Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Swindle.
Hi Victoria, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started doing hair as a little girl because I always hated the little pigtails my mother made me wear. I would get to school and head straight to the bathroom to take my hair down and style it the way I wanted it. Several bad hairstyles later, my mother gave in and started buying me hair magazines so I could learn how to do it right.. By the time I was 14, I had clients lining up in her kitchen.
Life happened, and later I earned my cosmetology license at Aveda Institute of Arts and Sciences in Birmingham, AL. From there, I have gone non-stop.
I first opened Hair & Healing Multicultural Salon in the college town of Montevallo, AL two years ago with the goal of normalizing the multicultural setting in salons, and turning the salon into a therapeutic place of restoration and relaxation; where women could leave feeling better about themselves inside and out. I even incorporated an herbal apothecary of natural teas, supplements, essential oils, hair and body oils, body butters, bath bombs, bath bars, and more for take-home self-care.
While working, I began to hear how there was a need for more stylists between Atlanta and Athens. I even had some travel from Atlanta to Montevallo for that very reason. Given that I have much more freedom to move now that my youngest is on the verge of graduating and Atlanta is a Mecca for holistic healing, I decided to give the area a shot.
I was introduced to the owner of Heavenly Designs by Ebony in Athens, GA. A young Queen by the name of Ebony Ferrell greeted me with open arms and embraced the idea of expanding on both the healing and multicultural concept at Heavenly Designs. I like to say I brought Hair and Healing to Heavenly Designs, and we work fantastically together.
I am grateful and proud to say that I am currently serving the Athens and Atlanta areas on Fridays & Saturdays as an independent stylist at Heavenly Designs. Athens and Atlanta have been so good to my business I am looking forward to breaking into the market full-time between this coming fall. I am excited to be bringing the apothecary to Athens and Atlanta in the near future as well.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The road has not been smooth all the time. There have been downturns in the economy that have challenged my business. There have also been times that I was concerned about losing clients because I have had Covid twice and had to pause business as a result. But perseverance is key. I was able to bounce back both times from Covid. And I am thankful for my faithful clientele because they were waiting patiently (and impatiently, lol) for me to recover.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a cosmetologist, I have been asked many times what I specialize in and what my favorite things are to do. When it comes to coloring and cutting hair, I cannot choose between the two. I absolutely love doing them both, so I you can say I specialize in them both.
I am most proud of the way I connect with my clients. I have a knack for reading people, so it helps me approach each of my clients with a touch that is unique only to them. It also helps me to grasp a better understanding of their wants and needs as it pertains to their hair and how it fits into their lifestyle; making their look truly theirs.
What sets me apart from others is that I am one of the rare stylists that can handle all hair types proficiently. There is no boundary for me when it comes to hair styling (other than jherri curls. I refuse, but I know someone that does them!) I’ve had clients comment on how they’ve found it to be so amazing that I transition from a head of locs to a head of natural color, then from a pixie cut to a rainbow color to a silk press. I take pride in being able to service any hair texture that comes to my chair because it isn’t something you see done regularly and, I emphasize, proficiently.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I like the diversity of the city best. The melding pot of cultures means you are never bored in Atlanta. There is always something new to learn, something interesting to see, and somewhere exciting to go.
I least like the traffic. The speed demons are almost terrifying. And this is coming from someone that actually likes to drive fast. I’m just glad my dad raised me around street racers and taught me defensive driving skills because whew chiiile…
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hairandhealing.me/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/myhairandhealing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhairandhealing
Image Credits
Avery Carter Ankhélo Smith
