What makes a long-lasting career in hairstyling? In a world where beauty isn’t necessarily always timeless, how do mid-career and senior hairstylists remain relevant? We went to the pros across the nation, who continue to step up their game, and found out how you can be in it for the long haul, too.
LESSON ONE: BE FEARLESS IN YOUR LEARNING AND GIVE YOURSELF FREEDOM TO MAKE MISTAKES.
“As you get more experienced in your career, the idea of having to fumble through mistakes is scary. But when you look at the street culture or what young people are doing, more often you’re excited rather than being afraid of new things. You can’t be perfect and you can’t be fearful. I’m constantly in a situation where I feel like I have to learn, and if you remove yourself from it then it can be scary.
– Dana Lyseng, Supernova Salon, North Vancouver
LESSON TWO: EDUCATION IS NOT ABOUT BRANDS—IT’S ABOUT HAIRSTYLISTS.
“Even though I’m an ambassador and educator for Wella, I attend every type of education and training, no matter what the brand is. I want to know what everyone is doing. Education isn’t brand driven, it is stylist driven and I always pick something up that’s new or I remember something I forgot that helps.” – Dana Lyseng, Supernova Salon, North Vancouver
LESSON THREE: BE OPEN TO LEARNING FROM YOUR TEAM AT ANY AGE OR STAGE IN THEIR CAREER.
“At the salon, the team I work with is very diverse in terms of experience, aesthetic and expertise. When you work with a diversified team, you have those with years of experience who can help less experienced staff and those who are younger who are more connected to the street culture and aren’t afraid to make mistakes, which can be very helpful for staff who have been in the industry a long time.”
– Dana Lyseng, Supernova Salon, North Vancouver
LESSON FOUR: TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM THOSE YOU TEACH.
“Teaching is a great way to grow yourself at a higher level. It keeps you sharp and helps you stay relevant. Even with some of my ideas, when I go to teach a class I find I really have to think about how to communicate and ask myself why I do something a certain way.You learn how to broaden.” –Kristjan Hayden, creative director for Aveda Canada
LESSON FIVE: ALWAYS BE EXCHANGING IDEAS AND INFORMATION.
“Seeing how other people do something gives you a different perspective. Being a senior stylist, when I go into some classes, it may be a surprise people but there is nothing beneath me. For instance, I attended Sharon Blain’s boot camp and found the class to be really inspirational because she was so open about sharing her knowledge in a very transparent way. You have to check your ego at the door.” –Kristjan Hayden, creative director for Aveda Canada
LESSON SIX: PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS OF YOUR CRAFT, IN AND OUTSIDE THE SALON.
“You need to be organized and never lose the professionalism of your craft. It’s the little things that count even more when you are at this level. For example, I need to have an impeccable station.The quality and cleanliness of my tools is important, because whether you are giving a presentation on set or backstage at a show, you need to look the part and act it in every way.You may have your moment, but you have a younger generation watching you and the little things can make a difference.” –Anna Pacitto, Salon Pure, Montreal
LESSON SEVEN: IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO DREAM BIG AND ACHIEVE THOSE DREAMS.
“Don’t give up, don’t hesitate because of your age. Instead, hustle, do the research, find a mentor and make it happen. Even the best athletes need guidance from their coaches, even if they are better than their coach, yet too often, hairstylists are so proud and don’t want to get help but everyone needs it. I’ve always been open to asking for help from everyone, even my own students.” –Anna Pacitto, Salon Pure, Montreal
LESSON EIGHT: STAY CURIOUS ABOUT THE WORK OF OTHERS AND BE OPEN TO LEARN MORE.
“For me, I never want to feel I’ve learned it all and that I’m not capable of learning more. Sometimes when stylists get to a certain level, they may feel there is a stigma toward education, but by taking classes with other stylists and trying more projects, you have that exchange of information. –Kristjan Hayden, creative director for Aveda Canada
LESSON NINE: WIN OR LOSE, ENTER COMPETITIONS AND PUSH YOURSELF TO BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME.
“Competition has changed my life. In the past couple of years alone, I’ve seen friends reignite their passion for hairstyling. It’s like studying for a final exam—you have to cram in the hours and hours, and it’s a weird emotional roller coaster but you always come out with a body of work. I’ve lost more than I’ve won, yet competition has done amazing things for my career. I always learn something from the people I work with and I become better because I’m challenging myself.”
– Dana Lyseng, Supernova Salon, North Vancouver
LESSON TEN: CULTIVATE YOUR INSPIRATION THROUGH YOUR PASSIONS AND EXPERIENCES OUTSIDE OF THE SALON.
“As an educator, I need to show up with new ideas and concepts to be a part of the team that sets trends. We all need to push ourselves to spend time in our downtime
to be creative, which means you need to spend time at an art gallery or travelling and really make the space in your life for that to happen. I find that galleries give you colour and palette and shape inspiration.The traditions and practices of the craft are unquestionable, but if I want younger clients in my chair, I need to be aware of what is happening in their world, too.” – Dana Lyseng, Supernova Salon, North Vancouver.
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