Since high school, Sabina has always been drawn to reading labels of all kinds. “It started with food labels and then with beauty products – makeup and skin care. Basically, anything that was going in or on my body,” she says. Today, Sabina takes pride in knowing the products she uses, and is more than happy to share what she knows.
GOAT: What’s your own personal hair disaster story, and what did you learn from it?
Sabina: I’ve always loved changing my look since I was young - different cuts and colors, but what I found is that my hair would often be compromised in some way. I once had my hair fried just after growing it all out to be healthy and natural. Oftentimes colors just didn’t turn out the way they were intended to. My hair just never really felt nice and it didn’t want to grow past a certain length before breaking off.
It always made me really curious about what had gone wrong and why. I wanted to understand what these ingredients were and how I could prevent this from happening in the future
GOAT: You said you enjoy nerding out over the ingredients that go into hair products. Why obsess over it? Do you remember the first time you looked at the ingredients label? What led you to do that?
Sabina: Since I was in high school I started reading all kinds of labels. It started with food labels, then labels on beauty products, makeup, and skin care – basically, anything that was going in or on my body.
I found myself sensitive to certain ingredients as well, so I wanted to explore why companies would choose to include these ingredients and what their purpose was. I found it fascinating and I’ve always loved experimenting with different products to see what worked and what didn’t.
This knowledge has been so important when it comes to applying hair color and the products that I use on clients every day. Curiosity has helped me in my career as a hairstylist.
GOAT: What’s one ingredient you try to avoid?
Sabina: In hair care – SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) is responsible for the foam in soaps and some shampoos. It strips and dries out the hair/scalp which is the opposite of what anyone wants, especially here in Calgary.
GOAT: Conversely, what’s one ingredient you think is underrated when it comes to hair care?
Sabina: Natural Glycerin is a really good one since it is a very powerful humectant – which means it attracts and locks in moisture. It also makes the hair super shiny and can prevent breakage.
GOAT: What’s one thing nearly everyone does wrong when it comes to taking care of their hair?
Sabina: I see many people ripping through tangles and using the wrong type of brush daily. This is coupled with not using a leave-in conditioner before detangling. Protecting your strands is key!
GOAT: What are some products you love sharing with your clients?
Sabina: I love a good mask and leave-in product! I’ve seen how beneficial they are to hair, especially in our climate where it’s super dry. A little bit of extra care goes such a long way. Be sure to ask your stylist what type of hair mask would be right for your hair type!
GOAT: What’s your advice for people who are considering dyeing their hair?
Sabina: Find someone you trust! Ask your stylist how to maintain/protect your hair in the process. Ask lots of questions and understand the limitations, so you can keep your hair strong and happy.