01
pH Health Bio Scan
A full-body composition and wellness scan — the same data-driven starting point used across the wellness industry, now built into your salon visit.
RATED A TOP 3 SALON IN UNIVERSITY CITY/OLIVETTE
Your hair tells a story.
We make it remarkable.
Sustainable luxury for those who understand the difference between treating hair and truly restoring it. Every appointment, every product, every decision — held to an unspoken standard.
3-Phase
Hair Recovery Protocol
Vital Strandz
Exclusive Recovery Partner
Eco-First
Cruelty-Free & Sustainable
Our Philosophy
We do not follow trends.
We protect what is yours.
At pHundamental, beauty is not an aesthetic choice — it is a commitment. A commitment to the health beneath the surface, to the integrity of every strand, to the kind of care that compounds over time the way true luxury always does.
"We are entrusted with your hair.
We do not take that lightly."
We do not take that lightly."
Sustainable by design
Eco-conscious.
Cruelty-free.
Uncompromising in results.
Our commitment to sustainability is not a trend we adopted — it is the foundation we were built on. Every product we select, every technique we master, every decision we make begins with one question: is this truly the best we can offer?
The Hair Recovery Method
01
Scalp Assessment
A thorough consultation to understand root cause — not just visible symptoms. Lasting results begin beneath the surface.
02
Vital Strandz Protocol
Our exclusive recovery line, applied with clinical precision. COMPLETE. SOOTHE. BALANCE. Each formulation chosen for your specific scalp environment.
03
Ongoing Mastery
Recovery is not an event — it is a practice. We guide you through an at-home ritual calibrated to sustain what we build together in the salon.
Exclusive Recovery Partner
Vital Strandz
Vital Strandz does not mask damage. It dismantles it. We selected this line not because it was available, not because it was marketed to us — but because we witnessed what it does in the hands of someone who understands hair at the deepest level. That is the only criterion that has ever mattered here.
Complete
Soothe
Balance
As seen in
Fox 2 STL
Yahoo News
STL Upscale Magazine
What we do
Our Services
Haircut & Style
Precision cuts and styling tailored to your unique texture and vision.
Hair Coloring
Extraordinary color crafted to your individual style and hair health.
Scalp & Hair Treatments
Focused on preventing hair loss, rebuilding damage, and eliminating scalp conditions.
Keratin
Treatments that leave your hair stronger, healthier, and noticeably shinier.
Natural Hair
Expert styling for natural textures — cuts, definition, and health-first care.
Locs
Starter locs and ongoing loc maintenance performed by trained specialists.
Twists
Two-strand, comb, and flat twists executed with skill and precision.
Hair Extensions
Highly customized extension services using only the finest products available.
I always appreciate the time and attention that Michelle spends caring for my hair. There is no one else.
Christine Allen · Flat Twists, Cut & Color
Outstanding and creative. A professional who knows hair, style, and people at a level I have not found anywhere else.
Adrienne Davis · 2 Strand Twists & Long Haircut
Begin your transformation
Meet the standard. Book a consultation.
Every remarkable hair journey begins with a single conversation.
We are not in the business of beauty.
We are in the business of truth.
pHundamental was built on a conviction: that the highest form of care is honesty. Honest about what your hair needs. Honest about what is possible. Honest about the time, the science, and the commitment that genuine restoration requires.
Our Beliefs
On hair health
Health is not a service.
It is the foundation.
There is a difference between hair that looks healthy and hair that is healthy. One is an illusion maintained by the right products and enough heat. The other is built from the scalp up — slowly, deliberately, without shortcuts.
We have always chosen the second path. Not because it is easier — it is never easier — but because it is the only one that leads somewhere real.
"We do not believe in quick fixes. We believe in the kind of change that stays."
On sustainability
The planet is not a compromise.
It is a standard.
We made a decision early: that our commitment to your hair would never come at the expense of the world you live in. Eco-friendly, cruelty-free, and sustainably sourced are not marketing claims at pHundamental. They are requirements.
