Keeping it 100

The Living Legend, Vidal Sasoon,
"If you don't look good, we don't look good."

The beauty industry is quite exciting and full of surprises as well as wonderful people. Most of the attention is given to all the things and people they do not like about the beauty industry; while the good that people do continues to fall under the radar.

Whenever I do a presentation, I make it a point to stress that there is a paradigm shift in hair care where women want to know what are we (the beauty professional) doing to their hair, why does it cost what it does, how much training have we (the beauty professional) had, how much more training will we get and so on. I personally attribute part of this paradigm shift to the internet and the era of "do it yourself." Gone are the days of sitting in the chair and having your way with clients (guests). Women want to know. I am somewhat new to the industry and I constantly here about the good ol' days.

Well today, the good ol' days just got better and I am most certain that the best is soon to follow. As I keep it 100, I can tell you that there are some phenomenal professionals in the beauty industry who work in the spirit of the good ol' days to the point of making future "good ol'days" today. Some famous and some not so famous. Her are three (famous and not so famous) beauty professional who have kept and is "Keeping it 100."

My "shero," Lady, Olive Benson

I have had the blessing to meet the person I patterned my entire career after. I cried so hard when she called me on the phone; you'd thought I hit the Mega Millions! Her name was Olive Benson. What a pioneer she was. She single handed made it her priority to challenge the makers of hair color to make it safer for women who chemically altered their hair with sodium hydroxide and amonium thioglycolate. She was a proctor for the American Board of Certified Colorists. She went out of her way to pave the way for future cosmetologists to step up their A-Game and be amongst the elite working with the best using the best products and tools.

The Epitome of "A-Game,"
Pedicurist, Mr. Bastien Gonzalez

And what about Bastien Gonzlez? He is the manicurist extraordinare who is so profound at what he does, he doesn't even polish nails! Wow, now that's keepin it 100. This man is so passionate about the beauty of hands and feet; he is quoted as saying that "nail polish messes up the beauty of feet." Did I mention, you can not book an appointment with him because he has a "members only" policy. Dude, now that is what you call, "one-of-a-kind." Mr. Gonzalez epitomizes what it is to be true to yourself. He does not call his refer to his clients and customers as clients or customers. Nope, he call them his "foot" soilders. All they do is walk the beaches and hallways of the most luxurious beaches and spas around the world barefooted so gracefully, that others ask, "who does your feet?" That's keepin it 100.

In skin care, I met an esthetician named Raina Brown (sorry no photo was available). Raina is a recent graduate of esthetics. She simply amazes me with her signature flower in her hair to accent her beauty. She keeps it 100 by giving her customers (guests) the ultimate facial experience. She enhances that experience with her individualized take home tips and yes that flower in her hair lights up the room and makes everyone she touches smile in amazement.

In the era of Reality T.V , Dr. Oz, Oprah, Deepak and Wayne Dyer, I am surprised that we have no "Good News" T.V. They say that good news is boring and that it does not bring in the money or sponsorships like bad news does. As I keep it 100; perhaps what they have before them is not good news? I do.

I have some good news. The people who work in the beauty industry truly care and are very passionate people who make good news beautiful. And as I keep it 100, I am proud to be a licensed cometologist. We change lives. We enhance peoples beauty, we promote healthy self esteem and self awareness. We can turn a frown upside down. Beauty professionals do more than just hair, skin and nails. There are many of us who ooze reciprocity. We give back as much as we receive. For real; keeping it 100, I liken the passion and committment of beauty professionals who are on their A-Game to a mantra the living legend Vidal Sasoon made famous that I live by, "We take pride in everything we do. If you don't look good; we don't look good!"

To all the beauty professionals who are on their A-Game, is truly passionate about doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do and all that jive; keep up the good work. The customers love us. We are the blessed, humble, healty, wealthy and happy ones. The beauty industry is full of professionas who are truly,,,, all that and a bag of chips!

Hey I'm just keeping it 100.