Not Your Average Joe: Joe Martino Takes Over Orlando Pita’s Manhattan Salon, Orlo
This fall, Joe Martino, known as “the Fixer,” will take on more clients as Orlando Pita cuts down on his own hours.
Joe Martino, who has worked at Orlando Pita’s downtown Manhattan salon, Orlo, for 11 years, is one of the few top hairstylists in the industry who both color and cut. Known as the Fixer, Martino is getting the keys to the shop this fall, when Pita trims his schedule back to two days a month in order to focus on his hair-care-product business. A New Jersey native who used to cut the hair of his high school classmates in his mother’s basement, Martino landed his first backstage gig in 1996 at a Wolfgang Joop fashion show. “Nadja Auermann and Kristen McMenamy both modeled in it,” he recalls. “I had no idea who they were, but I loved it.” Martino is now more than familiar with the likes of Michelle Williams and Karen Elson, who are loyal clients, but looks forward to taking on the bulk of Pita’s. “I welcome the pressure. I’m ready for more.”
We asked Orlo’s creative director Martino to share his go-to, absolutely must-have hair products with us.
“Not Your Average Joe” Loves Above Average Products
Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Sea Salt Scrub, $52 “Most people don’t focus on scalp care at all, but it’s as important as their hair itself. This exfoliates and nourishes the scalp, and makes both hair and scalp feel great.”
Viviscal Professional Volumizing Fibers, $25 “This is more fibrous than any root powder or spray and it completely adheres to hair. It makes thinning hair look and feel thick while completely covering thin or bald spots. It’s also great for covering gray roots between color touch ups and it doesn’t run or stain your pillow.”
Framesi Color Lover Primer 11, $15 “I use it in the salon on every color and highlighted client as a leave-in. It not only protects and helps preserve the color while balancing the pH level, but it makes hair feel and look great. Every color client should use this after shampoo and conditioning.”
Hamadi Organics Shea Hair Cream, $23 “It’s 100 percent natural and loaded with shea butter and essential oils. I use it on everybody. For men or women with short hair, it’s great for wet and dry styling because it does have a bit of hold. For people with longer hair, it’s great for the ends and it adds shine. I also use it to control flyaways at the hairline and there’s no risk of it becoming greasy.”
Orlando Pita Play Big Revival Bodifying Hair Mask, $32 “It’s a mask for fine/thin hair that doesn’t weight hair down at all; it actually gives hair volume! Its the best selling product I carry.”
PhytoDensium Shampoo, $32 “It cleanses hair thoroughly without removing texture. As a matter of fact, it adds density and life to hair.”
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