Every product we select, every supplier we choose, every practice we adopt begins with this question: can we do this without taking more than we give?
On product standards
We use Vital Strandz because
nothing else came close.
We have tried many things. We have watched results. We have listened to our clients. And when we found Vital Strandz, we stopped looking. Not because it was convenient — nothing truly excellent ever is — but because in every formulation, we recognised the same commitment we hold ourselves to.
Obsessive attention to what the scalp actually needs. Not what the marketing says it does.
On client relationships
We are not building appointments.
We are building trust.
The most valuable thing that happens in this salon is not the cut or the color. It is the conversation that precedes it. The honest exchange between a stylist who genuinely cares and a client who has learned they can speak freely.
That is what we are building here. One appointment, one act of honesty, one genuinely remarkable result at a time.
"Your trust matters more than your next appointment."
The Founder
Michelle Borland
pHundamental began as a belief — that there was a better way to approach hair care. Not better in the sense of faster or louder or more convenient. Better in the sense of deeper. More honest. More rigorous.
I have spent my career learning what hair actually is — not as a cosmetic surface, but as a living system with its own intelligence. The scalp is an environment. It responds to what you give it, and it remembers what you take from it.
This salon exists because I believe that when you care for hair at that level of depth, everything else follows: the results, the trust, the relationships that last for years.
— Michelle
Specialisation
Scalp health, hair loss treatment & sustainable recovery protocols
Hair Health Survey
A proprietary consultation process assessing scalp condition, history, and recovery potential
Recovery Methodology
Three-phase protocol integrating in-salon treatment with a personalised at-home ritual
Vital Strandz Partner
Exclusive St. Louis salon partner — trained in the full Vital Strandz protocol
Location
612 N. McKnight Rd, Suite E · University City, MO 63132
What we stand for
Four commitments we do not negotiate.
I
Honest Consultation
We will tell you what your hair actually needs — even when it is not the service you came in asking for.
II
Uncompromising Product Standards
Every product we use and recommend passes one test: does it genuinely serve the health of your hair and scalp?
III
Sustainable at Every Level
Eco-friendly, cruelty-free, and planet-conscious — not as a brand position, but as a non-negotiable condition of how we operate.
IV
Long-Term Relationships
We are not in the business of one-time transformations. We are building partnerships that deepen over time.
Ready to begin
Meet the standard.
Book a consultation.
Every journey begins with a conversation. Yours starts here.
The art of
reclamation.
Hair recovery is not a single service. It is a methodology — built on clinical understanding, personalised to your scalp's specific environment, and sustained by products and practices that compound in their effect over time.
3-Phase Protocol
Structured Recovery Method
Vital Strandz Exclusive
Our Recovery Product Line
In-Salon & At-Home
Continuous Care
The pHundamental Method
Three phases. One standard.
01
Scalp Assessment
Before a single product is selected, we listen. A thorough consultation maps your hair history — chemical services, heat exposure, stress, diet, hormonal shifts. We identify root cause, not visible symptom.
We assess scalp condition type: dry, oily, inflamed, or compromised. This determines the precise Vital Strandz formulation — and the sequence in which it is applied.
02
Vital Strandz Protocol
Our exclusive recovery line is applied with clinical precision. COMPLETE activates growth. SOOTHE reduces inflammation. BALANCE purifies and oxygenates. Together they create an environment where restoration is not just possible, but inevitable.
In-salon treatments are performed in prescribed sequences. Each step prepares the scalp for the next, amplifying absorption and effect. Nothing is arbitrary. Nothing is accidental.
03
At-Home Ritual
Recovery does not pause when you leave the salon. We design a personalised at-home protocol — the specific products, the application method, the frequency — that sustains and deepens what we build together.
Your ritual is not a product recommendation. It is a prescription — calibrated to your scalp, your lifestyle, and the pace at which your hair responds to restoration.
Conditions we address
Every scalp has a story.
We know how to read it.
