Curly hair, Best Hair salon in Fort Lauderdale. The south Florida home for curls. Chadwick and Igor and their team provide expert, curly hair styling using the award-winning salon specially formulated for curly hair.

OUIDAD SALON BY Chadwick and Igor in the News

At Chadwick and Igor in Fort Lauderdale, FL,
we take pride in the reputation we have
established as a world-class salon. We have been featured
a lot of times in various publications throughout the
years—a testament to the exceptional level of service
we have displayed. Browse through our archive of features below. 
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While working on a recent project with a young colleague, I recently noticed a classic case of curly hair crisis unfolding. I knew this was a job for the curly hair experts, Ouidad Salon. Recently, I had met with Chadwick Pendley, Ouidad's Stylist and Master Artistic Educator, who is something of a curly hair connoisseur. “There are a lot of emotions that are tied to having curly hair, there’s definitely a bit of taboo,” explained Pendley. But that’s where Ouidad’s philosophy comes in.
So, I sent my young colleague, who had spent years straightening her hair with a flatiron, which left it dull, over-damaged, dry and incapable of growing past a certain length. In came senior stylist Jessica O’Brien, who was able to able to help our born-curly girl to embrace her natural state with confidence. “Being educated is being empowered and one can have full control of their hair and not the other way around,” Pendley had told me, passionately.

O’Brien was able to walk my colleague through the whole process. That first day, she washed twice—first, with the Ouidad Water Works Shampoo and then with its Ultra-Nourishing Cleansing Oil Shampoo, followed by the Deep Treatment, the first product Ouidad ever made, to help it “re-learn” its curls. She sat her under a dryer where she “cooked” for about 15 minutes while the treatment worked its magic. After a rinse and a round of the Balancing Rinse Conditioner, it was finally time for a cut (cue gut-wrenching anxiety, I am sure): “a haircut to put shape back into my hair”, O’Brien explained. “I’m going to give you a traditional foundation haircut, then the Ouidad haircut and styling on top,”the stylist continued, “because curly hair needs a strong foundation and the Ouidad cut is all in the detailing.”

Cutting standing up is the only way to ensure that it is even; she took off two inches all around, then proceeded with the aforementioned “Ouidad” cut, a sliding gradation that evens out corners and gets rid of the dreaded triangle shape that most curly haired girls tend to fear.

Using the traditional Ouidad rake and shake method, she dispersed gel from their Advanced Climate Control Collection, which just launched this week, throughout her hair. O’Brien then held a dryer with a large diffuser using high heat and low pressure, to “encourage the curls, but not force them.”

