Stylist Name: Taylor Diaz

Services Provided: Balayage, Dimensional Color, Lived-in Color, Haircuts, Brazilian Blowouts

Stylist Since: 2012

@taydiazdoeshair

What do you like best about being a stylist?

Creating! I love creating different looks for different people and figuring out which technique and style is best for each client. Hair styling has always felt very artistic to me and that’s definitely how I feel styling clients – like an artist.

How has working in a salon suite changed your lifestyle?

The biggest change in my life from working in a salon suite is definitely that I can make my own hours instead of working salon hours. Before, I had to work my schedule around when another person could be at the front of the salon for sales of products, but now I get to take care of everything myself! I also really like getting to work on Mondays instead of Fridays. Mondays are a lot quieter since fewer stylists work at the beginning of the week, so I like to work on my older clients on Mondays. It makes them feel more comfortable too.

Tell us a funny anecdote from your first year as a stylist.

When I was assisting, I was washing the hair of a client in a shampoo bowl, but I wasn’t really used to the shampoo bowl yet! So while I was washing the client’s hair, I accidentally got her whole back wet all the way down to her butt! All the towels I had put behind her neck didn’t help at all- and I never worked on that client again.

Do you ever use family members as test subjects to try out new things?

Yes! I was in beauty school when the ombré style first came out. I used a ton of family members as test subjects to learn! I have a cousin with thick dark hair, which I think is the hardest type of hair to work on, so I like to work on her because if I can get her hair to blonde, I can do it for anyone! I still use family members to try out new techniques that I learn from taking classes and webinars to keep up on the latest hair trends.

Share your favorite beauty tip with us!

Use a hair mask once a week to help repair damaged hair. My favorite is the Olaplex treatment! Blondes should be especially careful with their hair since it can get a lot more breakage. But to prevent breakage, you should make sure to never put wet hair in a bun! Also, scrunchies are way better for your hair than hair bands and are super cute and stylish!