An Oasis for All
At Salon Amar in Bryn Mawr, the team of stylists and aestheticians led by owner Wei Boyd provides the best in beauty and hair care, including specialized services such as custom hairpieces.
As she was envisioning the look and feel of her Main Line salon, Wei Boyd knew she wanted to design a sanctuary where clients could receive the ultimate pampering experience in a welcoming, one-of-a-kind atmosphere. Today, more than six years later, Salon Amar in Bryn Mawr has blossomed into one of the Main Line’s most coveted spots for self-care.
From world-class cut and color services to rejuvenating facials and massages to waxing services, Salon Amar offers the full gamut of treatments in a spacious salon. A team that includes two aestheticians and 10 stylists works its magic with clients seven days a week. The salon space includes three private rooms, which are used not only for aesthetic treatments but also to offer much-needed privacy for clients who come to Salon Amar for more specialized services—namely, custom hairpieces, natural-looking wigs, and carefully curated hair extensions.
Wei has been a mainstay on the Main Line for nearly 20 years. During that time, she has become an expert on all varieties of hairpieces, including custom wigs, “toppers,” and extensions. While each person’s style and hairpiece will be different, the process for every client of Salon Amar incorporates the same personalized, thorough approach.
“All new clients have a 45-minute consultation to determine the health of their scalp and hair,” Wei explains. “That helps us decide on the best extensions/topper for the look they want, because hair extensions and toppers can cause damage—such as bald scalp or broken hair—if they are too heavy. People need to keep their own hair healthy to be able to keep wearing extensions and toppers.
“We use only the highest-quality human hair to personalize your new look,” she continues. “We use clip-in, keratin-bond Great Lengths extensions, tape-in, sew-in, micro-links, custom hand-tied wefts, V-Light extensions, and cold-fusion methods. Our clients’ safety is paramount, which is why extensions are handled only by our professional experts.”
From there, Wei can work with the client to determine if a pre-made or custom option is best.
“Custom pieces are good for people who have a hard time finding a perfect piece,” she says. “The base size or material might be too heavy, so it hurts when they move their head, or a person has too small or large of a head to wear a standard size wig, or their hair may have a certain type of texture they are looking to match—very fine, for example, or a certain type of curls—or they may be looking for a much thinner or heavier density.”
Private fittings ensure each person’s journey is as relaxed as possible. During a custom appointment, Salon Amar will make a hard cap on a client’s head and draw out the base of the piece according to the area in need of coverage. Then, the stylist and client will together choose the base material to ensure the proper fit and comfort, the density in each area of the piece, the texture of the hair, and the color to match their natural hair.
For those who experience hair loss related to a medical condition, Salon Amar also offers medical wigs, which feature specially made cap material for maximum comfort.
“These are for people who have lost their hair from a medical issue such as alopecia or cancer,” Wei explains. “This special cap makes it more comfortable to wear on the scalp skin. It is very important, since the skin on our heads is so sensitive without hair on it. Nonmedical cap wigs are going to be very painful by rubbing our scalp when we move around.”
Given the craftsmanship with which each piece is made, Wei says custom products take about three months to make. Each hair in each wig is hand-tied, meaning each piece is painstakingly made, one strand at a time. She also notes that that most toppers and human-hair wigs—about 90 percent, she estimates—will need color work to achieve the most natural look.
“We color pieces to match exactly what clients want—for example, adding some root color or lowlights—and sometimes we also perm the piece to give it a little more body,” Wei adds. “It all depends on the person’s need.”
For these reasons, Wei encourages those who know hair loss may be impending to visit the salon as soon as possible for a wig consultation.
“Some people don’t realize they may not be able to find the perfect wig right away,” she says. “We want you to have plenty of time. Also, it’s very important for women to know that actually once you start chemotherapy, you’re going to lose your hair very fast. Before you even lose your hair, it’s best to have something in the closet there for you.”
Salon Amar
2 Town Place, Suite 105
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(484) 380-3853
salonamar.com
2 Town Place, Suite 105
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(484) 380-3853
salonamar.com
Photo by Alison Dunlap
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, October 2024.
