Inside the Claude BARUK Salon at Encore Las Vegas — Photo courtesy of Barbara Kraft / Wynn Las Vegas
Those looking to turn some heads with their fabulous tresses this summer needn’t look any further than the Claude BARUK Salon at Encore Las Vegas.
This is the acclaimed French hairdresser's first North American salon. Baruk was hand-selected by Steve Wynn to become the new managing director of the Encore Salon after serving as Steve and Andrea Wynn’s personal hairstylist in St. Tropez. A leading colorist and trendsetter in France, Baruk has styled the hair of such celebrities as Naomi Campbell, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paris Hilton, Uma Thurman, Karl Lagerfeld and Ivana Trump; he has also been designated as an ID Artist for L’Oreal Professional France.
Unlike most celebrity stylists, Baruk is often at his Las Vegas salon, so guests can actually book an appointment with him. Even if he’s not available, though, all of his master stylists on staff have been expertly trained by Baruk, guaranteeing guests walk away with the same exceptional runway-worthy looks.
One of Baruk’s trademark services is his innovative, easy-to-maintain Women’s Signature “5 Step” Cut (from $230 with Baruk and from $125 with a master stylist). Baruk noted that, by sectioning off a woman’s hair into five parts and cutting each part separately, guests are not only given consistent results, but it’s also easier on the stylists. That’s because the process involves less leaning when trimming the hair, so there are no “tired, sloppy cuts” due to a sore back or a bad vantage point.
Part of what makes Baruk one of the best hairstylists in the business is his dedication to pleasing his clients. Baruk says that, during his career, one of the most common things he’s overheard when people are talking about getting their hair done is how inconsistent the results can be – even when visiting their favorite stylist. Sometimes someone just wants an inch taken off, but the stylist cuts off three inches instead.
Baruk’s trained his staff to listen carefully to what each client doesn’t want, so they can relax knowing that the end result will be something they like. After all, as Baruk states, “People don’t necessarily know what they like until they see it."
Acclaimed French hairdresser Claude Baruk recently opened his first North American salon in Las Vegas — Photo courtesy of Wynn Las Vegas
In addition to men’s and women’s haircuts, the sleek salon (which reopened in March after closing for a month in February for a remodel) offers a full menu of hair services, including color treatments, bridal up-dos and revitalizing hair spa treatments by Kérastase and Shu Uemura to help nourish lackluster locks. Makeup and nail services are available, too, with pedicure thrones facing floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Las Vegas Strip.
For something truly unique, the salon also offers fun beauty packages where clients get to act like the runway models they’re about to be mistaken for. Its Ultimate Star Photo and Video Package, in particular, includes a full range of options for nails, hair and makeup, as well as a backstage video and fashion photo shoot at various locales throughout the resort. Guests will look like they’ve stepped off the pages of Vogue – and have the photos to prove it! Talk about an only-in-Vegas experience!
The Claude BARUK Salon at Encore is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and features 12 hairstyling stations, eight pedicure thrones, eight manicure tables, two makeup stations and a private room that’s perfect for wedding parties, with two all-purpose styling stations and two pedicure thrones.
Guests can also soon visit Baruk at the salon at Wynn Las Vegas, which is currently undergoing a massive renovation and will reopen in August under Baruk’s direction. For a complete list of services available, visit WynnLasVegas.com.
