We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Breanna Gray a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Breanna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

In the beauty industry, using traditional hair color that contains harsh and toxic ingredients is unfortunately the standard. My own personal health journey with severe dermatitis opened my eyes to seeing the damage that these toxic ingredients can do to not only myself, but to my clients body and skin. Going through countless doctor visits and treatments to help cure my skin finally came to a head, when my dermatologist told me to change careers if I ever wanted my skin to be normal again. Hearing this news, and knowing a career change was not an option, we decided to look into alternatives and transition to non-toxic, holistic products without compromising the luxury and quality of our services.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I attended cosmetology school in 2016 and I remember my very first day there in class being so happy that I made the decision to be a hairstylist. Following my time in school, I worked at my first salon for 5 years, where I grew a ton and learned a lot about not only myself, but the industry as a whole. 3 years ago, along with two of my co-workers, Courtney Gassaway and Sarah Humm, decided to open our own business as equal co-owners. Co-owning a business isn’t for everyone, but it’s incredibly easy when you own it with like-minded individuals. We are so proud of the space we have built for ourselves and our clients. Being able to provide our clients with a safe space whether that be the non-toxic chemicals we use in our services, or them being able to relax after a thorough consultation to allow them to feel confident they will receive a service they will love in the end. We receive a number of clients who have found us through a quick search, whether that be because they have specific allergies to products or they are going thru a health journey of their own. Being able to be there for clients with an understanding from my own experiences with autoimmune disorders and severe allergies really sets myself and our salon apart due to first hand experience. Making someone feel seen, heard, and understood is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

As I was attending community college unsure of the path I was supposed to be on, I remember coming home one day from community college completely drained and uninspired. I believed that I needed to go to college or else it meant I wasn’t smart enough. I cared what people thought of me at the time, thinking that I would be thought of as less than if I dropped out. Always in the back of my mind, I knew my passions and talents. I loved doing my friends’ hair and makeup before our nights out, or helping my mom color her hair. I would sit in the bathroom with my grandmother watching as she cut and colored her own hair every few weeks, and as she put on her makeup every morning while making sure her hair was perfectly pouffe’d. My grandmother told me she dreamed of being a hairstylist when she was younger, but growing up in a strict Sicilian household it was frowned upon in her family’s eyes to go to cosmetology school. But that didn’t mean that my grandmother wouldn’t go to her mothers every Sunday to do her hair. I know she would have made an amazing hairstylist, but held back in fear of disappointing those around her. Hearing this I came to a realization that I need to live for myself and what makes me happy. College isn’t for everyone, and choosing your own path instead of the common way, and following your heart is courageous.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I met my business partners in the most serendipitous way. I first met my cofounder Courtney in 2016 at cosmetology school. She was a class ahead of me. We ended up reconnecting when she was doing wedding hair for my boss at the time and was offered a job at the salon I worked at. We clicked instantly and learned we really balance each other out. While working there, I started doing a clients hair, who would soon become my cofounder Sarah. She had a natural love for makeup and hair. After getting her hair done a few times, and only partially joking she should come work with us, she finally signed up for cosmetology school. Soon then becoming my coworker and now cofounder, you really never know who is going to sit in your chair and be a major part of your life. We all click so well and I’m so grateful for such amazing women to lean on.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sandsalon.com
• Instagram: @belenag and @sandorganicconcept
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandorganicconceptsalon/
• Other: TikTok: sandsalon

Image Credits

Anne Casey Photography