Today we’d like to introduce you to Madalyn Blanton
Hi Madalyn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Beauty was always a large part of my life growing up. I remember playing in my moms makeup for hours, and cutting my hair in my bathroom (sorry, Mom) at a pretty young age. I used to love watching my mom get ready for her day and apply all of her makeup and blow-dry her hair. I guess you could say that her love for all things beauty had an impact on me. Cosmetology school wasn’t my first choice, but after realizing that my heart just was not in the traditional college route, I started attending. School really just taught me the bare minimum, so once I graduated, I immediately started as an assistant in a nearby salon. While school had taught me how to use shears, it unfortunately did not prepare me for the salon environment. After a few years of working in various high-end salons, I finally had found my last salon home, and ironically enough, met my now-husband, John. After my husband and I had our son, my husband decided to leave and go out on his own into a salon suite. I quit doing hair to be more present on the weekends with our kiddos and eventually took a job in the medical field. I used my husband’s suite and continued to do hair for family and friends but had stopped taking on new clients. This year, after really missing those client relationships, I decided to open my books to the public and begin rebuilding my clientele. I now use my husbands chair in his suite to take clients on Sundays and Mondays. I have met some of the most amazing people, and already that passion has been reignited, and I am fully diving back into my craft and have been incredibly lucky to have the clients that I do.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The only thing smooth about this journey has been the blow-dry (ha!)
Okay, in all seriousness, absolutely far from easy. Like many other Cosmetologists out there, I experienced toxic work enviroments that made going to work nearly impossible at times. However, I also met so many amazing co-workers who drove me to better my skills, inspired me, and supported me both in a professionally and personally. I will never forget, before meeting my husband, I was single mom to my daughter and I could barely afford to put gas in my car to get to and from work. I was an apprentice in a salon and making roughly $300 every two weeks. I was working long hours, missing out on weekends with my daughter, and it did get to be defeating after awhile. I will never forget, I walked into work one day and three of my co-workers had bought my daughter winter clothes because they knew that I was struggling to afford them. I will never forget how that made me feel, and that has always been my goal when working behind the chair. I want people to feel supported, heard, and cared for when they are in my chair. My clients are an extension of my family, and building those friendships is what continues to drive me to do what I love.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Color is my jam! I specialize in Blondes, and love creating a Texas bombshell blonde! Foiling makes my heart happy, and getting to be creative and utilize new techniques makes what I do so much fun. I love working together with my clients to bring their visions for their har to life and seeing their reaction to their hair is something that will never get old.
What were you like growing up?
My family would say something along the lines of “hard-headed, and never did listen” but, I would refer to it as determined and beating to my own drum. Not much has changed, except I am now at an age where my persistence is what allows me to turn my dreams into my reality. I have never been one to do anything that I don’t want to, so when I tell you that creating gorgeous hair is my favorite, it’s because it’s true!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: manesbymadalyn_
Image Credits
Portraits- Ann Starkweather
