, Paris, and Rome through the program.

Can you describe the Dessange hairstylists you worked with? 

Dessange stylists are the official hair stylists for the Cannes film festival, the Roland Garros French Tennis Open, and the US Open. They've also styled collections for Coco Chanel, and Christian Dior. I'm sure some of my instructors are famous stylists in France, but they were humble in their introductions to us, not even revealing their last names. The majority of our instruction and conversations were strictly business adhering to their method, and approach to cut, color, and style. There were also video screens constantly playing a loop of fashion shows from Paris Fashion Week that they were involved in. It was very impressive!

How are the French women wearing their hair?

In France, the big hair trend is wearing your natural texture. For example, if a woman's hair is naturally wavy, the stylist will recommend a cut that accentuates the curls, rather than a look that takes the client through a rigorous styling routine that changes the integrity of the texture.

How do American and French women style their hair differently?

American women love to experiment with different textures than their own on a daily basis by using tools such as round brushes, curling irons, or flat irons. The French feel sexy and confident through techniques such as air drying, scrunching their hair with their fingers, or using a diffuser to go natural. The hot tools seem to be nonexistent, and there's a real freedom in taking that approach. We also used razor cutting to take that aesthetic even further to create softer, worn-in outlines, rather than opting for scissors for perfect geometric, blunt lines. The end result is a relaxed, wispy feel that's low maintenance for all textures and lifestyles. C'est magnifique! 

Can you reveal some fun facts about your trip?

• My favorite thing to eat in Paris is the food you can buy on the street. After seeing a show at the Moulin Rouge, I bought a cheese Panini, and a nutella and banana crepe, amazing!
• As far as trends go, I noticed a lot of young girls wearing long brunette hair with no bangs, a side part, and air-dried with mousse.
• The best place to shop for clothing, records, and accessories is Colette. They always have the latest trends for anything cool.

Amy’s describes her travels as being the highlight of the year! She is looking forward to attending their next course in Melbourne, Australia this upcoming October.