We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Blakley Dancy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Blakley below.

Blakley, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I remember always being fascinated with the community that hair and makeup can create. Growing up I was predominantly in several of the performing arts, so hair and makeup would always play an essential role. I would often watch in envy to see beauty make others feel special, hoping that I could make others feel that way some day as well. Right before beauty school I was also fully committed to changing my hair color every week or two. Some part of me was in need of the transformation because it always made me feel better. Having the feeling of a new self was always very much a feeling I craved and the transformation behind my own appearance with dying my hair every month gave me a source of inner strength that I was looking for. All in all I see the beauty industry as building others up, that is the best feeling ever. I hope that everyone has a chance to feel the absolute greatest in their own skin. I believe it can be catalyst to inspiring a new way of being.

Blakley, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been in the beauty industry for around 6 years. My concentrations involve hair color, hair cutting, session styling, multiple methods of extensions, and also makeup. My career really started to take off after joining M Salon. M Salon is the premier hair salon for the standard of the craft they expect, the rigorous training program to make every person a successful stylist, and to create the proper discipline to accomplish any goal you set out for yourself. As for myself, I really pride myself on customizing every service towards what the specific guest is in need of. I see beauty not only as a picture perfect circumstance, but more as what is the most suitable to the overall lifestyle of the individual. This way of operating guarantees the best fitting look for how the guest acts naturally in their day to day life, not just for one occasion or one sort of style. Sometimes you can get exactly what your inspiration is, but if it isn’t something for you to keep up with it’ll soon become unfavorable anyway if the service doesn’t have flexibility with your life. What sets me apart from others in this industry is I always want the absolute best for my clients over the long run. I rather have several appointments to reach the goal desired if it keeps the health in the hair rather than testing the envelope for a goal that may be ultimately harmful in one session. Outside of being a stylist I am also an ambassador through the hair care line Oribe and an educator to future stylists in our salon. Using Oribe’s advanced understanding of the hairs integrity and what sorts of ingredients are needed to maintain proper care, along with being educated in depth in the craft of hair, I am more confident than ever to be able to do transformations, have the health and look more ensured than I ever have before.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I started my career in my home town of Austin, Texas. After juggling my life in the career and out I decided I needed a brand new start to make sure I could commit myself fully to my dream. In December of 2017 I finally made my move to Houston to start at M Salon early in the New Year. Resilience was key for my new direction. I really did not know anyone in Houston or much about it outside of visiting my grandparents periodically while growing up. Initially I dived into work fully to figure out what I wanted, through training and even first starting as my own stylist there were constant trials to overcome and learn from. Now that time has gone by I can confidently say I got through the trials and tribulations to have my amazing clientele now. In this industry before you have loyal, trusting clients you have to prove yourself to each and every single person until you are seen worthy. To start in a new city is to go through the growing pains of finding those that fit with you perfectly, not everyone will be a good fit so it takes someone with thick skin and perseverance to try their best each day until the goal is met. Ultimately every day is still a valuable lesson to build oneself, but before you know how to take it, you’re constantly uncomfortable and trying to prove yourself. Especially if you’re a people pleaser like myself. Some guests may just have unreachable expectations, or even an unfortunate incidents that takes time to recover from rather than a hair service, so being there to build them up and console takes a lot of emotion and resilience to get through.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

My ultimate mission honestly changes all the time. I use to just feel the sense of making people confident with themselves, because that’s a feeling I cherish. After being in the industry for this bit of time I would say my idea of a mission is similar but not necessarily the same. Making my guests feel like the best versions of themselves will always be my number one goal in my craft, but I am getting to a certain point where I want to help create memories, moments and an entire aspect of loving one’s self in every way, along with joining more of the creative side of the industry. Before the pandemic I was really getting into the swing of things doing beauty in the cases of fashion shoots, avant garde styling, and even being published in a few magazines internationally. I really want to strive and do more not only behind the chair to fulfill my wonderful clients goals, but to also branch out more into this sort of creative, fashion industry. Going into the future I plan to expand my inpact with having my guests feel the best they are able to day to day, but to also develop myself as more of a brand. A sort of name to be incorporated with the fashion behind beauty and to be inspired and included to more creative projects such as runways, photoshoots, Tv shows and anything else that will have a freer form of expression of the craft than the day to day work that behind a salon chair does. I am forever grateful for everyone who has helped support me to get me where I am and I cannot wait to see where I will go!

Contact Info:

• Website: Msalon.us
• Instagram: Instagram.com/bcdstylist
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/Ym9ZXJn2Sqb

Image Credits
All pictures were taken by either myself or by Christopher Do