After her hair was dry, raking through with Mongongo Oil instantly fell the curls into soft and natural bounce. And to maintain the curls, Advanced Climate Control Gel is recommended along with sleeping on a satin pillowcase which is apparently a big time saver in the morning.
Through meeting Pendley and his Ouidad team, I also learned that there are four different types of curly hair: loose, tight, classic, and kinky. If you see any of these curls as a problem, I think Ouidad may be your answer.
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Salon Today is pleased to announce the 20 finalists for the 2017 Salons of the Year. All 20 finalists are considered Salons of Distinction and will be profiled in the May issue of Salon Today. After a final round of judging, the grand-prize salon will be selected to be featured on the cover of the May issue.
Congratulations to all our Salons of Distinction. Check back on salontoday.com to see pictures and profiles of each of the finalists.
Anagen 11 in Appleton, Wisconsin
Owned by Christopher C Hartl
Art + Science West Loop in Chicago, Illinois
Owned by: Paul Wilson and David Raccuglia
Backstage Salon + Spa in Rowley, Massachusetts
Owned by Maryann Richardson
Base Salon in Chicago, Illinois
Owned by Krysta Nicole Rojas
Bella Rinova Salon in Houston, Texas
Owned by Lynnette Davis
The Boulevard Hair Company in Webster Groves, Missouri
Owned by Abigail Culleton and Sierra VanMeter
Champagne Nail Lounge in Los Angeles, California
Owned by Tommy Le
The Collective A Salon in Atlanta, Georgia
Owned by Bradley Partridge
Dasi Salon in Livingston, New Jersey
Owned by Jennifer and Leandro Da Silva
Gloss Salon and Spa in Woodstock, Georgia
Owned by Tim Timmons
Hermosa Salon in Edmond, Oklahoma
Owned by Tonny and Tiffany Ortega
Jose Luis Salon in Austin, Texas
Owned by Jose Buitron and Bill Pitts
One Society in Northville, Michigan
Owned by Kelly Sesi
Levato Salon & Skin Lab in Hinsdale, Illinois
Owned by Ashely Carievato
Medalyn Salon and Medspa in Kennesaw, Georgia
Owned by Melanie Thurmon and Britteny Nieto
Meraki Hair Studio in Clarksville, Tennessee
Owned by Rachel Rivera
Ouidad Salon_FL by Chadwick and Igor in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Owned by Chadwick Pendley and Igor Araujo
Sine Qua Non in Chicago, Illinois
Owned by Laura Boton
Vanity Heights Salon in Houston, Texas
Owned by Glennis Tolunay, Fiona Tolunay, Rory Tolunay and Alex Zuniga
Zazu Salon in Chicago, Illinois
Owned by Salvatore and Susan Segretto
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Today we’d like to introduce you to Chadwick Pendley and Igor Araujo.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I was 8 years old I had found an image of a haircut that I thought was awesome. I went to my guy and showed him the torn magazine page and asked to have my haircut like the model in the picture. He nailed it. I felt like I could do anything in that moment and I felt like I was the most important boy around. I was confident and I was happy wearing a smile that must have lasted as long as the haircut. It was later that day I knew that I wanted to help others feel the same way about themselves that I felt that day. I decided then and there in a small town in KY that I would cut hair. I started immediately after high school with my training and I trained every opportunity I could and I trained everywhere I could. I remember once driving 7 hours just to see someone cut hair and learn his techniques. When his class was finished I drove the same 7 hours in order to be back at the salon the following day and share these techniques with my clients.
It was around 15 years into my career that I met Ouidad. I flew to NYC to learn how to cut and care for naturally curly hair. There I was and there she was. I was nervous and I was excited. She was tough and she was very protective over her certifications. If you didn’t get her methodology you were going home. I decided in that moment that I would push myself and work on the most challenging of models with the craziest heads of curls. She noticed and shared with me techniques that forever changed my career. I returned many times to her NYC salon and trained harder and learned more and more and more. Soon I was there in that exact same spot on a Sunday morning welcoming the stylist to their certification only this time I was the Master Artistic Educator and I was teaching as she had me years before. 
I currently spend most weekends traveling all over the United States empowering others in the art of cutting curly hair. Somewhere in all this I met Igor. Again my life was forever changed. He was coloring hair and with so much passion I knew I had to know more about this energetic and brilliant young man who had made his way to America from Brazil. The day I knew we had to team up and do amazing things was an ordinary day. He was busy at the computer and had been for many late nights. When I asked what he was up to he informed me that he was writing an online book for young curls teaching them how to style their hair. There it was! I saw in that moment the same driving force in him the wanting to help others. I knew then and I certainly know now. We are going to do great things to help others. We began to work together shortly after that day in the same salon. He was coloring my clients and I was free to focus and only cut their curls which is my true passion. He immediately began to color with techniques that catered to curls. He saw curls differently and understood that they must be colored differently. He was and still is developing new ways to enhance curls through his art, hair coloring. Both Igor and I believed that we knew and understood curls and their owners and felt like they deserved a place they could call home. A salon where they could trust that they were in the most loving and caring hands. A place that understood their hair coloring and cutting services where unique like their curls and should be approached the same way. We wanted a space that was not only beautiful but a space that was luxurious and offered the most state of the art applications. We believe curls are unique, beautiful and awe-inspiring and felt the salon should reflect this. It’s so wonderful to see just how much our guests love the space and environment they have their curls cared for in. We knew we wanted the space to be beautiful but I don’t think we realized just how beautiful it was becoming. 
I was teaching in NYC one weekend and Igor and I were speaking on the phone. I remember Igor saying to me I think our salon is more beautiful than we imagined and I think when you see this week’s progress you will be so excited. He was right! I was overwhelmed and I remember thinking that that was a sign from the universe that we were headed in the right direction. We were and still we are so excited to have anyone visit us. Since we are both educators we have many stylists from all over the country fly in to shadow and study how we do what we do. Our salon is also a training academy where stylist can attend the two day certification that Ouidad taught me over a decade ago. We believe through education all things are possible. We believe this so much we created The Learning Lounge. The heartbeat of our salon. We want clients to know and understand their curls on an entirely different level. The Learning Lounge is where clients can participate in hands on DIY classes offered to help empower them. We want them to style their curls as well as we do, so, once a month’s we host The Curl Talk Class. They arrive with their blow dryer and diffuser and are guided step by step on how to style their individual head of curls. They leave so confident. It is such a beautiful moment to see an individual love how they appear and to have been the one to achieve this look themselves. Not only do we offer classes that are complimentary we like to reward our guests. We have clubs that offer savings off of various services. Clubs that make it affordable to visit the salon frequently. We have created a bit of a community here and our girls look forward to their next visit. It is so fun and an honor to see a salon filled with naturally curly haired individuals sipping Rosè, Mimosa’s, Champagne, Red or White Wine, an exotic tea or a coffee drink chosen from a very extensive Nespresso coffee menu. We want to pamper and spoil or guests. Currently we are putting together a calendar of guests’ artists to appear in the salon. These talented artist are individuals I have met in all my teaching escapades all across the U.S… They excel in our craft and we want to share their talents with South Florida. We host many special events at the salon as a way to help empower others and continue to grow and educate not only ourselves but our clients as well. We are hosting a book launch this November for the founder of Naturallycurly.com Michelle Breyer. She is a huge voice for those with naturally curly hair and has been a constant guide and source of information for over two decades now. We want everyone no matter what to feel good about their naturally curly hair and our salon is the platform upon which we put this belief into practice.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
One of our greatest obstacles to overcome is building a business that caters to those with naturally curly hair. Finding stylist and colorist to build a team that cater to only curls is not that easy. Most hairdressers want to do everything. Team members here are focused on doing one thing and doing it well. Either you cut or you color and even more specific you do this on naturally curly hair. This provides an environment where one can hone in on his/her craft and excel. Before we even opened we were repeatedly told that our ideal would not work. 1 in 10 interviewees would be interested. We pursued and have brought talent in from various areas of the country, NYC, L.A., Connecticut as well as some amazing local talent. In fact in under a year of opening we have stylist from all over the country flying in to shadow and learn our techniques and business models. We were voted on and placed in the Top 20 Salons of America today by Salon Today after only being open 6 months.
Ouidad Salon Fort Lauderdale by Chadwick and Igor – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We specialize in naturally curly hair! We are totally geared to cater to naturally curly hair. Our entire approach is different than any other salon found in America. We empower our clients to love and understand their hair on an entirely different level. We believe by properly educating our clients about their own unique head of curls we can achieve great things together. We are known as The Curl Specialist. We take pride in the fact that we are changing the lives of people with naturally curly hair one person at a time. We are helping parents of bi-racial families understand their child’s hair. We are helping women 50 years + to finally embrace their natural curls and we are helping women to transition from chemically straightened hair to luscious beautiful curls. The education we instill in our clients is paramount. We offer DiY videos while you wait in the lounge, a complimentary monthly styling class, and extensive shared information with each visit to the salon. Through education we want to “free your curls”.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
We feel that success is a client who owns her beauty. We love the opportunity to help others achieve this. We get a lot of hugs and a whole lot of tears of joy and happiness mixed with relief and we believe that this is a pretty good indication we are doing things right.
Contact Info:
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There’s no denying that summer has some major pros: warmer temperatures, longer days, frequent trips to the beach, Summer Fridays—the list goes on.
However, not everything is smooth sailing. Of course, we’re excited (come on, what kind of monster doesn’t like summer?), but there is one culprit responsible for making our summer beauty routines, particularly when it comes to our hair, a living nightmare: humidity.
Oh, humidity… the reason our hair that looked ever-so-perfect before we walked out of the door now has us resembling an electrocuted poodle. How can we keep hair sleek and shiny—whether curly, natural, or straight—and prevent it from becoming a giant, unruly mess as soon as things get clammy?
Well, to start, we should have a better understanding of why frizz occurs in the first place. Chadwick Pendley, master artistic director at Ouidad, explains the importance of this: “When the cuticle is open, it’s vulnerable to things penetrating it, such as the moisture in the air, aka humidity, which causes it to lift. This lifting is what we call frizz. Sealing the cuticle can prevent such problems from occurring.” Pendley goes on to explain that all hair types are prone to frizz, though naturally curly more so than most.
Of course, the best ways to seal the cuticle and treat your frizz varies by hair type. We chatted with Pendley and other hair experts to help us break down how to win the fight against frizz by hair type, so it can be stopped once and for all.
Read on for your guide to a frizz-free existence.

