Today we’d like to introduce you to Clarissa Marseille.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Clarissa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Growing up the women in my family made sure their hair was on point for any event they had to attend. From their child’s graduation to going to the block party at night, it is a part of our culture to have your hair done when showing your face anywhere outside of the house. I saw how women would walk in the salon and walk out feeling and looking like a whole new woman. The conversations and camaraderie in the salon has always made my heart full and hasn’t stopped even though we moved to Georgia. It wasn’t until my freshman year in college that I was able to do what my heart desired. My friends would always offer their heads for me to practice on and offer me so much motivation to continue on and grow as a stylist. Hair was never a job for me. It is an escape from everything and allows me to focus and put a smile on someone’s face, ultimately making my day. I accidentally found a salon in Athens and jumped at the opportunity to have a chair in there and further develop my skills as a stylist. After I made my Instagram page and started working in the salon, my confidence and knowledge grew exponentially and is still growing today.
Has it been a smooth road?
Of course not. I had to learn to accommodate for different hair textures, hair lengths, different personalities of my clients and working around others in a new environment. There were styles I couldn’t follow through the way I wanted because of things I haven’t learned yet or mastered One of the greatest challenges for me as I started off doing hair constantly, was figuring out what dollar amount was appropriate for my skill set and was feasible for college students. Over the years, I had to realize that providing services at affordable prices does not mean that I have to undervalue or lessen myself. With any challenge, I know to always have patience with myself and others and that I create what I choose to at the end.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Rissa’s Touch story. Tell us more about the business.
Rissa’s Touch is my mark on the hair industry as someone that provides hair services, products, education, and genuine energy to everyone concerned about their hair. Whether someone is in my chair, or on my website, they will feel a sense of relief and empowerment in regards to anything involving their hair. In terms of services, I specialize in installing wigs, sew-ins, and feed-in braids, however I do pretty much everything except faux locs and passion twists because I feel like they take too long. I’m known for quality work and actually caring for my client’s natural hair under their styles. I am most proud of the growth over the years and the upcoming years. I have executed my first photoshoot and have almost completed my website which will serve as one stop site for hair, services, and information. How I relay the information to my clients and the quality of work, from installs to videos, set me apart from others. I truly put care into my craft a constantly am working towards progression and learning new techniques to get even better results and more hair growth. By asking questions and creating an open conversation about current and past hair care, I get better insight on my clients’ needs which in turn allows me to be the best stylist for them.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I feel like the hair industry will continue to grow. They may be the release of products for women with kinky or curly hair struggling to keep their hair elongated when doing natural styles like twist outs or wash n gos. I also see high art hairstyles touching the streets. Even though the sleek bone straight middle part is a go to, high fashion hairstyles are making its way outside of photoshoots as women love to find new ways to express themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: rissastouch.as.me
- Instagram: instagram.com/_rissastouch
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