Hello, I’m Koga Tanaka, the owner of LOWONIDA hair design in Himeji, offering consultations in both Japanese and English.
Today, I’d like to share my thoughts on what “suitability” in hair design really means.
When you look at social media, you often see posts like:
“If you have yellow-based skin, this style suits you.”
“If you’re blue-based, choose this instead.”
“For a round face, this hairstyle.”
“For a long face, that one.”
But is it really that simple?
For example, if someone with a long face is told that a certain hairstyle only suits round faces, does that mean they should give up on the style they truly want?
My answer is no.
True suitability is created through a complex combination of many elements—hair texture, hairline, face shape, skin tone, make-up, fashion, and more.
By carefully adjusting these factors, it is absolutely possible to adapt the hairstyle you want into one that genuinely suits you.
The most important foundation of suitability is not only face shape or skin tone, but also how the hairstyle matches your fashion and make-up.
It’s impossible to create the right design by looking only at what’s above the neck.
For example:
Is this length appropriate for your height?
Does it balance well with your clothing and make-up?
These are the perspectives I use when making my suggestions.
That’s why, in my view, starting the consultation after putting the cutting cape on is not ideal.
As a hairstylist, I take great pride in hair design, but the element that has the greatest impact on first impressions is actually fashion.
Quite simply, clothing occupies more visual space than hair, so it naturally leaves a stronger impression.
This means that hairstylists are also expected to have the ability to adapt their designs to a client’s fashion preferences.
This understanding comes from my experience working on London fashion collections and editorial shoots for fashion magazines.
Next, let’s talk about make-up.
How many hairstylists do you think truly have a solid knowledge of make-up?
Probably fewer than you imagine.
In a typical salon environment, there are almost no opportunities to work with make-up.
However, from a client’s point of view, you’d want your hairstyle to be designed with make-up balance in mind as well, wouldn’t you?
In fact, I graduated from make-up academies in both Japan and London, worked as an assistant to professional make-up artists, and continue to direct make-up during photo shoots today.
This knowledge is fully reflected in how I decide on hair designs.
In other words, my role is not just to style your hair, but to harmonise your entire look.
I’ll be sharing more specific details about this approach little by little on the blog, so if you’re interested, please keep an eye on it.
Of course, if you visit the salon, feel free to ask me anything—during the consultation or even while the service is in progress.
I’ll use all of my knowledge and experience to help bring out your best.
I look forward to welcoming you at LOWONIDA hair design.
