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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'm 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 and hairstyling, I was an artist, a bit of a rebel with hyperactivity. School wasn't my thing, except for one shining subject—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. I fell head over heels with hairstyling.

After beauty school, my hunger for learning became my driving force. I soaked up knowledge at every hair show, enrolled in hair courses, and had the privilege of working with some big hair legends. For the next six years, I floated from one salon to another, always on the lookout to learn the next great thing.

Did I dream of owning my salon? Absolutely. Every hairstylist dreams of having their own place. In 1991, at the age of 25, that dream became a reality as I became a salon owner. My vision was to create a salon with no boundaries—tattoos, piercings, crazy hair, and clothes were embraced. We championed total acceptance of individualities before it was mainstream. Classic Hair Design, my dream salon, became a well-known staple for over a quarter of a century in Waterdown and surrounding areas, thanks to our outstanding personal service and a team of creative, talented hairstylists.

Why did I give up salon ownership? Owning your salon is the ultimate experience for a hairstylist, and for 25 years, I achieved unimaginable goals. However, the wear and tear of managing others for too many years took its toll and my artistic flair faded. In 2018, after 27 years of salon ownership, I made a tough decision to say goodbye to the salon, Classic Hair Design. Now I'm flying solo as Abby's Classic Hair  Design. My vision is clear, to once again master the artistry of hairstyling. This way I can offer my clients more of myself beyond the salon's four walls. 

 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.

516 Plains Rd E, Burlington ON L7T 2E1 ( located inside Silk Hair Salon)  905 689 8549 

Classic Hair Design is a beauty service located in Burlington, proudly serving the communities of Burlington, Waterdown, Dundas, and Ancaster for over 39 years. 

With over 35 years of experience, hairstylist Abby Birbari offers advanced haircutting for ladies and men. Specializing in colour correction, colour makeovers, foil highlights, ombre highlights, balayage highlights, shadow highlights, silver highlights, grey blending, and hand-painted highlights. A qualified perm technician specializing in body wave perms, spiral perms, beach wave perms, multi-textured perms, pyramid perms, piggyback perms, and ombre/balayage perms. Curly hair specialist, specializing in curly haircut and style, and permanent hair straightening.