Hair Thinning
Density loss from hormonal shifts, post-partum changes, ageing, or chronic stress.
Scalp Inflammation
Chronic irritation, dandruff, sensitivity, and follicular congestion that inhibits growth.
Chemical Damage
Structural compromise from relaxers, colour services, or over-processing over time.
Heat Damage
Porosity disruption and cuticle destruction from cumulative thermal styling.
Excessive Shedding
Telogen effluvium and stress-response shedding that exceeds natural cycle loss.
Scalp Dryness
Chronic dehydration of the scalp environment leading to brittleness and breakage.
Recovery products — exclusively Vital Strandz
Each formulation. A specific purpose.
Complete
Growth Activation
Promotes hair growth by oxidising and oxygenating the scalp. The foundation of every density-focused protocol.
Soothe
Inflammation Relief
Reduces inflammation and provides sustained relief from tension, pain, and scalp sensitivity.
Balance
Scalp Purification
Purifies, detoxifies, and oxygenates — creating the clean environment restoration requires.
Begin your recovery
Your hair deserves a second chance at its best.
Every recovery journey begins with a conversation. Book a consultation and let us show you exactly what is possible.
Every service.
One standard.
From your first cut to your most complex recovery — every service at pHundamental is held to the same uncompromising level of care. We do not have good days and great days. We have one day: our best.
01
Haircut & Style
Precision cuts and expert styling tailored to your unique texture, face shape, and vision. We eliminate split ends and frizz while maintaining the natural integrity of your hair.
Regular cuts are the foundation of hair health.
Starting at $68
Final pricing determined during consultation
based on your hair's specific needs.
based on your hair's specific needs.
02
Hair Coloring
Extraordinary color crafted to your individual style. From subtle balayage to bold transformations — all executed with the health of your hair as the first consideration, not the last.
Color and health are not opposites here.
Starting at $173
Final pricing determined during consultation
based on your hair's specific needs.
based on your hair's specific needs.
03
Scalp & Hair Treatments
Our signature recovery work. Focused on preventing hair loss, rebuilding and nourishing damaged hair, and eliminating dandruff and scalp conditions. Performed using the exclusive Vital Strandz protocol.
The most important service we offer.
Starting at $100
Final pricing determined during consultation
based on your hair's specific needs.
based on your hair's specific needs.
04
Keratin Treatments
Regular Keratin treatments leave your hair visibly stronger, healthier, and noticeably shinier. A structural investment in your hair's long-term integrity.
Frizz-free without compromising health.
Starting at $400
Final pricing determined during consultation
based on your hair's specific needs.
based on your hair's specific needs.
05
Natural Hair Services
Expert styling for natural textures — wash-and-gos, definition, health-first cuts, and the kind of care that honors the full breadth of what natural hair can be.
Natural hair is not a specialty. It is a strength.
Starting at $105
Final pricing determined during consultation
based on your hair's specific needs.
based on your hair's specific needs.
06
MICRO LOCS
Starter locs and ongoing loc maintenance performed by trained and skilled specialists. From first installation through maturation — we understand the full lifecycle of loc'd hair.
Precision from day one.
Starting at $350
Final pricing determined during consultation
based on your hair's specific needs.
based on your hair's specific needs.
07
Twists
Two-strand twists, comb twists, and flat twists — each executed with technique and care. Protective, beautiful, and performed by stylists who understand the purpose behind the style.
Protection with intention.
Starting at $137
Final pricing determined during consultation
based on your hair's specific needs.
based on your hair's specific needs.
08
Hair Extension Services
Highly customized extension services using only the finest products available. Seamlessly matched to your texture, color, and lifestyle. Installed with the health of your natural hair as the priority.
Extensions that enhance, never compromise.
Starting at $263
Final pricing determined during consultation
based on your hair's specific needs.
based on your hair's specific needs.
09
Value-Added Services
Deep conditioning, flat iron services, and special occasion styling. The finishing touches that complete the experience — and leave you walking out exactly as you envisioned.
