WITH LOVE, TO MOM
In honor of Mother's Day
Sometimes, hairdressing is in the genes. And for a few of our most inspiring team members, that legacy has been passed down with love, wisdom, and true support. Today, we’re celebrating Mother’s Day by asking our peeps to tell us about the women who helped make them the superstars they are today. Come listen in to these heartwarming convos…
Frederic Aspiras:
Joico Celebrity Artist and personal hairdresser to Lady Gaga
“My mom was my mentor”
Read any interview with Gaga’s long-time stylist, Frederic Aspiras, and you’re going to hear about the deep love he has for his Mom – who sadly passed away before his work last year on House of Gucci, the film for which he became the second Asian-American ever to be nominated for an Oscar in the hair-and- makeup category.
How Mom inspired him…
Frederic’s mom taught him to respect strong women When he started doing hair in her salon after school at age 13, she set an example for him to follow. “I saw how my Mom interacted with her clients on a daily basis; talking to people and helping them feel better,” he recalls. “Something about that touched me.”
She instilled his amazing work ethic
“My mom was so charismatic. It’s no wonder people loved her so much. She retired at 70. She couldn’t stop working. I think that’s where I get it. I’ll just keep working until I can’t anymore. She watched me every day with such pride. She knew this was what I was meant to do.”
Freddie’s work on House of Gucci is a love letter to his mother
“This film is near and dear to my heart because I put everything I knew about hairdressing into this project. I learned all those classic techniques as a young kid growing up in my Mom’s salon, where she taught me all that I know about life in this business. And I’m so blessed and honored to have been able to work with people like Gaga and director, Ridley Scott, both of whom gave me the opportunity to process my grief. This film is for her.”
Mai Hernandez:
Joico Brand Educator
“She was a power woman”
At just 15, this Venezuelan-born talent relocated to the United States with her sisters, and her mother, who was going through a self-described “rough divorce.” Hair became the savior. But in the chair…not behind it. “We would get our hair done, and it made me realize how important it was to feel beautiful and empowered,” recalls Mai, who had dreams of becoming a hairstylist since childhood.
How Mom inspired her…
She instilled the love of beauty
“Some of my dearest memories of my Mom were, believe it or not, at the hair salon. Her hair appointments were sacred to her! She would send one of us every Friday after school to save her a spot (her girl only did walk-ins). In return, we could get our hair done as well. “What a perk!” I thought. So you know who was at the hair salon by 3:30 sharp every Friday? This experience shaped how I perceived beauty and it had an absolute impact on defining what I wanted to do when I grew up.”
She planted a career seed
“At a very young age I knew that I wanted to do hair because I wanted to make women feel jovial and confident. So I would play with our dolls; cutting their long tresses, putting body lotion in their hair as hair treatments, and dipping their locks in Kool-Aid to color it. What fun memories! A long road has been traveled between then and now. I never thought that this childhood dream of mine would ever become reality. Today, I get to design hair, boost my clients’ confidence, make them feel beautiful, and put a smile on their faces. To think that this love blossomed from when a little girl was tasked with saving her mom a spot at her local beauty salon is just wild to me!”
She modeled financial stability
“In a culture where men were seen as the sole providers and the women usually stay at-home mothers, I grew up thinking that we were different,” says Mai. “My Mom worked a full-time job, provided just as much as my father, while also having the responsibility of being a full-time parent while my Dad went to school. The most impactful advice she gave my sisters and me was: “If you want to have financial stability, you have to be able to provide for yourself.” So now I say, Feliz día to my greatest role model, beauty queen, and my forever love. Te amo mami.”
Diana Pickett:
Joico Brand Educator
“She gave me my confidence”
You could say that Joico Brand Educator and salon owner, Diana Pickett, has been in the beauty industry since birth; no exaggeration, since she actually had a crib in her mother’s hair salon…which became her first front-row seat to a lifelong love of healthy, beautiful hair. It was this early perch that launched a decades-long career focused on training, techniques, biz-building, and the spirit of sharing education and empowerment with her colleagues.
She taught tenacity
“My Mother started her beauty career in the early 50’s. She went to get a $1,500 loan to purchase her first business at the age of 19. She was denied the loan…first of all female, unmarried, young and it was the 50’s. When she went home and told her German-immigrant grandfather that the banker wouldn't even talk to her, he said, “Kindchen, get your things, we go back,” and he demanded all of his money to be withdrawn. The banker, of course, didn’t want to lose an account…so my Mother got her loan, Grandfather let his money stay there, and that set my Mother onto a path of militant feminism for most of her life.”
She was a stickler for professionalism
“I have always known that the culture of cosmetology wasn't always thought of as a “professional” realm, but seeing the way my Mother treated her clients and her business has helped me to be a part of the wonderful line-up of people who are professionals of the highest caliber. She was always insistent on using proper English, and went into a ring-tailed hissy fit is any of us said “ain’t.” This professionalism really shaped and formed my sisters and me.”
She fostered independence
“I watched my Mother develop relationships with the women who came to her to take of their hair. Many of these women did not know how to write a check after their husbands passed away. My Mother taught them how to balance their checkbooks, pay a bill, and make their own way. My sisters and I worked as salon assistants; we developed customer-service skills, and could make change and book appointments by 12 years old.”
She was a marketing genius
“Mother had the first Revlon contract in our small town -- she knew the power of cosmetics and was a natural with sales techniques. She even came up with promotions for my salon: At my salon anniversary open house, she was the operator of the “duck pond, pick a duck, try your luck!” There was a retail promo for every pick…we sold a LOT of product that night!”
She was a confidence-builder
“Mother left me with a firm confidence in my people skills. In our industry, we’re consistently in the position to help someone feel confident, cared for, seen, and boosted. This is powerful!!! It’s a responsibility I take very seriously and try to pass on to my colleagues.”
