Sarah Selzer & Camilla Bykhovsky
Two elementary school parents unable to find a haircut salon that made tweens and teens feel comfortable, have opened up a new shop in Pacific Heights that caters to younger customers.
Prep, started by Heidi Odell (Owen, SHB and Vivian, CES) and Jen Reinhart (Greedon and Ben, SHB), is celebrating its first anniversary this month.
“We could not find a good place to get our kids haircuts,” Reinhart said. “Around our neighborhood the places where we originally got our kids hair cut just weren’t that good. Or, because they were getting older we had to take them to an adult salon, and that wasn’t really fun for them either.”
The hairstylists at Prep trim, dry or straighten any type of hair.
“I went there last month, and it was definitely a pleasant surprise,” freshman Paula Gutman said. “Jen and Heidi were so open and welcoming to me, and really gave me a haircut that I can enjoy.”
Prep hair products do not include chemicals like paraben, a preservative that increases shelf life, but also increases levels of estrogen, which can lead to breast cancer. Odell and Reinhart also avoid produces with sulfates which can also cause eye and skin irritation.
“Before coming to Prep, I was not aware of the effects of these chemicals, but I feel like now I need to lookout for these things in the products I use,” Gutman said.
Prep hosts parties once or twice a week that include hairstyling services such as blow-outs updos, braids, highlights and coloring for any occasion as “girls can sit back and relax” at the salon according to Odell.
“We decided when we started this business that it would be really fun to have an alternative for girls to be able to come and have a party here for their birthday or a get together for graduation or for anything for a special occasion,” Odell said.
Depending on the type of style, hair color or cut, prices for hair care range from $20 to $55. Prices for specific haircuts can be found online at the Prep website, http://Prep.com.
“My favorite aspect of the salon is meeting all the kids that come through here,” Odell said. “We’ve had a great time getting to know all the kids that come in and converse with us about their daily lives. It’s awesome that we get to know most of them on a first name basis.”
