“This program will push your boundaries to understand color in depth and all aspects that relate to color, allowing you to grow your skills, clientele, creativity and business to its upmost potential.”
-Wella Master Color Expert Pamphlet
These words greeted potential attendees of the Wella Master Color Expert program. In order to obtain this coveted honor, they would first have to do some serious preparations that would forever change how they approach their careers. Luckily, we had three stylists up for the challenge.
Congratulations to Briana Martin, Trey Bower and Carlee Spring for graduating from the Wella Master Color Expert (MCE) program! They share this honor with only 100 other people in the entire world who have completed this course, since it began 5 years ago. We could not be more proud and honored to work beside these great stylists.
Last winter, attendees of the MCE program traveled to Los Angeles for two weeks in order to complete phase One of the program. Yet before they even stepped into the Wella studio, they had to complete four prerequisite courses within a 12 month period. They also had to take crucial time off of work; an important sacrifice in order to reach their goals.
Last winter, attendees of the MCE program traveled to Los Angeles for two weeks in order to complete phase One of the program. Yet before they even stepped into the Wella studio, they had to complete four prerequisite courses within a 12 month period. They also had to take crucial time off of work; an important sacrifice in order to reach their goals.
“I wanted to do the Master Color Expert Program because I knew I would learn the best color education in the world from Wella. Now I am one of a few hundred in the U.S.!” -Carlee
Phase One of the program consisted of science, anatomy, consultation practices and “hair school” back-to-basics. Stylists reviewed color theory, laws of color application and even pricing. Though it may sound simple for these already seasoned stylists, a review of the basics is a great way to ensure that your professional foundations are still sound. At the end of the course, stylists had to take an assessment of everything they learned in Phase One. This would decide exactly who had the moxie to return for the next installment of the program.
After taking the assessment (which everyone passed!), attendees jetted back home to prepare for Phase Two.
“After phase one, I felt high from excitement,” says Briana in Modern Salon Magazine. “At the salon, I felt like I had so many more options, so much more knowledge. I put a lot of pressure on myself coming back to phase two to be the best, but on the first day of phase two and after sharing ideas with my classmates, I realized it’s not about being the best. It’s about learning and being inspired by my peers.”
At the end of February, stylists who completed Phase One returned to the Wella Studio in LA to start the next chapter of their lives. It may sound like a cliché but to those artists trying to advance their technical and creative abilities, it was a hard reality. According to the Wella education handbook, Phase Two “will take you on a journey of intense learning, will inspire you and develop your coloring skills to the highest level”. Technically, Phase Two consisted of more hands-on aspects. Stylists worked on mannequins as well as their model presentations. The end goal, of course, was to graduate at the end of the week and become a Master Color Expert. After demonstrating their skills on two final models each (and after some happy tears were shed), all attendees graduated from the program.
“The Wella Master Color Expert program has opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of creative color!” says Master Stylist Trey.