At the end of 2018, Odete DaSilva expanded her business, Artistex Salon & Spa, from its 19-year-old, second-story home on Westport’s Main Street to a 4000-square-foot space on Post Road. Space had gotten tight, and Odete—who also serves as a Goldwell Academy Artist and works at fashion weeks in New York, London, Paris, and Milan—had dreams of offering everything from highlights to manicures to microcurrent facials. “On Main Street, we could give a great service, but we didn’t have space to give a great experience,” she explains. The new spot offered a full salon, barber suite, tanning room, and a spa.
But as Odete and her team were getting settled, Covid happened. Odete made a point to prioritize the safety of clients and staff above all. "I worried about the business but I thought, ‘I’m gonna work this out,’” she says. “I wanted to make sure that if we were going back, we were going back safely.” Her thoughtful approach actually helped business. “People started seeking us out, for taking everybody into consideration.”
A personalized, genuine take is what has always set Artistex—which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year—apart. “Our approach is full consultation… really customizing everything,” Odete says. Hair color appointments, for example, account for the season, or if a recent vacation has lightened hair, while facials are less about layering product and more about what a client’s skin needs in the moment. “You are getting a treatment,” she says. “Everything is specific and catered, not cookie-cutter. There’s a clear sense of what a client’s needs are that day, instead of what service they booked.”
The salon also stands out for its sustainability efforts. “We have been committed to becoming more sustainable,” Odete says. Artistex offers the latest environmentally-friendly options for coloring hair and works with Green Circle, a program that helps salons dispose of and recycle salon waste (think: unused color, PPE like gloves, or hair clippings). “Salons have gone under the radar in terms of how much waste we create for a long time. We need to do better—and we can.” And Artistex is leading the way.
Artistex is located at 260 Post Road E., learn more at artistexsalon.com
"Our approach is full consultation… really customizing everything. Everything is specific and catered, not cookie-cutter."
3 Reasons to Visit Artistex:
- Healthier Hair Color: “If there’s a redhead in this town, I probably do their hair,” jokes Odete, who uses non-toxic formulas like Goldwell’s Elumen and Top Chic Zero.
- Botox-Alternative Facials: The spa’s high-powered facials are ideal for the needle-averse.
- A Scalp Treatment that Promotes Growth: Keravive works like a Hydrafacial for your scalp, thoroughly cleaning to stimulate new hair growth.