Professional Hair Stylist Interview: Sarah Behnke Of Milwaukee, WI
Q: Tell a little about yourself personally and if you attended school or you are self taught hairstylist?
A: I started my schooling at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, I became interested in the fashion/hair industry and decided to quit art school and go to cosmetology school, after all it is another form of art.
When I was just 4 years old I gave my brother his first haircut! From what my mom says I did a damn good job! I have always had a passion for the art world and hair industry!
Q: Do you think going to school for hairstyling is important to excel in the business later on?
A: I do, education is endless one should never stop learning especially in this profession its changing by the minute! Also, you will need that license.
Q: Did you always long to be an artist, or did you stumble upon your talent by chance? Who or what inspired you to become a hair stylist?
A: I always knew I was an artist I have worked in every medium, I love it! My inspirations are always changing, honestly while I was attending art school, across the street from my dorms was this amazing salon, I was curious and walked in one day and decided that I needed to make a change, the salon inspired me to change my focus!
Q: What is your favorite or most exciting aspect about your job?
A: My favorite I would have to say is session styling I love being involved with an artistic team, ideas and concepts being progressed. Creating that final image that everyone worked through it’s inspiring.
Q: What surprises you most about working as a hair stylist?
A. How emotionally exhausting it can be, talking to so many people day in and day out giving it your all for every client!
Q: Describe your “Classic Approach to Beauty.” how do you define beauty?
A: Beauty is in everything, its the brain behind it, how it is seen.
Q: What individual products and brands you’re “addicted” to at the moment and you use on a daily basis?
A: I currently am a big fan of Kevin Murphy: Angle wash, born again conditioner, anti gravity, staying alive, and the awesome new travel size hairspray! Also, Unite euotheropy: blow & set, expanda, scruncha, 7 seconds, Man, I have lots of favorite. Morracain oil will always be a favorite! I use all these and more on a daily basis!
Q: What are some of the most basic but effective hair care tips that you have, that are really important?
A: Please be kind to your hair, when blow drying do not rake your hair dry 70% before round brushing and use a boar brissle brush. For all gray clients, lets begin to embrace your gray! We want to see Sparkle not drab dark dull hair!
Q: What is the biggest hair care dont’s?
A: DON’T FLAT IRON YOUR HAIR all the time especially without a heat protector, IF YOUR GONNA DO IT, BY A GOOD ONE!
Q: Have you had an extreme, crazy or bad experience with a hair care product? If so, what happened?
A: With a haircare product? humm, I don’t think so unless I felt like there was build up on the hair and changed immediately.
Q: What do you find to be the most common mistakes women make with hair color?
A: Not understanding that curtain tones with their specific skin tone do not work.
Q: What’s the worst thing a woman can do to her hair?
A: Depending on the texture not taking care of it, know your hair, use the right products.
Q: What’s the one haircare tool you simply can’t live without?
A: My shears.
Q: What do you think are best/worst trends in the hair industry right now?
A: Best: in love with the sparkle aspect, dimensional color the worst: kate plus 8 haircut GROSS!
Q: Do average girls needs to splurge on high-priced hair care products, or are drugstore items are just as satisfactory?
A: I agree that girls should use the right products for their hair type, drugstore items are soo drying in the end your actually spending more because your hair becomes stressed and brittle from adding to much build up, get the right product and you’ll spend less!
Q: Do you have any general tips/tricks for extending color between visits?
A: Embrace your gray, fine variation and less build up with color, know your line if you do it right your color clients should be able to last a lot longer.
Q: Can anyone go red or do you feel that color works best with certain skin tones/hair types?
A: Depends on the person depend on the tone.
Q: Do you feel anyone can go blond or should the look be reserved for certain skin tones/hair types?
A: Again depends on the person and tones.
Q: Which hairstyles do you tend to do the most often? Which hairstyles are the most popular?
A: A lot of different fringes, variations of classic bobs, long texturized layers, tailored men’s cuts. Popular? depends on the season and person lots of variations of classic cuts.
Q: What do your clients think of you? What are some individual testimonials?
A: I have a passion and vision for what I do, they trust me, I am honest with them. They know that I care about how they represent me! They are walking advertisement.
Q: Would you share some of your future goals, your life motto, any words of wisdom that get you by in life and professional career?
A: My future goals are to have my own business with my own artistic team in a warm climate. Words of wisdom, Never loose the passion you have for what you do, never stop growing, the sky is the limit!
Q: What tips and advice do you have for aspiring hair stylists just starting out?
A: PUSH YOUR SELF get into an inspiring salon to you and start as an apprentice while your in school, get involved with as much as you can. Having the license is the first step! Good luck!
Visit Sarah on her Hair Stylist Facebook page.
