Stylist: Shelby Neubauer Salon Name: Sparrow Hair Co Salon City: Santa Rosa, CA Hi Shelby! Tell us a little about yourself. Hello! I’m Shelby, and I’m the owner of Sparrow Hair Co as well as Sparrow Above Reiki Studio, in Santa Rosa California. How long have you been doing hair and what made you decide to get into it? I’ve been behind the styling chair now for 33 glorious years! As a young one, I was always a fan of hanging out at my aunt’s hair salons, doing odd jobs, like sweeping up hair, cleaning perm rods, and stocking the supply shelves. You now, I was that random young kid at the salon getting your coffee and checking on your dryer timer… I loved it! Then, during high school, (Before becoming a licensed professional) I gave my friends some fun DIY hair with and with my trusty drug store scissors and some risky bleach knowledge, so much black box dye, mohawks, mullets, and pompadours (it was the 80’s) I did hair in alleys, on church steps, the bathroom at drama rehearsal, wherever. I was lucky they trusted me…there was so much Aqua Net and crimping irons, we had extremely flammable hair back then, and omg it was such a fun time, I loved it! I Graduated high school, tried a year or so at our local JC, and then Finally went to Redwood Empire Beauty School in the early 90’s and the rest is, as they say… blurry. What’s your favorite hair style or hair type to work with? What’s your specialty? Well… I’ve been in the industry for a few minutes, so I’ve practically done it all at one point or another, but my consistent soul love has been the razor. I began using one in beauty school back in the dark ages, learned how to sling that sharp blade with so many amazing teachers over the years, and it still continues to be my favourite tool, and yes, i still cut myself all the damn time. I adore all hair types and textures and lately am really getting into working with curls. Creating nourished, healthy, simply beautiful hair is my favourite, so basically I just love cutting and colouring hair! I also really enjoy offering Reiki Scalp Rituals. To me, the act of a haircut goes so much deeper than the finished look. The spiritual aspect of working with energy, the beauty of taking time to allow space for healing and the stress of the days to melt away for that appointment, can be very transformative. The crown chakra loves to be cleansed, and I feel so honored to work with my clients during these treatments. What’s your favorite non-hair part of the job? Getting to know my clients over these past years. It’s been such a joy to really be a consistent part of so many people’s lives, over 3 decades worth of time and life together means a lot of milestones and big changes! I also love traveling, classes, and meeting other stylists and Industry folx. So many stories, challenges, and triumphs shared, it really is the best part of this job… the people you meet along the way. Do you have a salon ethos or philosophy when it comes to hair? Keep it simple, keep it healthy, have fun, feel great. How and why did you decide to go low tox in your salon? Yes! This is exactly the reason I opened Sparrow! After years of becoming overly sensitive to traditional salon products, I found that a non toxic approach to services allowed me to continue working, as well as fostering an environment for the health and well being of my clients. We only use low toxin color, no synthetic fragrances, pay attention to ingredient lists for our styling options, and a general huge embrace of the smaller Independent product lines over the big retail players. I opted for a green build-out when I was opening the salon, but the important work has been to create a safe emotional and inclusive space for our community. A place to be heard, and seen, while having your hair done. Over the years we have been fortunate to support and host many local fundraising efforts, and recently took part in a local haircuts for foster youth event, which was so wonderful to be a part of. I also love making thrifted decor choices, supporting local small businesses, and choosing local artists' work to adorn our walls. Oh, & we are a proud longtime member of Green Circle salon recycling program as well! What do you like to do when you’re living life outside of the salon? Well, I’m pretty boring these days. I enjoy working in my yard, going on walks, learning new skills, hanging out with my friends, familiars, and beloveds. I’ve been dabbling in herbalism and am a huge lover of the liminal and esoteric, so, yeah, a boring ol lady these days, surrounded by books, plants, far too much coffee, & talking to the crows. Name one thing currently keeping you inspired (can be anything!) Sorry, I can’t pick just one thing…..so here goes. I’m constantly inspired by my daughter and her amazingly stylish goth friends. It’s so heartwarming to see these young adults expressing themselves in so many gloriously creative, artistic ways. Sparks that nostalgic love of the dark side in me. And I’m forever and always inspired by my fellow stylists and far away social media friends, it’s so much fun to see what others are up to, and I believe collaboration is the key to knowledge!. And finally, my local community of friends and family, thank you for always inspiring and supporting me to be a better version of myself. My chosen family is so important in my life, and these beloved few have held and inspired me in ways unimaginable, especially during these challenging times. “we are the weirdos, mister.” and I would be so sad without my weirdos. Where can people connect or schedule? Salon Website: https://shelbyneubauer.glossgenius.com/ Instagram: @Sparrow_hair_co + @ShelbyatSparrow Substack: @selkiesandsparrows
