Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Lu.
Hi Jenna, 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 Lansing, Michigan to an immigrant family. I’m the first generation, and also the eldest daughter. There’s a lot of pressure and expectations when you fall into that title from birth. My whole life I’ve always been creative, while trying to make my family proud. During my upbringing, I had to grow up rather quickly. At the time, both of my parents worked a lot. They were both pushing 70-80 hour weeks because that’s what they had to do in order to provide and survive. It was mainly my little sister and I in the house. It wasn’t a big house, but the lack of our parents being there, made it feel bigger than it really was.
Every parent wants the best for their child, and usually that means having a really good paying job. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do when I “grew up” but I knew it wasn’t being a doctor. That career was constantly being pushed on me, so it felt like I didn’t have a choice. I was conflicted for a long time, because I thought “my parents didn’t leave their home country and risk their lives for me to have a shitty job. I have to have a good job so they can be proud of me.”
Deep down, I never wanted to be a doctor. I would pretend and agree when my grandma asked me about my future to appease her. While in the background, I’m drawing on scrap paper, painting on poster boards from Dollar Tree, and box dying my hair in my mom’s bathroom. I really liked experimenting with my hair, so much so that I’d have something different every month. That’s when I thought, “what if I did hair?” That single passing thought changed the trajectory of my life.
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?
Being in the industry for over 11 years, there’s a lot to learn. Long story short, cosmetology school only teaches you 20% of what you’re actually doing behind the chair. Yes you do all the book work, you learn the science and chemistry when it comes to hair. You learn about every single infection, fungus, skin disease, and sanitation drill. Being a hairstylist is not just about hair. At the end of the day, this is a customer service job. You need to know how to talk to people, develop time management, have financial skills, and so much more. We wear a lot of different hats, and it’s a very emotionally draining career. You need to be able to switch your mood and emotions on the spot for every client that sits in your chair. You need to able to disconnect from all of the negative energies that comes through. We have to listen to some heavy stuff, because we’re also therapists for a lot of people. As hairstylists, we are one of the only constants in a person’s life.
Not only is it emotionally taxing, the toll it takes on your body is very intense. You’re standing on your feet all day, you’re constantly shifting your weight forward, your arms are always up, and you’re not getting any breaks in between. All of the fumes and tiny little hairs that we breathe in are real. The system needs to change for us. We praise “hustle culture” so much that we’re working ourselves into the ground. We were told from the beginning “if you’re not booked back to back then you won’t make enough money to support yourself.” If you’re chair rent, you work for yourself. Most of the time, we don’t schedule ourselves lunch breaks because we’d rather make money doing a haircut. Usually the only time we have to eat or use the bathroom is when the client is processing. We don’t get insurance or benefits either, we have to pay for that out of our own pockets. All of the products we use, we have to supply that ourselves. There’s a lot of overhead costs people don’t see. Still, people don’t view our jobs as a “real” job. We get push back because our jobs aren’t being taken seriously. It takes a lot to be a hairstylist, and most people quit after a couple years because it’s harder than they think.
In this new age of social media, stylists are pressured to be “influencers.” Views get attention, but not all of it is good. We’re expected to have a lot of followers and views, because that’s what’s going to get you clients now a days. Personally, I think it’s all useless. If you’re genuinely good at your job, then you should have your work speak for itself. Referrals are the quickest way to build your clientele. Social media isn’t all real, people will always show their best online. The right clients will come to you regardless. The new fear for us, is when clients bash us online with a videos saying we messed up their hair, even when it’s not the full story. Yes, bad hair happens and bad stylists exist. The issue is, is that these people will lie and exaggerate online. Instead of confronting the business or stylists themselves, they run to TikTok and complain about issues that could have been resolved. These videos go viral, and the stylist’s life is essentially ruined. Hundreds of people will flood their business with 1 star reviews, even though these people have never even met them. It’s ruthless and unfair because people are deathly afraid of confrontation. I’m fighting for the stylists that were never given a chance to make things right. People will do anything to get views, even when it totally disregards another person’s livelihood.