Because details are never small here.
Starting at $37
Final pricing determined during consultation
based on your hair's specific needs.
based on your hair's specific needs.
...AND MANY MORE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE
Not sure which service is right for you?
Book a consultation and let us assess your hair, understand your goals, and design the exact experience your hair needs.
A luxury wellness membership
The pH Club.
Every visit pairs a full-body Bio Scan with a scalp scope analysis, so you and your stylist can see — month over month — how your markers move and how your scalp responds.
For guests serious about measurable progress every 30 days. Not intended for medical use; consult healthcare providers for diagnosis.
Every visit includes
Built around your own data.
02
Scalp Scope Analysis
Close-up imaging of your scalp and follicles, so your hair recovery plan is based on what is actually happening beneath the surface.
03
Metrics Review
A guided walk-through of what has changed since your last visit — including the most recommended wellness and minerals support for tracking.
Membership tiers
Choose your commitment.
Drop-in single
$95
One Bio Scan + Scalp Scope & Consultation
Quarterly
$225
$75 Per visit · 1 scan per month for 3 months
Biannual
$420
$70 Per visit · 1 scan per month for 6 months
Best value
Annual
$780
$65 Per visit · 1 scan per month for 12 months
All plans offer flexible pay. Ask in salon about payment options and membership details.
How it works
Simple, monthly, yours.
01
Scan Monthly
Come in each month for your Bio Scan and scalp scope — quick, non-invasive, and consistent.
02
Review Your Trends
We walk through what moved since your last visit — hydration, minerals, and anything new.
03
Refine & Repeat
Your hair care recommendations and wellness plan evolve with your real data, not guesswork.
A note on wellness & compliance
The pH Club scan and consultation are offered for general wellness and educational purposes only. They are not medical devices or diagnostic tests, are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and do not replace care from a licensed physician. Vitamin and mineral recommendations reflect general wellness guidance only; consult your doctor before changing any new supplement.
Our Exclusive Recovery Partner
Vital Strandz.
The only line we trust.
We do not carry many products. We carry the right ones. Vital Strandz was selected not because it was available or marketed to us — but because we witnessed what it does in the hands of someone who understands hair at the deepest level.
As seen in
Fox 2 STL
Studio Feature
Yahoo News
National Coverage
STL Upscale Magazine
Luxury Feature
Why Vital Strandz
We stopped looking when we found it.
There is a particular kind of recognition that happens when a professional who has seen everything encounters something that is genuinely exceptional. That is what happened when we found Vital Strandz.
Every formulation reflected the same obsessive attention to what the scalp actually needs — not what the label says it needs, not what the marketing promises — but what the scalp's biology demands to heal, restore, and thrive.
"Vital Strandz does not mask damage. It dismantles it."
What makes it different
Science built for
the root cause.
Most products address the symptom. Vital Strandz addresses the environment. The scalp is an ecosystem — and every formulation in the Vital Strandz line is designed to work within that ecosystem, not against it.
Formulated with natural oils, instantly absorbed, non-residue. Clinical-grade actives. pH-balanced for the scalp's natural environment. This is the difference between a product and a protocol.
The Collection
Each formulation. A specific purpose.
Complete
Growth Activation
Promotes hair growth by oxidising and oxygenating the scalp. The foundation of every density-focused recovery protocol. For daily use as part of a comprehensive restoration plan.
Soothe
Inflammation Relief
Reduces inflammation and provides sustained relief from scalp tension, pain, and chronic sensitivity. For scalps dealing with persistent irritation that prevents healthy growth.
Balance
Scalp Purification
Purifies, detoxifies, and oxygenates the scalp — creating the clean, balanced environment that all restoration requires. The reset every protocol begins with.
In the press
What they said about Vital Strandz.
Fox 2 STL
Yahoo News
STL Upscale
READY TO BEGIN?
Ask us about Vital Strandz
at your next appointment.
Our stylists will assess your scalp and recommend the exact formulations your recovery requires.
