Check Out Adalys “Addy” Santos’ Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adalys (Addy) Santos.

Hi Adalys, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started off in the beauty industry by doing hair and makeup for special events like weddings, sweet 16’s, and quinceañeras. It wasn’t long until I realized that what I was just doing for fun was something that I was truly passionate about and can see as being my career. Soon after, I enrolled at the Aveda Institutes in 2017, and I began my journey as a licensed Master Cosmetologist. As with being new in any industry, you have to start somewhere. After graduating in 2018, I worked as an assistant at my first salon and worked my way up to an entry-level stylist. Once I built a steady clientele, I worked at another salon; this is where my confidence grew not only in myself but also in my craft. I began to curate my clientele and attract the people I wanted to work with, people who would know my worth and appreciate my skill. So at the beginning of 2020, I took a leap of faith and set out to open my own suite! Everything was going great; I was excited, my clients were eager to come in, the salon opens, and then boom: Coivd-19 happened.

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 at all, just ten days after opening the salon, Georgia goes on lockdown, and all of my hard work felt like it went down the drain. There was so much uncertainty as to what was going to happen, the severity of the virus. When we would all be able to go back to “normal.” Needless to say, I was not counting on a pandemic in my first year as a small business owner; no one was. My first day back was on May 1st, and I had my work cut out for me. I had my fair share of quarantine corrections like box dye and botched at-home haircuts. If I had a dollar for every time I heard “quarantine made me do it,” I’d be rich. Since then, the business has been pretty steady, but building a clientele in the middle of a pandemic isn’t ideal. I keep telling myself that if I can make it through this, I can make it through anything.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a hairstylist, and I specialize in balayage and balayage/high ombres on clients with dark hair. Being Latina and having dark thick hair has been a struggle finding someone who can execute the style I’m going for. Many people are intimidated by our hair color and texture, and in turn, we end up with orange hair or a terrible haircut because the haircut was unfinished. What I’m most proud of is with only having three years of experience in the industry, I took a chance on myself and opened up my salon at the age of 23.

What were you like growing up?
Honestly, I was all over the place. I was definitely a tomboy, but I liked to play around with makeup and get dressed up every once in a while. I was extremely outspoken in the way I dressed and what I listened to. My iPod music would range from Escape the Fate, to old school Reggaeton, to Lil Wayne, to Justin Beiber. I went through an emo/scene phase, and man, do I cringe every time I see an old picture of myself. I was definitely the black sheep of my family.

Pricing:

• Hair cut $60
• Balayage $190+
• High Ombre $260+
• Extensions $350+
• Makeup $85+

Contact Info:

• Email: addysantos.hm@gmail.com
• Website: www.culturasalon.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultura.salon.atl/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/culturasalonatl
• Other: https://culturasalon.glossgenius.com/