Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrienne Clark .
Hi, Adrienne. Having you on the platform is an honor. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
It started with a wig and a short time frame in 2017. While in college, I had 2 days to do my hair for my new member presentation for my sorority, and the most logical answer was to make a wig. So I blindly and successfully created and cut a bob wig for the show, two things I had never done before. I received so many compliments, and before long, a friend asked, “Why don’t you start doing hair? Yours’s always done, and I would let you do mine.” I had previous experience with retesting locs, and I was born in the salon chair since my mom was a cosmetologist, so it began to make sense. Later that year, I started Candy Colors & Creations, a custom wig creation and extension custom color business. After graduating from UCF with my Bachelor’s in Social Work in 2018, I attended Paul Mitchell The School in Orlando in 2019. There, I learned the necessary skills and techniques to start my professional career as a cosmetologist. Even through Cosmo school, I continued creating custom wigs and coloring, even receiving school credit. I even had opportunities to teach my teachers and fellow students some things I have taught myself or learned from research. I moved back to my hometown, Jacksonville, in 2021, a few months after graduating, finding work in a salon that specialized in blinding hair and scalp treatments and extensions and after a natural hair salon where I feel I found my niche in natural hair and those suffering from alopecia. Since I have natural hair and make wigs, it made sense. Now that I have salon experience in my back pocket, I stepped out a little on my own to take my business and professional skills to the next level, landing me where I am 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?
Not. Cosmetology school and getting your LLC is only the beginning. A’s cosmetologist, you only learn what you want to know once you get out there and take clients. Cosmo school gives you tremendous and necessary foundations for navigating clients and whatever may come your way. I began coloring before Cosmo school and had some hiccups. Why I had those hiccups only clicked once I learned color theory in school. School is worth it for anyone who has asked me or is wondering. Once in the field, I had to find the rhythm and techniques that worked for me, which took trial and error. I’ve extensively researched branding, business analytics, funding, and overall trends in the beauty industry. I’ve even had to take a year off to see if this field was for me because building clientele requires time, energy, and consistency. I am still in that process, and moving to another city set that back a little, so facing that is one of the biggest struggles so far.
Thanks for sharing that. So, tell us more about your work next.
I create custom wig units, creating that perfect fit for them. My wig units are glueless— meaning they can be installed with no product and removed at will— while being very secure. My wig units are scalp-accessible, allowing extra comfort during wear. I also provide office wig/extension color and care services. In addition, I’m a natural hair care specialist, and I’m in love with educating women on how to care for their curls in a way that works for their lifestyle and hair goals. To increase my services, I am becoming a trichologist who can better assist those with thinning or hair loss issues and perfect my craft in other areas, such as sew-ins, quick weaves, clip-ins, and more. I am most proud of my custom wigs as I make them by hand, and hearing feedback that they do precisely what they are made to do makes them even more personal.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Whatever you decide to do, even if you change your mind, be a forever student— learning from anyone, everyone, and everything, including your “mistakes.” Those will probably be your most significant learning experiences. It’s hard to mess up, especially when working on or with people, but it’s not messing up. You’re just learning what not to do the next time.
Pricing:
- Silk Press $70
- Shampoo & Blowdry $50
- Custom Wig Creation $150
- Flexi Rod Set $60
- Wig Prep $55
Contact Info:
- Website: https://candycolors.as.me/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candycolors__?igsh=aWF2bmp1dmpwM3Rs&utm_source=qr
Image Credits
For picture of me: @ROT_media