We're Hiring.
Are you a vibrant, talented individual with a passion for healthy, beautiful hair? pHundamental Salon is looking for an associate/assistant to join our foundational team.
Open Position
Salon Associate / Assistant
At pHundamental Salon, we believe healthy hair is the ultimate luxury. We're searching for a special individual to join our team as a Salon Associate — someone who is talented with their hands, and passionate about learning.
This is more than a job; it is an immersive apprenticeship. You will be an integral part of our client experience while receiving hands-on education in our unique philosophy and techniques.
What you'll do
Assist
Provide a flawless client experience from consult to checkout.
Learn
Perform salon support services — shampooing, conditioning, meticulous salon prep.
Observe
Assist with advanced healthy hair treatments and services.
Exude
A vibrant, welcoming energy that makes our studio feel like a sanctuary.
Engage
In structured foundational training on product knowledge, hair health principles, and salon operations.
Who you are
Eager to Learn
You have a growth mindset and crave a structured, artistic foundation.
Vibrant & Professional
Your positive energy is contagious, and you understand the importance of professionalism.
Talented & Detail-Oriented
You have a natural flair for service and an eye for detail.
Reliable
You commit to a consistent schedule of Wednesdays through Saturdays.
What we offer
Paid, comprehensive training in our exclusive healthy hair methods.
A supportive, creative, and positive studio environment.
The foundation for a long-term career path as a Stylist with pHundamental Salon.
Discounts on products and services.
Details
Wed – Sat
4 days per week
32 – 40 hrs
Weekly hours
Starting at $16 / hr
Compensation
Ready to build the foundation
of your career with us?
To apply, please send your resume and a short paragraph (or video) introducing yourself and explaining why you want to learn the art of healthy hair.
Trichology
in St. Louis.
Hair loss has a cause. Trichology is the discipline of finding it.
Michelle Borland is a certified trichologist practicing in University City — trained to assess the scalp as a clinical environment, identify what is driving loss, thinning, or chronic irritation, and build a recovery plan from evidence rather than assumption.
CertifiedUSTI-trained trichologist
Diagnostic-firstAssessment before treatment
15+ conditionsAssessed and mapped
The distinction
A stylist works with your hair.
A trichologist works with what produces it.
Most people who come to us have already tried things. Shampoos that promised growth. Oils recommended online. A stylist who did their best with what they could see.
Trichology starts somewhere else — at the follicle, the scalp environment, and the systemic conditions that govern both. It asks not how we style this, but why this is happening and what it is responding to.
Hair loss is rarely only about hair. Hormones, inflammation, nutrition, tension, medication, autoimmune activity, and the scalp environment all matter.
“We do not guess. We assess, and then we act on what we find.”
USTIUnited States
Trichology Institute
Trichology Institute
Michelle Borland
Certified Trichologist
The credential
Certified through the United States Trichology Institute.
Michelle completed formal training covering hair and scalp anatomy, growth-cycle physiology, scalp-disorder pathology, and the diagnostic protocols used to distinguish conditions that can look identical to the untrained eye.
That training sits on top of a full career behind the chair. The combination is uncommon, and it is why clients are referred here after other approaches have not worked.
Conditions assessed
What we're trained to identify.
Androgenetic alopecia
Pattern loss driven by hormonal sensitivity at the follicle. The most common form of hair loss, and frequently misidentified.
Telogen effluvium
Diffuse shedding triggered by stress, illness, childbirth, surgery, or medication — typically months after the event.
Traction alopecia
Follicular damage from sustained tension. Reversible early, permanent if left unaddressed.
Seborrheic dermatitis
Chronic inflammation producing flaking, redness, and itching that inhibits healthy growth.
Cicatricial alopecia
Scarring loss beginning at the crown and spreading outward. Early identification is critical.
Folliculitis
Bacterial or fungal involvement that must be resolved before any recovery protocol can work.
Several conditions present almost identically on the surface. The difference determines how they are treated — and how much time you have.