Curly
As mentioned earlier by Pendley, fighting frizz begins in the shower. If your hair is curly—aka prone to crazy frizz in humid temps—he suggests using a shampoo and conditioner that are made specifically to fight frizz. These are strong enough to seal the cuticle, yet light enough to keep your curls healthy and defined.
It doesn’t stop there, though. “As you exit the shower, it’s very important to immediately apply a primer to your ends, such as a detangling spray, followed by your styling product while your hair is still soaking wet to ensure frizz-free curls,” says Pendley. He recommends trying something called the Rake and Shake technique, which involves raking product through your curls with your fingers and then shaking your ends to define curls. It not only distributes the product evenly but also helps keep the hair cuticle closed. You can read a step-by-step of the technique here. Pendley also suggests letting your curls air dry—only diffusing them gently if you’re in a rush—so that the cuticle stays closed and your hair frizz-free.
One thing you want to avoid when styling your curls is using a product that leaves your hair crunchy—a look that should be left in 2004. “The key to defrizzing curly hair is finding a hydrating product that doesn’t weigh down the hair or leave a crunchy finish,” says Tyson Kennedy, co-owner of Cutler Salon Brooklyn, New York. “Opt for something that is equal parts hydrating curl cream and a light-hold gel to smooth away frizz while still hydrating and conditioning each follicle.”
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Chadwick Pendley, co-owner of Ouidad Salon by Chadwick and Igor in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.As one of Ouidad’s flagship locations as a salon dedicated to curly-headed clients, Ouidad by Chadwick and Igor in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, already is used to redefining the typical salon concept. At its helm are Chadwick Pendley and Igor Araujo. Trained by Ouidad in the original Manhattan location, Pendley serves as master artistic educator for the Ouidad, training stylists in the curl cutting and styling techniques throughout the country. Araujo brings additional expertise as a Goldwell technical artist. The salon has been nominated for four Mindbody Bold Awards, winning in the Greastest Business Growth category; was a 2017 Salons of the Year finalist, and is a 2018 Salon Today 200 honoree.
Now, the innovative salon is leading the industry in cutting edge technology with its latest installation of Smarter LifeStyle Network (SLN) interactive technologies. “Telling our story has never been easier,” Chadwick says. “It gives us the power to add our custom videos to the network playlist. Our clients have more info at their fingertips. It is a completely immersive experience.”
In a candid interview, Chadwick recently talked to us about the motivation behind this business decision:
ST: What intrigued you most about Smarter LifeStyle Network (SLN) and influenced your decision to install in your salon?
Chadwick: We were first intrigued by the possibility of linking up with others and becoming part of a much bigger picture. We feel we can accomplish big things when connected with others. 

