We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kaydence Hebert a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kaydence, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?
One of the biggest trends I am seeing not only in my chair but on social media is lived-in hair. My clients have been liking the option of being able to go longer in between appointments which means more time for them to spend time with family, work and enjoy hobbies. Lived-in hair usually consists of a color that matches the client’s natural hair color and is used to blend the highlights so the growout is softer and more natural looking. This is different from traditional highlights which go all the way to the root and needs touched up every few weeks (typically 4-6) while Lived-in hair can last anywhere from 6-8 weeks with proper care. Clients may also choose to add low-lights with the same color as their natural to give more dimension. Another big trend I am seeing is fall hair colors! Auburns, copper & rich chocolate browns are popular as clients want something darker & different from their bright blonde summer hair to transition into the upcoming fall/winter months.
Kaydence, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hi everyone! It’s nice to meet you, my name is Kaydence Hebert. I am a licensed cosmetologist in the state of North Carolina. I live in Jacksonville, NC & I have graduated cosmetology school at a local community college. With school, I have been doing hair for two years. Being in the beauty industry has always been something I have been interested in since I was younger. I was always braiding my own hair, my mom’s hair, my friend’s hair…. basically anyone who would sit still long enough to let me do their hair!! Haha. I always knew deep down hair was something I wanted to do. I entertained the idea of working with animals (like being a vet or helping wildlife rehabilitate) I am a huge animal lover- but I knew that career choice wasn’t for me. I would probably cry all day seeing animals in pain, even though I knew I was helping them. So, I graduated highschool a year early and enrolled in cosmetology school that same year. From then on, I started working at a salon in my area. Unfortunately, the environment did not fit me and I was unhappy going to work. I loved the people I worked with but knew that I would not be happy if I continued working there. Funny enough, the owner of the salon I currently work at, Fusion Hair Salon, reached out to me. I went in for an interview and was hired the same day! I was so excited to work in an environment that was so lively. I work with five other stylists and we call each family because we are that close. I get so excited to go to work that sometimes I don’t sleep at night haha. I feel so grateful that I have built friendships with not only the stylists but my clients. I love the creativity of being a stylist. I get to create art everyday, take pictures and talk to people for my job. I feel like I need to pinch myself constantly. I am a stylist that likes to do a bit of everything. I enjoy blonding, coloring, makeup & special occasions styling. I am happy doing a bit of everything because I never do the same thing twice. Being a stylist is challenging and rewarding at the same time. When I started working at Fusion Hair Salon, it is a booth rent salon which means I pay the rent for the chair I work at every week. Even though I am working in a salon, I own my own business behind the chair. It is called Color Me Kaydence, LLC. I don’t have any special meaning to the name, other than I liked the way it sounded. It’s almost like “call me Kaydence” but since I am creative for my job, its “color me Kaydence” haha. It was so much paperwork and going through insurances to finalize my business but I don’t regret it. I can’t wait to continue to grow my business and see where the future takes me. Something I would like to mention is I am also a NuMe Hair ambassador. This means I try NuMe’s products and get to educate my clients and social media audience on their products. It is a full circle moment because my first product from them was bought about eight years ago and I still use my Titan 3 in 1 curling wand to this day. Its been through cosmetology school with me! To be able to work with a brand I already use and love is a dream come true. Especially because I am newer to this industry, to be able to have this chance is so special. Lastly, I think what sets me apart from other stylists is my commitment and passion for my job. I am always taking educational classes, showing up early & creating new content for myself and my clients. I am also a kind person which has its downs at time as people try to take advantage of me. This is something I am learning to stand up for myself and my business. Being kind to people is rewarding in itself because kindness is so hard to come by. To be able to change someone’s day by just being a listening ear and offering a smile is a good feeling. I often get told I am weird for being kind which is unfortunate because it is sad to me that being kind is so hard to come by that when you do find it is is automatically assumed something is wrong with me. I won’t change myself no matter what though. I believe everyone is unique in their own way and being able to get to know all kinds of different people is fun to me. If you sit in my chair don’t be afraid to be yourself… and the only thing I ask is you be kind and respectful.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Like I said before, I started out at a booth rent salon in my area. I have respect for the stylists who work there but the environment did not suit me. I ended up working by myself a lot and there was no opportunity to learn from the other stylists. I started becoming unhappy in my job and questioning whether hair was the right career choice. I decided to quit and find a salon that would ignite my passion again. I remember in cosmetology school, a instructor told me that if I ever find myself feeling burntout, to step back and find what makes me passionate again. Thank you, Ms. James, for giving me that advice. With your words in mind, I was determined to find a salon that made me happy and allowed me to be creative with my art. I found the salon that I call my second home and have built amazing friendships. I believe that it does take time to find somewhere that will suit you and feel like you can be yourself with no judgment. I am proud that I didn’t let myself quit so easily and pushed through the hard beginning to find a salon that I cannot imagine my life without it.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I think everyone has a goal or mission to drive them to do better and accomplish something specific. I am someone who makes a list each week of goals I want to accomplish and I find this keeps myself from falling into a burn out and determines me to keep trying. If I don’t accomplish everything, I am learning not to be so hard on myself and understand that there are still other opportunities and times to accomplish my goals. One of my long-term goals is to build a steady clientele. This will not only prove to myself but to others who told me cosmetology is not job but a temporary hobby is wrong. I have heard many times that because I am “just” a stylist that I will not go far in life. That because I am nineteen years old I am “too young” to own my own business. Building a steady clientele will show myself that I have the skill of providing an amazing service but a personality that my clients will appreciate and come back to me for.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colorme_kaydence/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaydence.j.hebert
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCwSeV6PcoSkyK-QfGY2jhjQ
- Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@colorme_kaydence?lang=en