Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Huber.
Hi Samantha, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
All my life I knew I was creative and meant to be apart of the creative career world. Even as kid I would braid my friends hair, do their makeup, their nails, etc. As I got older into high school I started doing my friends hair for school dances, and come my junior year of high school I actually took a cosmetology course and I loved it. However it was when I started to get my own hair done by my aunt who was a hair dresser that really made me realize that this was something I could see myself doing as a career. I always loved the way I felt when I went to the hair salon. From the time I walked through the salon doors, I loved the smell, the decor, the music playing and the sound of everyone chatting while drinking their coffee. I loved being in a room full of creative like minded individuals, but most of all I loved how I felt when I left. I felt empowered. I felt confident, I felt like a new enhanced version of me. I wanted to help make others feel that way. I wanted to be the person behind the chair, working that magic. My aunt was not just a hair dresser but a true boss babe. She rented a chair, and would always tell me all about the business side of the hair world and how you can truly make a good living from this field, if its your passion. I went to beauty school, got a job at a nearby salon, stayed there for 5 years. I got a lot of amazing experience while working there. I had an incredible amount of ongoing education with some of the best educators out there. Throughout those 5 years, while I did gain a lot experience both with people and hair, I lost some confidence and my self esteem and overall mental health started to take a turn. Unfortunately the salon culture had become very toxic and ultimately not the best place for me to continue to flourish. I had always wondered about going the independent route, but had a lot of fear due to many things. I decided to take a risk, and it was the best risk I have ever taken. I met up with some old friends who had been independent stylists, did some research, gathered all the necessary information I needed to make this happen and I did it. Now, 10 years into the industry, I have my own little suite, decorated to my liking, playing music I love, providing products I truly believe in, all in a space welcoming to all people. I couldn’t be more grateful.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
While it has been an amazing journey full of all sorts of life experiences, of course there have been struggles along the way. I attended beauty school at the Aveda Institute Minneapolis, Minnesota. The idea of starting this new chapter in the city, knowing no one, in a new place with new people sounded so exhilarating, to which it was. However I never really felt that I fit in there. They had very strict policies regarding attendance, tardiness, appearance, etc. All which was fine, except we are human right? We make mistakes, we get caught in bad weather, forget things sometimes, it happens. There was no room for mistakes there in my experience. We had large class sizes, with just 1-2 instructors per 30-40 people, making it very hard to have any one on one help, which in such a hands on industry I believe is very crucial to how we learn. After about 6 months of attending school there, I had second thoughts about the industry and whether or not it was for me. That is when I knew, maybe I was just in the wrong place? So I made the decision to leave Aveda, and enroll in PCI Academy in Plymouth, Minnesota. They had smaller class sizes, leaving more room for one on one coaching, they were more understanding of life things, and just all around ended up being the best thing for me and my future. There I was educated in Redken color and worked with Redken, Pureology, and Olaplex products. While I did have the unfortunate mishap of starting school at a place that ultimately didn’t end up working out for me, I dont regret it at all. I learned a lot about myself, I made some new friends, gained a lot of independence and self confidence, and learned a lot about life. After graduating from PCI Academy I started working in a salon nearby where I gained my first 5 years of experience. Throughout my time at this salon, the work culture became a very toxic place. While I am very grateful for all the learning experiences, and I believe in ways those experiences did help me grow as a human and a stylist, I knew that in order to thrive, my time there had to come to an end. Life’s challenges can feel paralyzing sometimes, but I truly believe in order to grow sometimes we get put in uncomfortable situations to really test our ability to stand up for what is best for us.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I really do love all things hair, however what really gets my creative mind going is color. More specifically lived in looks, vivid rainbow colors, and big transformations. I just love the art that comes with this part of doing hair. I love hand painted balayage the most, the art of free hand painting is very therapeutic to me. Rainbow fashion colors are just so magical. I love the way that a new color can really change the way someone feels about themselves. The first time I ever had a big transformation done on me I had gone from my natural strawberry blonde to cherry red and when I saw myself in the mirror I cried. I was so happy I never thought I could pull something so bold off and there I was doing it. I felt like a new me! I love making people feel that way. I love enhancing peoples confidence, and truly showing them just what they are capable of just by having a whole new look. I also just recently got certified in hair extensions which has been equally so incredible and I cant wait to see where that takes me.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
You know, I think that one thing stands true for sure, is that lived in looks will never go out of style. They are already so natural, and they have the ability to be so low maintenance, it truly is amazing that we can recreate a look that looks as if the hair should just look that way on its own. I think old trends will continue to come back as they already are, mullets, shags, that type of thing. The “Rachel Green” cut, but make it modern. I think perms will make a big comeback at some point even more than it already has. I think more and more stylists will go independent, and I think that more salons will open up that are for independent stylists but have the commission salon setup, allowing people to still have that traditional salon feel, while giving stylists that opportunity to be on their own.
Contact Info:
- Website: samanthahuber.glossgenius.com
- Instagram: @handpaintedbysammi
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