In conversation: Mr Jamie Stevens

You may have seen the post, but on 5 May this year I walked into the hair salon owned by Jamie Stevens and the way my hair looked, the way I styled it and the way in which  I cared for it changed forever. If you didn’t see the write up (it is rather gushing) of my new hair style I really recommend that you do (and you can do easily by clicking here). I found the entire experience amazing, and while I could remember some of what was said as we chatted I really wanted to share some of the conversation - so today you have a Q & A session with Jamie Stevens. 

Source

This wasn’t your run of the mill conversation with a hairdresser or barber, you won’t find any “are you going anywhere nice on your holidays” patter here. Instead we talked about why Jamie became a hairdresser, and as my hair was styled I had the opportunity to ask about the MR range from Jamie Stevens while picking up some tips.

Why did you want to become a hairdresser?

My mother, grandmother and great-grandfather were all hairdressers so you could say hairdressing runs in my blood. By the age of eight, I was already helping my Mum in her salon which I then went on to take over from her at 18 and have never looked back.

When did the MR range launch?

We launched the MR by Jamie Stevens range in October 2015 going directly into 360 Boots stores nationwide.

What inspired you to create your own range of hair styling products?

Hair loss is a big concern and causes real fear and anxiety for a lot of men, whether they care to admit it or not. As someone who has thinning hair, I hope that getting men to talking about the issue will stop them suffering in silence whilst also addressing how prolific and serious it can be for self-esteem and confidence. The solution doesn’t have to be expensive - I wanted to create high performance products that combine effective treatment with the best ingredients so that men no longer have to be afraid. 

What has the feedback on your products been so far?

We have overwhelming feedback, it has been incredible so far, actually really emotional for me as so many men and also women have sent us messages saying it's changed their lives and made them feel so much more confident. This is why we aim to continue developing and giving something new to the market.

If you had to pick your favourite product from the range, what would it be and why?

Salt spray has to be my favourite, it is a versatile product that can be used to blowdry into the hair to give the hair a slightly thicker feel or you can spray into wet hair and let it dry in which gives the hair a matt like beach look.

The disguise sprays, there is nothing like it out on the market, a water resistant colour spray which instantly makes your hair look thicker.....It's like having a hair transplant but in a bottle and it's only £18 not thousands of pounds and best of all it's pain free! 

Did you see a gap in the market, was there something about the offer already out there that you didn’t like or you found frustrating?

Working in men’s hairdressing for so long and winning a lot of awards I felt the market was crowded in styling but nothing was there for an inexpensive alternative to helping people with hair issues. I felt this was a big part of the market that could really work for so many people and is one of the reason the disguise spray and fibres are such a significant part of the launch. It helped create a men’s range for everyone plus the range is suited to all ages from 16-60. 

Most of the products have our trademarked ingredients system PPX which helps reduce the rate of hair loss and keeps the hair you have thicker, fuller and stronger.

Do you see the range expanding further?

I always see the range expanding, we have had a great initial launch and I always see us adding to that and tinkering so watch this space. 

How did your life change when you became hairdresser in residence for the X Factor?

It changed in a big way as it gave me a platform to be showcased to 10’s of millions of viewers in the consumer market and allowed me exposure to many more people, with the continuation of my residency my profile continually raised and got me to a point where I felt confident enough to launch the range.

If you could offer one haircare tip to a regular man on the street, what would it be?

So many guys don’t actually know how to treat their hair so I would say make sure you use a specific shampoo and conditioner for men and not just whatever is in the shower, e.g. your partners or shower gel and most importantly when you get out of the shower don’t dry your hair roughly, pat it dry, I know so many people really rub their hair aggressively with a towel to dry it and this undoes so much of the smoothing work done in the shower. Invest in quality products to look after your hair as you only have it once! 

If you could give one styling tip to someone like me who uses a lot of product, what would it be?

Try cocktailing, where you use a base of wax and then your usual styling product of say a paste. Apply it  from back to front rather than from front to back, you’ll find less product build up at the front and it makes styling so much easier, particularly for your new style where you don’t want too much volume on top.

Source

Source

I will be writing about my experiences with the products over the next few weeks now that I have had the chance to really give them all a good try. While Jamie said that one of his favourites from the range is the Salt Spray (which I agree is great), for me at the moment I'm torn between the cocktailing wax and paste to style my hair or the shampoo and conditioner which have left my hair feeling and looking fantastic. 

My hair is naturally very fine but there is a lot of it. After my hair had been cut using the shampoo and conditioner for three weeks solid has added body to it and keeping the style flat to my head not only makes my massive forehead look smaller, but it also covers the receding zones brilliantly, even when stood in really bright sunlight, or well lit rooms. 

If you haven't seen the MR range yet, go on read Jamie's blog The Grooming Room where you can see the positive effect his products can have on your life.

Like what you see? You can keep up to date and follow Beautykinguk.co.uk using the various social media below:

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest
Google+

Bloglovin
Facebook