ST: What is your favorite feature of the network? 
Chadwick; I personally love the fact that so much beautiful information about fashion is being produced and delivered. Fashion always inspires. Now we have the most up to date buzz delivered right to our salon through the SLN network. Clients love to stay current not only their curls but also their own style and this network responds to that need.
ST: In what ways have you been able to customize your content/videos?
Chadwick: We are able to customize our message through videos and deliver the content of that message with SLN. SLN gives us a professional platform to bring it all together and deliver to our guests a beautiful piece of media we would otherwise not have the time or resources to produce.
ST: How do your clients perceive SLN? 
Chadwick: They are very excited to have a smart device filled with useful and entertaining information to use while they wait in our lounge. The guests are very impressed within seconds. To be able to offer them a source of information that they actually enjoy and find useful helps separate us from others and says that we are different – We are not only current, but we are cutting edge!
ST: Can you describe how SLN helps you to sell products or higher margin services?
Chadwick: By helping inform our clients through SLN, we can now sell more retail and more services. Education is key and SLN helps to do just that – further educate our guests.
ST: How has SLN improved your wait space?
Chadwick: With the introduction of SLN, we elevated our level of service and luxury in our lounge. The guests now have a resourceful tool they can use to help pass time while they relax in our salon.
ST: Would you recommend SLN to other salons?
Chadwick: Yes. It just makes sense. The one-time installation cost is well worth what SLN brings to the table in terms of entertainment and awareness.
ST: Are there any other tools you've used or come across that compare to SLN, in terms of customization and profit generation?
Chadwick: No not even. We feel that SLN is in a league all their own. After lots of research, we found nothing in the market that compares to what SLN provides for our environment.
ST: Do you approach sign in or other parts of the client experience differently now that you have a tool like SLN available?
Chadwick: We do. We welcome guests into the salon and offer them exclusive beverages and SLN tablets for their enjoyment the moment they arrive into our Lounge.
ST: How do you think SLN will affect your business model going into the future?
Chadwick: We believe it connects us to a bigger team and that allows us to do bigger things in the future. It helps us promote our story furthermore to an audience we could not reach. This is huge!
ST: How has your service experience been with installation and maintaining SLN? 
Chadwick: Both installation and maintenance of SLN has been with ease. Technical support walked us through every step and remain only a phone call away if we have any questions or concerns.
Smarter LifeStyle Network is an interactive media company focused on helping salons create the optimal client experience by reducing their perceived wait times through the latest in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle entertainment. The network supplies salons with the opportunity to collect valuable data by providing clients with the ability to share their voice through surveys. The salon can then put this information to use in ways that will positively impact the consumer experience. The goal is to create a valuable two-way conversation that helps increase the salon’s bottom line through advertising revenue share and higher customer satisfaction.