Daily Inspiration: Meet Taylor Shira

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Shira.

Hi Taylor, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey in the beauty industry began in 2017 in Virginia Beach, VA at Rudy & Kelly Academy, a Paul Mitchell Partner School. A couple of weeks before I graduated, we had a guest artist come in and teach a class on special event styling and makeup. Her name was Liz Darling and I knew I HAD to work for her. Over the next few years, I’d end up working on her bridal team, as well as taking the leap after working at a couple of commission-based salons and renting a booth in her beautiful new space she had just opened. Fast forward to last summer— we (my husband, son, two dogs and I) decided to move back home to Texas, and Liz asked me if I wanted to help her lead an expansion from Virginia Beach to Austin! I was thrilled, as Darling and Dapper has absolutely been monumental in shaping me as both an artist and a person. I currently (and for the last two years) own The Cosmo Cactus, providing regular salon services including cuts, color, and of course special event styling and makeup. I currently operate my business inside The Hair Depot in New Braunfels. I am also the Lead Texas Artist with Darling and Dapper, and we have big plans to open a brick and mortar somewhere around south Austin this fall!

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?
The biggest struggle I have faced is opening a business in February of 2020– one month before the official start of Covid. I was a new mom trying to get back into the beauty industry full time, investing a ton of money into opening my very own little space within Darling and Dapper before we got completely shut down. Thankfully, I was able to push through with support from my amazing husband, salon friends, and absolutely wonderful clients. It has overall been a journey of learning and failure and success and growth.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Color and cut wise: I specialize in very lived in styles. I love teasy, rooted highlights that grow out beautifully and textured blendy cuts. My real speciality, however, lies within special event styling and makeup. What an honor it is to be able to create that kind of magic for someone on such a huge day and to help them feel like the most beautiful version of themselves. Boho and lived-in vibes are my favorite, but I love everything from light, natural glam to extraaa extra with some glitter on top. I’m a ~not so slight~ perfectionist, and I believe we have a responsibility to our brides and clients to listen, to envision, to empathize, and to create, which I believe helps to set me apart. I’ve also been told I have a sparkling personality, so you can rest assured that I will be your biggest hype girl!

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think what’s trending now is self-love and acceptance, which I think has created a huge change in our industry. Now it’s about feeling good as yourself, no matter how that looks for you. Some people love Botox and filler and lashes and extensions, some people love a tinted moisturizer, some light mascara and a cute messy bun. Both are beautiful, and both of those people deserve to FEEL beautiful. Let that gray hair grow out sis— or don’t! Whatever, as long as you feel happy and confident in yourself! I really do think our industry is starting to put a big emphasis on this mentality and will continue to increasingly become more diverse and accepting of people as they are.

Contact Info:

• Email: thecosmocactus@gmail.com
• Instagram: @thecosmocactus
• Facebook: @thecosmocactus

Image Credits
@mistysavestheday @jessiewalkerphoto @hunterandsarah_s @heatherpapineau