Salon Reminds Women of Personal Beauty

"Fashion fades. Only style remains."

These words, first made famous by the indelible Coco Chanel, have now come to serve as the inspirational mantra for the Wild Orchid Salon, a designer boutique hair salon right here in Towne Lake.

Master stylist and colorist Liza Goodwin opened the salon in 2010, bringing with her 25 years of experience in the beauty industry. A native Atlantan, Goodwin was raised in both the Buckhead and Brookhaven areas until her quest for knowledge in her trade transported her to such far flung locales as Toronto, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.

"I knew I had talent when I was quite young, but talent can only take you so far," Goodwin said. "Knowledge is everything. I am passionate about what I do, and so I keep learning."

Goodwin's ambition to learn has also translated to discovering the perfect products to carry in her salon, a pursuit which not only allowed her to offer internationally acclaimed lines, but also to help to produce some of her own.

"I helped to develop a product line with Siggers Hairdressers [in Atlanta]," Goodwin said. "I learned to trust my experience with what clients need and applied this to the Wild Orchid Hair Care product line. We also carry REF, an exclusive line from Sweden, and our color line is from Italy."

The Wild Orchid also specializes in the art of Balayage highlights, which is a popular, low maintenence technique that can be done as little as quarterly.   

"All of the top models have this highlighting process done on their hair," Goodwin explained. "It's for the person who does not have time for touch-ups every six weeks. As your highlights grow out, there is no line of demarcation."

Perhaps the most significant and fulfilling service that the salon offers is Goodwin's willingness to ensure that her customers will be able to duplicate their new looks for themselves after they've gone.

"The most rewarding part of my day is consulting with my clients first and teaching them how to style their hair when they go home," Goodwin admits. "So many hairdressers won't take the time to teach their clients. It's [what happens] after you leave my chair that counts."

What also counts, in the end, is Goodwin's belief that the Wild Orchid doesn't necessarily make women beautiful as much as remind them of the beauty that they already inherently possess.

"All women are beautiful. It's an inside job. I'm just the messenger."