Finesse Hair Salon is doing it right!  Located on Peachtree Parkway in Suwanee, Georgia, Finesse is a Gold Level C.R.A.F.T. Rewards salon and has been in business for 20 years. So, how have they been successful for so long? “Our stylists have been with the salon for many years, which is a testament to the consistency and reliability of Matrix haircolor and haircare products,” says Christine Quiza, owner of Finesse. Matrix Education has also been a big part of their success. “We use the benefits of C.R.A.F.T. Rewards toward education, which helps us cater to the needs of our customers.”

The most popular services Finesse provides are cut and color, so educating themselves, as well as their clients, is top priority—and it shows in their retail sales. “We get the best results when we speak to clients about our products. We use the knowledge we have to educate our customers on caring for their hair. We don’t sell…we educate,” says Quiza.

So what’s the best-selling product at Finesse Hair Salon? “Biolage colorcarethérapie. With the number of clients receiving color services in the salon, Matrix and Biolage have become recognizable brand names that clients associate with high quality and performance.

Along with Education, Finesse attributes their success to the sense of family and community within the salon and with their clients. Kim Thomas has been with the Finesse family since the salon opened and has had the same clientele for the past two decades. “I feel like I’m part of the generations of families that have been clients of the salon for all these years. I’m so inspired when customers leave smiling, happy and completely satisfied with the services we’ve provided.”

One of the legacies that has been passed down through the Finesse family is: “Knowledge is power because things are constantly changing.”

To find out more about Christine and the family at Finesse Salon, visit their website at StylesbyFinesse.com       

Congratulations to Matrix Artistic Designer Sandra Carr, a winner of the 9th Annual Stars Hair and Makeover Contest, a tradition at America’s Beauty Show in Chicago. This contest gives working stylists the opportunity to submit before and after photos of a model and client. More than 80 salon pros entered this year and Sandra Carr of Sheer Professionals in Wooster, Ohio, along with two other contestants, received a trophy and an $850 cash prize.

In June, Matrix welcomed Patrick McIvor as Matrix Artistic Color Director. Patrick owns two salons, patrick mcivor color studio and studio two, both in Pennsylvania.  His studios are considered the best in the Lehigh Valley and he earned that reputation by mentoring his studio teams. Through his 23 years in the industry Patrick has worked with notable companies throughout his career. Follow Patrick on Twitter at http://twitter.com/patrickmcivor

Saro Azizian, from Chicago, was featured in the most recent INSPIRE magazine, Volume 71. The issue displayed great looks for clients ranging from the casual to the ultra-feminine.

Four Matrix "All Stars" were featured a new ad campaign announcing the SOCOLOR "Imagine Your Shade of Success" contest. Matrix Artistic Designer Ammon Carver, Master Artistic Educator April Blackwelder, Salon Owner Rick Popoff, and Matrix Stylist Stacy Szumowski, represent the four career paths you can choose from when entering the contest.

A well deserved congratulations to Matrix Artistic Designers Brian & Sandra Smith who took home the high honor of Master Hairstylist and Matrix Artistic Designer Edwin Fontanez who won the Contemporary Classic category at the 2009 North American Hairstyling Awards on July 19th!

Matrix is proud to announce, and would like to congratulate, Matrix Artistic Designers Nicholas French, on his nominations in the Master Stylist and Avant Garde categories, Brian and Sandra Smith, for their nomination in the Master Stylist category, and Ammon Carver and Edwin Fontanez for their nominations in the Contemporary Classic category.

The North American Hairstyling Awards, or NAHA, is known as the pinnacle of hairstyling competitions in North America, recognizing and honoring the industry’s top hairstylists and beauty professionals in 12 distinct categories, including: Master Stylist, Hairstylist of the Year, Editorial Stylist, Avant-Garde, Contemporary Classic, Fashion Forward, Haircolor, Salon Team Salon Design, and Texture.

NAHA entrants went through a rigorous, online judging process, involving a select panel of internationally renowned super stylists and top beauty editors from consumer and trade magazines. The select panel of more than 60 industry judges, including Mary Brunetti, Andrew Bartfield, Sally Hershberger, Anthony Morrison and Tabatha Coffey, as well as top beauty editors from media outlets such as Nylon, Glamour, OK! Magazine, Teen Vogue, Life & Style and Zink, judged more than 600 entries through a blind online judging process. Entries were narrowed down to five finalists per category and one winner in each category will be chosen.

This year marks NAHA’s 20th year as the most esteemed beauty competition in North America, with a star-studded Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas on Sunday, July 19.

See the looks that got our artists to the finals at C.R.A.F.T. ONDEMAND! Check out the Extras section to see a sneak peek of our NAHA nominees, and learn the latest cut, color and styling techniques from all our artists 24/7. And in celebration of NAHA, rent any video ONDEMAND, and get one free! Log on to MatrixCRAFT.com/OnDemand  and use code "NAHA"during checkout. (Offer valid through 8/31/09. Discount applied during checkout to video of lesser value. May not be combined with any other offer.)