Pull Up A Chair

I may have been at the wrong funeral, but at least my hair looked good through both of them. Let me begin by saying that I did not intend to crash a stranger’s funeral. My friends Marcus and Alyssa volunteered with our youth group for years. Marcus was even the other adult in my Sunday school classroom, so when someone who had been incredibly important in his life passed away, I wanted to be there to support him and his family. The service was going to be graveside in Temple

If your hair feels rough, looks puffy, or refuses to stay smooth, your first thought may be, “My hair is so dry.” But especially here in Central Texas, dryness may not be the whole story. Humidity-related frizz and truly dry hair can look very similar. Both can make the hair appear dull, fuzzy, or difficult to manage—but they do not always need the same solution. Before adding another mask, serum, or heavy conditioner to your routine, it helps to understand what your hair is

What to Do When a Client Hates the Hair You Were Proud Of Every time I get on Facebook, I see another post from a stylist about an upset client. The client is angry. The stylist is hurt. Screenshots are being analyzed. Everyone in the comments is choosing a side. Before long, the original hair concern has become a full-blown emotional battle between two people who both feel unheard. As professionals, sometimes we have to take a step back—or take ourselves back to school—becau

I drive 48 miles one way to work. On workdays, I drop Everly off at school and then begin the hour-long drive to Waco. By the time I make it through the school parking lot, the traffic, the construction, all the stops, and what feels like every red light between Temple and the salon, I have spent a whole lot of time in my car. But this isn’t really a story about my commute. It’s about what happens in the in-between moments—the red lights, the quiet stretches of highway, the u

There are stories I've never really told publicly because they involve people I still care about. Even after years have passed, I've never wanted to write something out of hurt or bitterness. But lately I've realized this story isn't really about a church. It's about Jesus. People often ask me if I've always been a Christian, and the answer is yes. But if I'm being honest, my faith has been shaped just as much by watching imperfect people as it has by reading Scripture. One o

If you’ve ever sat in my chair, you’ve probably heard me say that fine hair isn’t a problem. It just needs the right support. Today I used Jack Winn Pro Bawdy on several clients before their blowouts, and every single time I explained what makes it different. Most volumizing products coat the outside of the hair and create temporary lift. Bawdy does something that actually feels different while you’re applying it. As I work it through damp hair, you’ll notice your hair starts

When people think about a hairstylist's formula card, they usually imagine a few numbers and letters scribbled across an index card. 6N 20 volume Gloss for 10 minutes. Yes, those things matter. But if you ever looked at one of my formula cards, you'd probably be surprised by what you found. There are color formulas, of course. But there are also names. Your husband. Your kids. Your grandkids. Your favorite drink. The vacation you were excited about. The promotion you've been

I started my career in a small salon, and I'm grateful for every lesson I learned there. But later, I spent 14 years working in a corporate salon, and that's where I experienced something that would shape the way I think about our industry today. It wasn't the haircutting. It wasn't the color line. It wasn't even the pace of the salon. It was the education. We regularly had brand educators come into the salon. They weren't there to sell us products. Our salon had already chos

The shampoo bowl isn't just where I wash your hair... When most people think about a salon appointment, they think about the end result. The color. The haircut. The blowout. The before and after photo. But if you asked many of my clients what they're most excited about before their appointment, they'd probably surprise you. It's the shampoo bowl. In fact, many of my returning guests tell me it's the part they've been looking forward to the most. Not the color. Not the haircut

When we first started doing Brazilian Blowouts about a year and a half ago, my client's goal was simple. She wanted to eliminate her frizz. Like many women, she was tired of spending time styling her hair only to walk outside and watch humidity undo all her hard work. She wanted her curls to be easier to manage. her mornings to be simpler, and her hair to behave a little better. So we started doing regular Brazilian Blowouts. The results were exactly what we expected. Less fr

