I was a Beauty School Dropout.
I was a beauty school dropout. Yup. Over and over again. I probably dropped out at least 3x. Maybe more. I tried two separate schools and I barely showed up to either and when I did, I almost never took it seriously. Until, Something serendipitous happened…
We got a substitute teacher. A young, cool, blonde with a blunt bob. For the first time ever I felt interested in why such a “cool girl” would want to be a crusty hair instructor at Blaine Beauty School in Lowell, Massachusetts. All of my teachers were at least 60 and older. And prior to that, I was at their Boston location where the classes were first taught in Spanish, then they would come over to my table to translate for the gringas. Aka (white girls). I felt lost, intimidated, unwanted and unteachable. That coupled with my wild teenage lifestyle made it an easy escape. I didn’t care about anything. Not myself, not my future and certainly not my parents wallet. (Sorry mom + dad.)
For anyone unaware. Each hour missed in beauty school costs money after the allotted amount of time given to you. To obtain a cosmetology license in Massachusetts they required you to complete 1000 hours of school and pass a state board exam. But, as previously stated, I couldn’t find a reason to keep my butt in school long enough to be accredited.
Then it happened. Remember that “cool” substitute teacher with the short blunt bob? She returned the next day with the longest most beautiful flowy blonde hair and I immediately perked up in my chair. Actually, I am pretty sure I ran up to her, grabbed her luscious locks and said with the most excitement I have ever had in my life.
“ YOU HAVE TO TELL ME EVERYTHING! ”
“ HOW DID YOU DO THAT???? ”
“ I MUST KNOW. ”
“ PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE TEACH ME. ”
“I had no idea that this would be the foundation in which my passion for both extensions and education would begin.”
From that moment on I couldn’t wait to get to school and finish my hours. It took me two years, two schools, a few drop outs and re-enrollment. Paid in full each time. By my parents to finally realize THIS was what I was meant to do.
Thank God I decided to “show up” that day. This substitute teacher had no idea the impact she made on my life when she decided to go outside the box and actually teach me something not from our dated Milady textbook.
Listen up ok, this was the early 2000’s when extensions were not even on the map yet in mainstream cosmetology. And there definitely was no social media where I could find out what was trending across the country. Or world for that matter. It was not like it is today where anyone and everyone can take a quick online class on whatever and become an “expert” or a “specialist”.
Extension were considered a “black girl thing.” ESPECIALLY sewn in tracks known today as “weft extensions”. I learned real quick that that was NOT the correct method for anyone with Caucasian hair like me. Well at least not when the foundation is tightly braided opposed to beaded causing traction alopecia. All these lessons I was learning first hand. They weren’t taught to me by anyone. It was trial and error for me.
So what did we do with those “tracks”? You ask. WE GLUED THEM. Ya, you heard that right. Straight up stinky, smelling glue right in my hair. Blow dryer on cool setting to dry them in place. Man, I thought I knew everything there was to know about extensions. I knew all the best back door Asian shops that carried weave from Lawrence to Blue Hill Ave. And they knew me. I always had questions like…
“Where does this hair come from?”
This is where I learned about “white girl weaves”. The do’s and don'ts. How to blend thick wefts to short burnt off crispy layers. (The fun of cosmo school was the endless practicing on each other. So you can only imagine how the ones brave enough to volunteer looked) This was where I learned what “double drawn”, “remy” and “single donor hair meant.” This was where I figured out that human hair and synthetic hair were completely different and needed to be treated so. I learned that “human hair” doesn’t always come from a human. I also got my answer about where the hair came from, but that answer usually varied depending on who you ask. But, most importantly I learned that I had a gift. I could help all these girls who had their hair burnt off in school. I could help the girls who were too nervous to commit to fashion shades. I could help fix bad haircuts.
“I COULD HELP. + MY LIFE FINALLY HAD MEANING.”
Fast forward a few years where I was poached to work at what I considered the Mecca of Boston Luxury Salons on Boylston Street. It was a my first real luxury salon experience. The interview took place on a gorgeous rooftop deck with views of Fenway Park and of course the Boston skyline. I nailed it. Me and my 18”color #613 bleach blonde glue in weave. I thought to myself wow I really made it. I was 25 and thriving.
It was my first day and I didn’t get the memo of the black white and red dress code. Nor, did I look like any of the other stylists in their platform heels and cute mini skirts. I was embarrassed to say the least but kept my head high and “faked it”. Then the worst thing that could have happened happened. I was called out for having a weave and told I would not be able to work there with “that” in my hair. Harsh, I know. Back then the industry wasn’t as “welcoming” as it is today.
More than slightly mortified, I said “what should I do then?” I wouldn’t be caught dead without my extensions. Luckily the stylists were nicer than the owner and they immediately brought out a folder with these tiny individual strands of hair. They began explaining the type they were all trained in which were Keratin Bonds. This was also unheard of because again, back then stylists were NOT keen to sharing trade secrets or even helping new comers. My eyes widened. I guess I never realized there were different systems or application methods at the time I was so new to extensions I never thought to ask how else they can be installed. And I found myself again,
“NEEDING TO KNOW EVERYTHING.”
It seemed like every year from that moment forward I would learn a new technique for applying hair extensions. I have been hooked ever since and continue to learn every new and exciting method out there.
I even stayed in the game while pregnant for 2 years. I wasn’t able to work in heels all day anymore and said my goodbye to working behind the chair. I took a position with a small distribution company that sold Balmain Hair Extensions and quickly became their “in house educator” in all things extensions, color, and wet lines. I earned this title by being the only licensed cosmetologist on the sales team. I learned a lot about the industry in those short years visiting hundreds of salons and meeting tons of industry leaders, visionaries and platform artists. I even had the chance to work backstage at New York Fashion Week. I went on to open my own salon and put the sales and education on hold while life played itself out.
I am now the proud owner of an Extension + Education salon called Extension Arts. Located in the heart of Boston. None of these opportunities would’ve been available to me if I gave up 15+ years ago. And although I forget her name, I owe my entire career to that 1 pivotal moment when someone who knew a little more than I did, shared her knowledge.
AND THAT IS WHAT I AM HERE TO DO FOR YOU.
Making mistakes is how I perfected my craft. Asking questions when I was intimidated was how I grew as an extension artist. Having someone willing to “show me the ropes” and teach what I wanted to learn fueled me as an educator. If I had someone to shadow or show me the things I was interested in kept me in school. All of these things combined made me realize how important it is to have a friend in the industry who knows more than you. A mentor, a friend, a teacher.
If you’re ready to nurture you craft I would highly suggest shadowing the people who inspire you. Watch them work and suck ever every bit of knowledge you can. This is why we created the Extension Classes, Workshops, One on one trainings, Shadow Program + Phone Coaching for everything from business questions to pricing questions to technical questions at Extension Arts.
