Today we’d like to introduce you to Ruby Roberts.
Hi Ruby, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in downtown Chicago where my parents ran a rental studio for commercial photography and special events. While my parents were working, I usually hung out with the makeup artists and hairstylists who were hired to work on shoots. They were always the most fun adults.
They would airbrush “tattoos” onto my arms, and paint me and my brother’s nails, and give me head sheets to practice makeup on. Even after moving through the public magnet school program and going to college, I ended up realizing I should do what makes me happy and excited instead of what is expected by the people around me. My dad always joked that he hadn’t had a job since he was in high school so it makes sense I wouldn’t be able to sit for a desk job. Thanks to their support, I moved to my parent’s home where they retired in Florida to start cosmetology school. While I was planning my next move during 2020, I fell in love with precision cutting, razor cuts, and how much you can change everything about someone’s hair from shaping it in the right places. I decided to move to Austin and committed my first year to learn the basics from anyone who would teach me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think doing anything that’s new or isn’t laid out for you is difficult. Every industry has a unique learning curve, even if you’ve studied and practiced. I think the world also has a weird idea about needing to choose something to do and committing to it forever. I found myself being worried about other people’s judgment a lot more than I was aware of because of that, even though 25 is a very normal age to go back to school. The biggest game changer was meeting people in my new community and making friends that had years of experience in hair. It’s hard to feel nervous or like everything is impossible when I have friends who have been around salons much longer and are anticipating my success.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a hairstylist who specializes in cutting. Most of my clients seek me out for natural, textured shapes that can grow out for months without needing to be maintained or styled. I am so proud of the friendships I’ve made with my clients and how much time I put in on my own to learn all of the skills that make my work possible. I like to provide a different experience for my clients where instead of a beauty professional telling them all the things they need to change, I instead offer an experience that is centered around making their hair work for them and letting it be in its most natural state — minimal product, little heat styling, and focusing on hair and scalp health and cutting technique to bring out its natural texture. I want to help people celebrate their uniqueness and feel really proud of it, and I’m hoping the beauty industry continues to make genuine strides in that direction.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I was a D1 athlete and went to college on a scholarship and as a side hustle during beauty school, I helped a family friend train horses.
Pricing:
- $100/ hour (gratuity included)
- $150-$200 for a transformation/ specialty cut
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @rubyalexhair
