Today we’d like to introduce you to Cecilia Winter.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Most call me CC for short. I graduated high school at 17 and started cosmetology school only one month after. I pretty much knew I wanted to be a hair artist from an early age. My grandmother was a stylist in the 70s, at a little beauty shop in Mexico. She used to dye her hair “psychedelic” colors. For me personally, that is where my initial inspiration came from and still comes from today. I graduated from cosmetology school and took a break from hair for about a year to be a stay at home mom. I had missed my passion too much and just had to get back to creating. I have been doing hair now for about seven years and I absolutely love it. I’ve always been a creative soul, and being in this industry, I get to allow that creativity and art to flow. I had been working for six years at different salons and even doing a little freelance hair and makeup on the side, before finding my way to my current salon home, Panther City Salon. I had been following this particular Salon on social media for quite some time, and I remember telling my husband how one day, I was going to make it to a place like that and become a real artist. With the support of him, my clients, and my family, I am finally there. I absolutely love being my own boss, for me it’s not work, it’s my hobby. It’s my passion, and the look on my clients faces after an insane color transformation is the most rewarding feeling. I wouldn’t trade it for any other job.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I struggled with the life of being a mom and wanting a career. I would also get the usual comments like “that’s not a real job”, or “you need to let your husband work, and you stay home”. My only advice for that is, NO. This is a new decade, a new generation, and times have changed. I’ve played both sides of being a stay at home mom and a working mom and both are absolutely great, but I love being able to create my own schedule and still getting to spend time with my husband and kids, while also getting time to myself to, essentially, go play with people’s hair, and get paid for it. It’s beneficial to, not only my mental and physical health, but it helps out my family financially.
Please tell us about a.chemicalromance.
I am a hairstylist and makeup artist. However, I specialize in Vivid colors, color corrections, and blondes. I’ve had the opportunity to work for some amazing salons and worked with talented photographers, and filmographies, and have been featured on a few of my favorite salon professional color lines, social media. I’m most proud of being able to have had such great opportunities and experiences in this industry., and I love seeing all the doors that open with my career. I would say what sets me apart from others is my compassion, kindness, and the ability to find the light in a dark situation. I’m always professional and I never let my emotions or personal issues get in the way of that. I also have my own style and have always stayed true to being myself and rocking that.
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
I am lucky to work in a field that celebrates beauty and really has been female-dominated from the onset, which means it’s never presented a barrier due to what gender I am, and recognizing now more than ever that regardless of what you identify as, if you are passionate, and work hard you will do well in this industry. As for personal barriers, I think in the beginning I was a bit hesitant to charge what I was worth. I think a lot of new stylists feel that they have to have tons of experience behind them to reflect their worth, and in reality, your worth is in your current work. That’s something I still stumble on at times, but the more confidence I have in my skill, the easier it is to charge accordingly. The cool thing about that is if you are truly good at what you do, people will pay you. So be confident and be good. Work on your craft and do not be afraid to say no to friends and family that won’t pay your worth. Unless it’s grandma, my grandma is the only person I would never charge.
Pricing:
- Vivids $80-$100/hour
- Blondes $70+ hour
- Color Corrections $100+/ hour
Contact Info:
- Address: 1300 Hemphill street, Fort Worth Tx, 76104
- Website: panthercitysalon.com
- Phone: 817-921-1700
- Email: cceciliavasquezz@gmail.com
- Instagram: @a.chemicalromance
Image Credit:
Alexander Winter @alexanderwinter27
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