Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Shattuck.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Leslie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have always had an interest in beauty and fashion from an early age, I would bribe my sister to let me do her makeup for fun when we were kids. I would often have my friends over and dress them up for photo shoots, and then finally in High School I started playing with hair. I remember having older girls ask me to do their hair for prom after seeing what I did with mine, and this pattern continued. Hair was always FUN for me, it was my creative outlet and my visual art. I started experimenting regularly with any box dye I could get my hands on, and would cut my friends hair into wedged bobs at any chance I got. During my senior year, I was accepted to college and intended to go for psychology but decided to defer a year. My parents wanted me to do something constructive with my time off, so I enrolled in Blaine Beauty School with no intention of making it a career. After a couple of months I was certain that I have discovered my niche, and I have never looked back. I got “on the floor” after only 6 months of assisting and 14 years later I love it more than ever!!
Has it been a smooth road?
Social media has really shook up the industry the past couple of years, and it has given hair stylists a way to market themselves. It has been a rewarding, but very challenging for me to put my work out there. It really takes a lot of time and energy on your “off time” to put out good content. Before Instagram, I would do hair and see it walk out the door and that was that. Now it is forever immortalized on my feed and is out there for judgment that has been an overwhelming concept to get used to. I realized that I needed more education, better lighting, more time… it has totally turned the way I do hair upside down- and for the better!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Viselli Salon story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a full time hair stylist at Viselli Salon on Newbury St.!! I specialize in Balayage and “lived in hair”, as well as fantasy colors. I use both precision and razor cutting methods, and create styles for special events such as weddings. I am known for my big transformations, I love doing challenging color corrections and total style overhauls. I am proud to be able to custom tailor hair styles best suited for your needs, I really care about my guests and want them to be happy with their hair!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see the beauty industry continuing to explode in the future! I think with communication and education so readily available, artist will continue to push the bar with creativity. Scientist will help innovate new products and technology which will help aid us in breaking the mold of hair color. I see a huge shift happening with our attitudes about safety, making products ammonia and PPD free is on the rise! We will be able to work with chemicals without having to suffer the consequences of being exposed to harmful toxins. I also see the work force eventually becoming more accepting of all colors of hair. I am often told by my guests that they would love to have more creative colors, but fear the consequences they will encounter at work. I see this eventually becoming an outdated attitude, and fantasy colors will be a regular occurrence!
Contact Info:
- Address: 297 Newbury St.
Boston, Ma - Website: vs-salon.com
- Email: livingdeadhair@gmail.com
- Instagram: Livingdeadhair
- Facebook: Livingdeadhair
Image Credit:
Ananda Lima
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