Stylist: Jen Cortez Salon Name: Pink Grapefruit Creative Studio Salon City: Minneapolis Hi Jen! Tell us a little about yourself. Hello! My name is Jen Cortez, and I own Pink Grapefruit Creative Studio in the Arts District of Northeast Minneapolis. How long have you been doing hair and what made you decide to get into it? I grew up in a fairly conservative small suburb of the Twin Cities, and began experimenting with my hair as a means of self expression when I was 14. It started with bleaching and dying the quintessential 90’s “Goth Money Piece” using Manic Panic Vampire Red. After Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn” music video inspired me to cut my hair short, I became fearless with coloring and cutting my own hair regularly. Not long after, my friends began asking me to do their hair, and I visited Sally Beauty Supply regularly for supplies. While attending an alternative learning high school, I was encouraged to seek Cosmetology training via a PSEO program- Post Secondary Enrollment Options. I was able to spend my senior year in Cosmetology school, and was licensed at 18. 23 years later I still love my career, and am fortunate to have had the privilege to start my profession without accruing financial debt. What’s your favorite hair style or hair type to work with? What’s your specialty? Curly hair is so magical to me. No two heads of curls are alike, and each client brings unique challenges and variety to my day that I don’t think I could find anywhere else. In 2004 I was exposed to the concept of cutting curly hair while dry in its natural state, and within a year I was on a path to being a curly hair specialist. I truly adore working with curls, and am passionate about stylists and salons educating themselves so that they can better serve their entire community. So many people with curls have felt like their hair was a burden either to themselves or their hairdresser, when we should be showing them how to work with their hair, not against it. What’s your favorite non-hair part of the job? Aside from creating beautiful shapes with hair, one of my favorite aspects of my job is how unique my clients are, the discussions we have, and the things I learn from them. I consider myself the “keeper of odd facts and random knowledge”, and much of my cache is filled due to my insatiable curiosity and my clients giving me nuggets of informational gold during appointments. Do you have a salon ethos or philosophy when it comes to hair? As a hairdresser and service provider, my values are simple: You shouldn’t have to feel compelled to conform to beauty standards. A hair appointment should feel uplifting, and is a collaboration with you to get the most out of your hair with your lifestyle in mind. How and why did you decide to go low tox in your salon? I started working with plant based/naturally derived products in 2011 when I opened my first salon. When I was younger, the driving force to seek out alternative products was reducing my exposure to “toxic chemicals”. 14 years later I know that not all synthetics are bad, and just because something is natural doesn’t mean it's safe. I am looking to sustainability in a holistic way when I’m looking at brands and products. What is the end life of the packaging? What are the ingredients, how are they harvested/created, what is the environmental impact? Does it perform well, and is the cost per use reasonable for the average curly client with shoulder length hair? This one is incredibly important- a brand could make the most environmentally responsible hair gel out there, but if the average client has to use 1/4th of the bottle to get results, is it going to align with their wallet and be a long term option? What do you like to do when you’re living life outside of the salon? When I’m not working with clients I’m keeping my hands busy as much as possible. I collect a lot of hobbies, and find myself rotating through them seasonally. Currently it's been a lot of reverse-engineering sewing. I don’t have a ton of patience for patterns, so I find something visually appealing, and just like breaking down a haircut reference picture, I try to break down how I think something could be constructed. Granted, this probably adds a lot of time to the project, but my brain appreciates the work! I also do punch needle, crochet, random crafting, and baking. Last summer my family bought an A-frame pop up camper, and between two road trips and a few quick weekends away, we’ve popped up in at least 15 places. Name one thing currently keeping you inspired (can be anything!) I get so much inspiration from my peers online, honestly! I know the internet can be such a curse, but I also get to see so much amazing and fascinating work from all corners of the globe. I also find so much inspiration and joy from watching my son discover his own personal style. I think because I grew up with so much judgement from others regarding how I expressed myself, it's been really cool to see how someone can shape themselves with full autonomy and positivity. When I do school pickup I find myself always taking note of the way kids are having their hair cut or colored, what kind of clothes they're wearing. I’ve been seeing a lot of references to Anime and Manga, and I love that. Where can people connect or schedule? Salon Website: www.pinkgrapefruitcreativestudio.com Instagram:@jencortezhair
