Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Carroll.
Hi Allison, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Becoming a hairstylist was not quite what I imagined for myself when I was younger. I thought I would be an artist in a more traditional sense. I was a quiet kid growing up in Tennessee with a vivid imagination. You could often find me lost in my own world playing, drawing or exploring the outdoors. Always curious and creative. My family spent a lot of time in nature and my parents encouraged my sister and I to travel whenever possible, which I am truly grateful for. I learned to appreciate what an amazing world we live in and I am continually inspired by seeing new places. My grandmother a was big influence on me also. She was a lively, spirited, artistic woman who I loved spending time with. She even played music with a group of friends when she was in her 60s! I hope I am as full of life as her when I’m that age. We spent many afternoons crafting with hot glue, fake gems, feathers, and puffy paint, always while having a good laugh. My love for nature and artistic expression has always stayed with me. In high school, my favorite classes were Environmental Science and Art. I considered both for my college major, but instead, I walked away with a degree in Fashion Merchandising not knowing exactly where to go or what to do from there. I’d visited a friend in Austin a few times and was ready to break out of my tiny college town. So, I moved.
Shortly after my move here, I changed direction and started cosmetology school. This career pivot was inspired by many years of hair experimentation as a creative outlet; mainly on myself and a few brave friends. After earning my license, I started work in a salon as an apprentice to continue my learning and growth. I still take classes regularly to advance my skills and to see things from new perspectives. As a new stylist, I was especially curious about exploring the balayage technique. This form of painting on hair without foils felt so free and expressive, and spoke to the artist inside me. Razor cutting brings the same feeling for me. Carving shapes in hair to create softer lines, lots of movement, even bringing life back to wavy textures, it’s cool to see. This led me to focus on low-maintenance colors and soft, textured haircuts for my clients. Looks that are easy to style and grow out nicely.
A totally unexpected but rewarding part of my job is all of the connections I’ve made with other people, it’s the best part of what I do. My relationships with my clients and other creatives have brought a surprising level of depth to my career that I never anticipated; something I treasure immensely. Fifteen years later, here I am. Still grateful that my work brings me so much joy, still learning so much, still pushing myself to be better, and still thinking about what’s next. That’s the really exciting part, what’s next for me now.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have been very fortunate in so many ways throughout my life. One big challenge has been finding a salon that shares my interest in taking care of the environment. Most beauty industry professionals are not knowledgeable about and/or don’t really care about the harmful products they are using or the amount of waste we are producing. Years ago, I even had co-workers make fun of me for making efforts to recycle at a salon by taking it home with me. That didn’t stop me. Our actions or lack thereof, impact us all. When people ask me why I care so much – my response is that I live on planet Earth, don’t they? I don’t want to swim in the ocean next to plastic bags and other garbage. I don’t want to ingest toxins when eating seafood or putting on makeup. I don’t want to have health issues from breathing hair color fumes daily. It’s not always easy or convenient to make conscious choices, but that’s what I’m aiming to do. I will continue to work to build community with those that are concerned about these issues and to educate myself and others who are interested in making changes.
It’s been slow going but I am starting to see more and more salons carrying non-toxic products and participating in recycling and other sustainability programs which is amazing! The other big struggle for me has been managing my own fears and self-doubt. I have aimed to please others at times losing sight of my own needs and desires. Imposter syndrome and fear of failure have kept me from taking risks and working toward some of my larger goals. I hired a business coach a little over a year ago and it was the best thing I have ever done for myself. It was totally different than I imagined. The coaching process helped me to dig deep and do a lot of self-reflection, which isn’t always comfortable. We focused on how I wanted to feel in my life and the changes I need to make to get me there. My self-work journey is one that is never-ending, but I have made some big strides recently which is worth acknowledging. Doing this work has helped me to find the courage and clarity needed to push forward with some ideas I’ve been holding onto for quite a while.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Right now, I’m working on the biggest challenge I’ve ever taken on. I’m opening Wild Desert Beauty, a non-toxic, sustainable salon in Central East Austin, in just a few months! I am thrilled to finally bring my passion for the environment to the forefront of my business through the sustainability practices we will be implementing and our use of only non/low-toxic products. The salon industry produces an unbelievable amount of waste every minute along with high usage of harmful chemicals. Being a part of the change to lessen our impact and making health a priority is extremely important to me. We will be working with a program to reclaim and recycle 95% of the salon’s waste, reducing water usage at the shampoo bowls by 65% with special shower heads, and even our cleaning products will be non-toxic.
Construction for my salon space just started and it is so exciting to see it all coming together! In addition to the salon being less toxic for people and the planet, the other important focus is to shift away from the negative salon culture that so many stylists experience. I don’t want to just open another salon. I want to create something that is thoughtful, intentional and has a purpose. Wild Desert Beauty is a result of 15 years of observation, experience and a lot of critical thinking. I aim to create a space where stylists can flourish and take back some control over the direction of their careers. They will have freedom over their schedules, pricing, and be able to focus on the services they love without having to go completely out on their own as booth renters. I couldn’t find this environment for myself so I thought I would create it one day, so I am.
I’ve also recently started a meetup group for Austin area stylists, students, and salon owners who are interested in clean beauty and sustainability. The Conscious Beauty Club brings beauty industry professionals together from different salons for support, learning, and most importantly community. Not everyone gets it when you want to make a change, therefore it’s vital to find a supportive community to help you on your journey. We hosted a clean beauty basics class this month to help with the overwhelm when getting started with going non-toxic. Additional events planned for the rest of the year include volunteer opportunities, social meetups, and more education. For a long time, I was afraid to put myself out there and move forward with ideas like this group or for the salon out of fear. I’m so glad I finally took the chance. I have met some amazing people. I’ve been greeted with so much enthusiasm and have been blown away by all of the support I’ve received. I can’t wait to see how it continues to grow.
What does success mean to you?For me, success is living in a way that brings me happiness and fulfillment. Which comes from continual learning and growth, feeling good about what I am putting out into the world. Looking deep inside at what brings me joy and purpose and being brave enough to seek those things even when they are different than the norm. Living a life full of enriching experiences such as travel, having meaningful relationships and being able to have a positive impact are what’s most important to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.allisoncarrollbeauty.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisoncarrollbeauty/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisoncarrollbeauty
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/wilddesertbeauty/
Image Credits
Anastasia Strate Photography Joey Gallahan Photography