The consultation
What happens in a trichology consultation.
History
We map onset, pattern, and rate of loss alongside chemical history, medications, health, nutrition, stress, sleep, and family history.
Scalp analysis
Microscopic examination assesses density, miniaturization, inflammation, sebum, buildup, and the emerging hair shaft.
Bio-scan
Quantitative scanning establishes baseline scalp and systemic markers that can be tracked across months.
Findings and plan
You leave understanding what we found, what may be reversible, and what the recovery path looks like.
Tracking
Measured, not estimated.
Recovery is slow enough that memory is an unreliable judge. The pH Club provides monthly scans that track your scalp markers against your protocol and results.
Scope of practice
Where trichology ends.
A trichologist is not a physician. We do not diagnose disease, prescribe medication, or replace dermatological care. We assess, identify, treat within our scope, or refer you to the clinician who should be handling it.
Investment
What this costs.
Trichology Consultation
A full diagnostic session — history, scope analysis, bio-scan, and written findings. This is an assessment, not a treatment.
- Complete history review
- Microscopic scalp and follicle analysis
- Bio-scan with baseline measurements
- Written findings and recommended protocol
- Referral to a physician where warranted
$225Initial consultation
The $95 deposit secures your appointment and is applied toward the consultation. The intake form must be completed before your appointment.
Recovery programs
A term determined by your condition.
Some conditions resolve in three months. Others require a year or ongoing management. We recommend the term your findings call for — you decide how to pay for it.
Three months
$875
3 in-salon treatments · monthly scans · full at-home regimen
For acute, resolving conditions and shedding with an identified trigger.Six months
$1,650
6 in-salon treatments · monthly scans · full at-home regimen
For inflammation, damage, and early-stage loss. The standard term.Twelve months
$2,950
12 in-salon treatments · monthly scans · full at-home regimen
For chronic and progressive conditions requiring sustained management.Three ways to pay.
In full — Paid at enrollment, discounted 10%.
Monthly — Divided evenly across the term.
Deposit and monthly — A portion at enrollment, with the balance divided across remaining months.
Products are prescribed from your findings and included in every program. We do not hand out a standard kit — what you leave with depends on what your scalp needs.
Common questions
Before you book.
What is the difference between a trichologist and a dermatologist?
A dermatologist is a medical doctor who can diagnose disease, prescribe medication, and perform biopsies. A trichologist specializes in hair and scalp assessment, non-medical treatment, and long-term recovery protocols. We refer out when medical care is needed.
Do I need a trichologist or a stylist?
If your concern is unexplained loss, thinning, shedding, irritation, or a recurring scalp condition, begin with a trichology consultation. Styling concerns can begin with a salon appointment.
How long does a consultation take?
Allow time for a detailed history, microscopic scalp analysis, bio-scan, and a clear review of findings and next steps.
Will my hair grow back?
That depends on the cause and whether follicles remain viable. Your consultation identifies what can realistically be reversed or stabilized.
Do I have to enroll in a program?
No. The consultation stands alone, and you receive findings whether or not your recovery path involves our salon.
Do you treat men?
Yes. Trichology assessment is available to anyone experiencing hair or scalp concerns.
Begin
Find out what is actually happening.
Every recovery plan worth following starts with an accurate assessment. Book a trichology consultation and get a real answer.
Before your consultation
Trichology Intake.
Your answers give Michelle the history and context needed to begin your appointment with evidence, not assumptions.
Hair Health Survey
Six short questions to help us understand your hair, your history, and your goals — so we can recommend the right path forward.
What is your age?
How would you describe your hair type?
What is your primary concern?
Have you experienced noticeable shedding or thinning in the last 12 months?
How often do you chemically treat your hair (color, relaxer, keratin)?
What outcome matters most to you?
Thank you
Your results are ready to discuss.
Based on your answers, a personalized consultation is the next best step. We'll review your hair history and design a recovery plan tailored to your goals.