Bright, edgy, and funky are all ways to describe hairstylist’s Jessica Ruby’s work.
The self proclaimed hair witch is the proud owner of Flamingo Hair Lounge, which was originally launched in Manhattan back in 2017 but now has a second space in LA. Looking across her portfolio of work, you can see some retro motifs that have Jessica’s personal touch. She not only knows how to create the perfect layers or baby bangs, but how to flare it up with colorful dye. We had a chance to catch up with Jessica to learn more about her:
What drew you to become a hairstylist? What was your experience like in cosmetology school? How did that ultimately inspire you to open up Flamingo Lounge in LA?
One of the reasons I definitely wanted to be a hairdresser was I wanted to do something creative, I always watch my mom not like her job and just seem to be so stressed. My experience of cosmetology school was so amazing. I went to a school in New York City, and Union Square, I loved it so much. It is quite a long story to how I got to opening up Flamingo Lounge LA. I worked very hard for about 15 years in New York and then I decided to open up a small salon in Manhattan and then Covid hit and so I moved to Los Angeles and that’s how Flamingo Lounge was born.
You opened Flamingo Lounge during COVID (when businesses were allowed to open up again). What was that experience like? How did you overcome the hurdles?
So I opened up during Covid so I started just doing hair outside. I did my first haircut on Kailee Morgue outside on my front porch! I actually love cutting hair outside. It’s so much fun one time I did a Haircut in Prospect Park.
You have worked a lot with the singer of Honey Revenge – Dev, artist Kailee Morgue, and singer-songwriter tiLLie to name a few. How do you go about styling musicians for shoots and before tours? Do you have a favorite look that stands out to you? How does music intertwine with beauty in your opinion?
It’s definitely a collaboration, the artist and I decide what is going to work best with their new look for either their new album or just their new era. My favorite look for sure is all the two-tone and mullets music is everything I’ve always worked in the music industry. Even back in New York music is intertwined with fashion and it being a hairdresser you have to network, and I just love being a part of that scene. Misfits for life!
What is something you wish you knew before starting your career as a hairstylist? What advice do you have for someone looking to enter the field?
I think the only thing I wish I would’ve known is that your feet were really gonna hurt. I guess my advice for someone would be to know that this is the most fun job in the whole entire world, and I think that a lot of families see it as a crutch and that it’s not a real job and that’s not true you could make a six-figure salary is a hairdresser and again it is the best job in the whole world.
What have been your favorite beauty trends recently?
My favorite trends are all the vivid colors when I started doing hair back in 2004. It was very rare to see that and it was only just a very punk rock person doing it. Now I love that 85 year old women have hair color, and that’s very expected now.
How do you seek inspiration for your looks and what has been inspiring you lately?
I definitely love traveling! I was recently just in London and I love just looking at all the different looks around the world, and I find inspiration just through looking at magazines and traveling and going out and meeting new people. I find inspiration and art and just all the different colors are in the world.
What are some of your favorite hair products at the moment and why?
Some of my favorite beauty products at the moment, Our Hair Story and Cult and King. I love the simplicity of these products, and I just love how they’re great styling products, but they’re clean and not too heavy and they work with all the textured hair I do. I like to teach people how to style their hair in their natural way, and I have to overdo it because nobody’s gonna do that at home.
How can people get in touch with you to book an appointment?
To book an appointment with me, you can go straight to my website at flamingoloungehair.com
Anything else you would like our readers to know?
I would just love my readers to know that always be yourself and don’t care what people think and hair is an expression and you hold so much energy in your hair so when you cut it off, it’s so freeing and it’ll feel so good.
