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Breaking Down Walls, Turning A New Chapter & Rediscovering The Artist


Hey there! I’m Abby Birbari, and here’s a bit about me—I’ve always been head over heels for everything related to hair. More than half of my life has been dedicated to the art of hairstyling. Before beauty school, I was an artist—a bit of a rebel with a lot of energy. School wasn’t my thing, except for one place where I felt at home—art class. Somewhere along the way, my fascination with hairstyling took over, leading me to beauty school where, for the first time, I became an “A” student. That’s where it all clicked—I fell in love with hairstyling.

After beauty school, my hunger for learning became my driving force. I attended hair shows, advanced courses, and worked in different salon environments, always building my skills and understanding of the craft. Owning a salon was always a dream. In 1991, at 25, that dream became a reality. Classic Hair Design grew into a well-known salon in Waterdown and surrounding areas for over 25 years. It was built on creativity, strong client relationships, and a team that embraced individuality long before it became mainstream.

After many years of salon ownership, I reached a point where I wanted to return fully to what I love most—the artistry behind the chair. In 2018, I made the decision to close that chapter.

Today, I continue my work as a hairstylist within a salon environment, focusing on technique, detail, and working closely with my clients to create personalized results.

Classic Hair Design now represents my work, my experience, and my ongoing passion for the art of hairstyling.


 Who Am I  Now And What Can I Offer You As Your Hairstylist

With thirty-nine years in the beauty industry, I've amassed a wealth of experience. From my early days at the Vidal Sassoon Academy in Toronto to endless courses in hair colouring, cutting, hair texturizing, permanent waves, foil highlights, styling techniques, curly hair, chemical straightening, and more—you name it, I have done it. Now, I have a hunger for exploring into the science of hair, understanding how and why hair reacts and behaves the way it does, especially in the realm of hair colouring. I specialize in permanent waves, and I've even created my own special perming techniques for different hair types. I started my own YouTube channel on everything perming. I love  perming hair, coming from the late '80s, an era of perms, big hair and curls—an area that not many hairstylists today are knowledgeable about. Now, I am startinga series of How To Perm Hair e-guidebooks.

What are my specialties? I never set out to be a specialist in one type of hair service or hair type, and trust me, I specialize in many areas. I have exceptional experience with personalized women’s and men’s advanced cuts and styles, unique colour techniques, and personalized colour application. I love challenges, so colour correction is something I enjoy.

I've developed my own personal techniques for cutting curly hair and personalized texturizing for thick, coarse hair. Not all thick hair is the same, not all fine hair is the same, and not all curly hair reacts or behaves the same. There are literally hundreds of different hair maps for every hair type. With that said, phew! I don't think someone like me will ever stop learning!

How Do I Cut Curly Hair

The biggest challenge with curly hair is finding a hairstylist who truly understands it. Having curly hair myself and years of experience cutting all types of curls in my Waterdown salon, I’ve developed a few tricks to work with different curl types—fine, thick, bulky, coarse, springy, and fragile—all requiring unique cutting and texturizing techniques.

Unlike many hairstylists who only cut curls dry, I always cut curly hair wet. Here’s why: wet hair allows for better control, ensuring an even cut all around. When curls are wet, they relax and don’t spring up unpredictably, making it easier to shape the haircut accurately. Cutting curls dry can be misleading—brushing out dry curls makes them expand, which can lead to a miscalculated, uneven cut. Over-thinning curly hair is a disaster waiting to happen!

Before cutting, I analyze the hair both dry and wet. That’s why I ask first-time curly clients to arrive with dry curls. This helps me assess their natural movement and identify bulky or unruly areas that may need bulky areas thinned out. 


How Do I Cut Fine Hair

Fine hair is delicate and needs to be handled with care. The key to cutting fine hair is understanding its density—low or high.

Low-density fine hair has thin strands with follicles spaced far apart, making it light and prone to falling flat. High-density fine hair also has thin strands, but the follicles are close together, creating heavy, flat hair that needs a different approach.

For both types, I prefer a precise cut with strong, defined borders around the perimeter to create the illusion of fullness. The rest of the cut depends on length and style, but I use a technique I call spot layering—strategically placing layers in the thicker areas of the hair to add volume without thinning it out too much.

While fine hair does have some styling limitations, there are still plenty of options. I’ve developed a few of my own techniques to create the look of thicker, more voluminous hair.

Hairstylist & Barber 

In my first year as a hairstylist, I worked in a barbershop alongside some real old-school barbers. My mission was to learn the art of barbering. I mastered the proper use of my hair clipper, free-handed with no blade guards. I also learned how to achieve the same finish without clippers, using the scissors-over-comb method. Managing out-of-control double crowns or tricky cowlicks became second nature, utilizing thinning shears or razoring to control these problematic areas.

Today, my male clientele are uncertain young men or teenagers who are figuring out how to match their personalities and lifestyles with the right cut and style. No buzz cuts for these young fellows—some of them would run at the sight of hair clippers, favoring long, fashionable, non-traditional styles. On the flip side, I have more mature men seeking hairstyles or hair colouring to maintain a young and hip appearance. I feel it's my duty to offer my male clients a range of versatile hairstyling and grooming options.

Given that most men aren't very vocal about their preferences, I use visual aids, showing them pictures as my way of connecting. I always encourage my male clients to speak up about what they like or don't like. A man's hairstyle should complement their face shape and lifestyle. Regardless of age, every man wants to look stylish. I love teaching them how to style their hair and switch it up.

I Am Very Passionate About Hair Colouring

The art of hair colouring is limitless. With a practical and outside-of-the-box approach, I have developed some unique formulations and highlighting techniques. My research on hair colouring never ends; it's one of my driving forces behind my constant evolution.

As a professional colour mixologist, I can tell you that colour formulas aren't one-size-fits-all. My knowledge of hair colouring comes from years of experience, studying, and understanding the science behind it. The first step as a colour specialist is having a strong understanding of how the colour wheel works—knowing your primary, secondary, and tertiary colours! Another significant factor with colours is understanding warm tones and cool tones. Colour knowledge takes years to learn, and most of it comes from trial and error. A professional colour specialist doesn't require a huge spectrum of colours, just the base formulas and the right mixers to tweak it for each client's preference.

Pictures are the best form of communication between you and an uncertain client. During a colour consultation, I take my client over to the computer, show them pictures as examples, and encourage them to explain what they want or don't want. Then, I give them my professional opinion, and I do not proceed until we are on the same page.

The Good Consultation is the Best Way to Build a Relationship with Clients

A consultation is not just about figuring out what hairstyle or colour your clients want. There are three types of consultations. The first one is learning about your client’s wants and needs. The second is studying your clients face structure. The third is for me to determine what your hair will or will not do.  Therefor, before suggesting the right style, I will do a close evaluation of my client's hair pattern and texture. I start by checking the hairline for thin areas. The crown area for dominant areas like cowlicks or strong unruly hair patterns. The hair density, curly, straight or a combination of both.  After the evaluation, I usually ask a few questions to encourage clients to define their needs. Here are a few of my favourites: What type of styles appeal to you? What are you hoping to achieve? How good are you at styling your own hair? Then I’ll show them a series of pictures to make sure we are on the same page.

Coco Hair Studio 511 Plains Rd E, Burlington ON L7T 2E2 ( 905 689 8549 )

Classic Hair Design by Abby Birbari is a professional hairstyling service based within Coco Hair Studio in Burlington, Ontario, proudly serving clients from Burlington, Waterdown, Dundas, and Ancaster for over 39 years.