I’m in this stage of my business now where I don’t take new clients. I’ve built my ideal clientele over the last 11 years and I’m perfectly content with the flow I have going for me. The hardest part for me is being strong with my boundaries. The most important thing to remember is to have self confidence and self respect. Once you’ve mastered those two things, the right clients will come to you. These clients will appreciate you and support you. These people are your tribe, and will continue to be loyal clients throughout your whole career. I get asked all the time why I closed my books because I still have people wanting to see me. The reason being, I’ve found my balance in life. I don’t care to overwork myself, and I treasure my life outside of work. Another reason is, I don’t want my regulars to wait months to get their hair done. This way, I can control my waitlist better. If I keep taking new clients, they won’t be able to come see me as often. To me, that isn’t fair. These regulars are the ones that made me the person I am today. These people cherish me, and I cherish them.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I call myself a Jack of All Trades when it comes to hair. The first 3 years of being in the industry was brutal. I learned a lot because I messed up a lot. I’ve seen a lot of things and have experimented with a lot of brands to know what works. The quickest way to learn is to mess up. You need to remember, everyone starts somewhere. My most favorite thing to do color wise, are color corrections. I’m a troubleshooter, and I take pride in my transformations. There’s a lot of science and chemistry with it, which has always been my favorite subjects in school. The adrenaline I get when a client feels hopeless that their hair can’t be fixed, makes it even more fun when I prove them wrong. I am whole heartedly confident that I can fix anything when it comes to hair. Please remember, this is a two person job. It’s the client and me, but mainly the client’s ability to trust me. Without that, I won’t be able to preform to the extent that I want. Logistically, it takes a lot of time and money. Trust is the biggest one because that’s where the transformation could end before it even starts.
Haircut wise, any type of heavily layered haircut with a blowout. I’ve only taken on this new haircut skill in the last couple of years. I’ve spent so long in mastering my colors that I felt like I was lacking in my haircutting skills. I have a super layered haircut myself, and I love the way it looks. I took it upon myself to learn new techniques for it, but more efficiently and ergonomically. I do this haircut so often that I can probably do it in my sleep.
I strongly believe that if you can’t do your “specialty” on every person, every gender, every texture, every density, and every color, then you are not a specialist.
What sets me apart from others is my undying dedication to improve my skills. Education and knowledge is endless, why would I self sabotage by having the mindset that I can’t learn anymore? For a long time I’ve felt like I’ve capped at my skill level because nothing was broken. My clients have their usuals, and I’m not taking new clients. Why would I need to change anything? I got out of that box because I was craving knowledge. I wanted to continue to evolve myself and attain new skills, because my clients deserve the very best. There’s always something new to learn, and it’s very important to have an open mind. I’ve had a couple handfuls of mentees shadow me behind the chair in the past. That level of one on one teaching has given me purpose beyond just doing hair. I’m grateful, because a lot of times I learn from them too.
What I pride myself most on, is my attention to detail. The art of noticing isn’t taught, it’s almost instinctual. I’m not just talking about hair, I’m talking about how I see people. I feel what people feel, and I have the ability to connect with people on a deeper level. Most of my clients have become friends and family because of it. What I consider long days at work, are other people’s self care day. I take care of people. When you get to where I am in this business, they’ll take care of you too.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I think most people are shocked when I tell them that I only get my hair done 4 times a year. I actually don’t use heat protectant on myself all that often either. I know, it’s crazy. I break the rules for my own hair because I don’t care as much. I hate doing my own hair too. I like that my ends feel a little dead because it gives it the texture I want. I literally tell my own hairstylist to make my ends look like a little rat chewed it off. When I was in high school, I would use a Bic shaving razor to shred my hair. I’d sit in front of a mirror in my room with the door locked, and I’d have a trash can between my legs. I would just grab random chunks and obliterate my hair with the same razor I’d shave my legs with. I guess I still like the look of it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @hairalchemybyjennalu
