We’re excited to be back in Portland today, as we sit down with Mackenzie Lewallen-Barber, the co-founder of Hair Method Studio to chat about all things hair, beauty, and fashion.

We cover how their Oregon salon is always at the cutting edge of innovation due to their ‘always learning’ team training philosophy, top tips for shampoo and conditioning, and a lot of love for celebrity icons of the past and present.

Enjoy!

Mackenzie, tell us more about yourself and Adriana

I’m Mackenzie Lewallen-Barber, and I co-own Hair Method Studio with my business partner and fellow veteran stylist, Adriana Fournier.

Adriana and I first crossed paths in 2003 when we were both attending beauty school in Portland, Oregon. We quickly became friends, and after graduating with our full cosmetology licenses, we kept in touch while each of us worked at some of the top-rated salons in Portland.

After spending over a decade building our individual careers, Adriana and I decided to come together again with a shared dream. In the summer of 2018, we opened Hair Method Studio. We were driven by a vision of a salon where continuing education and support were at the forefront, helping other barbers and hairdressers to reach their full potential.

It was an incredible moment for us when, in 2019, Hair Method Studio was rated Best Salon in Southwest Portland by the PDX Fashion and Style Awards. That recognition really affirmed our belief in the importance of a supportive and educational salon environment. It’s something we’ve worked tirelessly to create and maintain, not just for ourselves but for the entire team and our valued clients.

What will clients experience at Hair Method Studio?

Hair Method Studio is located in the new and busy neighborhood of Southwest Portland and two things set us apart:

1. Our clientele base and consequently the services we provide. Our clients come from all over, from retirees at the Mirabella to medical staff from OHSU to international PSU students nearby. We want people from all walks of life to feel welcome and taken care of in our salon. This means that our stylists’ days can range from a wash and blowout to a fashion color makeover to a high fade.

2. Our vision for a salon is not only to encourage continued education but to create opportunities for our staff. Hair Method Studio regularly brings in highly skilled educators to demonstrate and teach new trends, refresh the basics, or provide a deeper understanding of the product lines we carry.

We believe that an educated stylist is the greatest tool a salon can have, and we are incredibly proud to facilitate our stylists’ continued growth in the industry.

What specialties does Hair Method Studio offer?

Our specialty is our highly educated stylists! Not only are all of our stylists consistently receiving quality industry training, but two of our stylists made the decision to advance their training independently and become educators themselves.

Adriana is our in-house American Crew educator, and Rico is our in-house Kevin Murphy educator. Having two educators on staff means that our clients have immediate access to the newest techniques, product knowledge, and trends.

What is your number one tip for a happy, healthy hair and beauty routine?

Invest in the basics! Quality shampoo, conditioner, masks, and leave-ins with ingredients you can understand are the keys to having gorgeous, healthy hair every day, not just when you leave the salon.

What Portland hair, beauty, and fashion trends are you seeing right now?

What’s really exciting right now in Portland is that there isn’t one trend everyone is asking for.

We’re finding that everyone is discovering what they want for themselves independently of media trend cycles, which means that our stylists are exploring all kinds of cuts, colors, and styles on a daily basis. We don’t have two clients asking for the same thing, and we love the individuality we get to showcase.

What hair and beauty products do you think should be in everyone’s day-to-day routine?

Both myself and Adriana believe in only carrying product lines that we have used and tested ourselves, so the lines that we carry are the ones we recommend. Kevin Murphy, Moroccan Oil, Eleven Australia, and American Crew are the ones we swear by, and we know that depending on your needs and your beauty budget, you will find ALL the essentials for your unique head of hair among these lines.

One piece of advice we would give to anyone is to change up your shampoo and conditioner from time to time! It is so important to find the tried and true combo that works for you, but mixing it up with new ingredients will keep your hair from falling into a rut. Even if that just means adding in a clarifying shampoo or a deeply hydrating conditioner to your rotation.

Beyond Hair Method Studio, who else would you like to give some love to?

Leopold’s in Madison Wisconsin! It’s a luxury salon for men with good prices and an even better team. Adriana met the owner, Crystal, through their shared experience as American Crew educators. Adriana holds a lot of respect for Crystal and her team, and we think they deserve a shout-out.

Who is your all-time hair, beauty, and style hero?

Iris Apfel! She was creative and fearless. She had a unique vision and the self-confidence to know that she could make it happen. Iris was successful because she believed in herself wholeheartedly.

Which current celebrity or public figure is getting it so right with their hair, beauty, and styling?

Can we say Chris Appleton? He’s the man responsible for some of our favorite hair looks happening today.

JLo, Kim K, Sofia Vergara, and Beyonce are at the top of our list for getting their hair sooo right, but Chris is the creative behind the chair. His work with color and styling is legendary. We’re following him closely, and we think you should too!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our SalonOtter readers?

Thank you to our amazing team! 

Hair Method Studio is what it is today not only because of our vision, but also because of our wonderful stylists who bring their passion, dedication, and creativity to work every single day. Our success is their success, and we can’t imagine doing this without them.

Where can people find Hair Method Studio Portland?

We’re at 620 S Gaines St, Portland, OR 97239

Check out our website to make a booking and we’re also on Insta

—

Thanks so much Mackenzie, we can’t wait to visit you, Adriana, and the Hair Method Studio team again soon!