If you've been behind the chair for any amount of time, you've probably heard one of these: "My clients don't buy retail." "I don't want to sound salesy." "They can get it cheaper somewhere else." "I don't like selling." For years, I thought retail was about products. I thought it was about shampoo bottles, styling products, ingredients, and price points. I thought the goal was to convince someone to buy something. And honestly? That mindset made retail feel awkward. Because

Maybe today isn't about doing more. Maybe it's about being a little kinder to yourself. There is a group of women I see every week in my salon. Teachers. Nurses. Business owners. Moms. Grandmas. Women taking care of aging parents. Women raising children. Women juggling careers, relationships, schedules, grocery lists, sports practices, and doctor's appointments. And for some reason, they're also the women who apologize the most. Not because they have done anything wrong. Just

The Window Chronicles: The Fire Juggler of H-E-B There are certain things you expect to see while doing hair in Central Texas. Coffee cups. Grocery bags. Someone aggressively pushing a Target cart with one squeaky wheel. Maybe a person running late carrying a rotisserie chicken like it’s a medical emergency. What you do not expect to see while doing extensions is a man casually setting objects on fire in the H-E-B parking lot. But here we are. A few months ago, Kristin was in

Welcome to Stylist Corner- honest conversations about the real side of this industry. Nobody really talks about this part. We see the Instagram posts. The fresh paint. The custom sign on the door. The coffee bar. The "I finally did it!" selfie standing in an empty suite before the chaos moves in. And don't get me wrong...opening your own suite is exciting. It's freedom. It's pride. It's proof that you believed in yourself enough to take the risk. But what happens after that?

I can usually tell what kind of week you’ve had before you ever say a word. Not by your roots. Not by your grow-out. Not even by the condition of your hair. By how you sit in my chair. Some women sit down and immediately exhale like they’ve been holding their breath since Monday. Some walk in apologizing for everything. “Sorry my hair is a mess.” “Sorry I had to reschedule.” “Sorry I’m late.” As if existing loudly for five seconds would inconvenience the entire world. Some wo

Where your hair stops being a guess...and starts having a plan. I'm going to say something that might hurt your feelings a little bit... but I say it with love. Your hair color didn't just randomly fade. I know. I know. You walked out of the salon feeling like a glowing, expensive version of yourself...and then 3 weeks later you're like: "Why does this look...tired?" And somewhere in your brain you're wondering if I betrayed you. I didn't. But something else might have. Let's

Have you ever washed your hair… and it still feels off? Like you did everything right. You shampooed. You conditioned. You even took your time. And then you blow dry it and think… Why does this still feel heavy? Why is it flat at the root? Why is it not doing what I want it to do? You’re not crazy. And no, it’s not your shampoo. Here’s the part nobody really explains… Your hair holds onto everything. Dry shampoo. Oils. Leave-ins. Heat protectants. Hard water. Sweat. Product b

This is what it looks like when your hair finally has a plan. You're not imagining it. At some point, your hair started feeling...different. Maybe it's not as full as it used to be. Maybe it frizzes easier. Maybe the products that used to work, don't anymore. And now you're standing in your bathroom thinking: "What am I doing wrong?" Here's the truth post people won't tell you: It's not just your hair. A lot of what you're experiencing actually starts underneath... at the roo

Some days in life are just… louder than others. Yesterday was one of those days. The kind of day where you look back and think, Did that really all happen in the span of a few hours? The Rooster Encounter It all started at my brother’s house. I had stayed the night after doing prom hair and was loading up the car to head home. Now, my brother has chickens. And roosters. And apparently, one of those roosters woke up that morning and chose violence. As I’m loading bags into the

A couple of years ago, a woman sat in my chair with baby fine hair that was starting to thin. She had been feeling really self-conscious about it and was searching for extensions just to add some volume. Three months before meeting me, another stylist had told her she didn’t have enough hair for extensions. Imagine hearing that when you already feel vulnerable about your hair. When she came in for her consultation with me, she was hopeful but also a little guarded. And honest