Our hair has a big impact on our identity. It influences people’s perception of us and what we think about ourselves. Austin transplant Jasmin Todd owns Austin Curls, a salon specializing in – curls. On their website she says, ‘We believe hair says who you are, where you’ve been, where you’re going and what you want in life.’ We caught up with her to talk about this bold statement and more.
Let’s talk about the quote on your website…That statement comes from my belief that hair is a reflection of the person and what the person does – or wants to do. Are you conservative, or a little more liberated? Are you active and would you like to be? I came up with that statement because I know it to be true – and I want to make my clients lives easier! I want to give them what they want, and what they need – even when they don’t know what they need. There's a lot of psychology in a haircut. I let everyone who comes to me know they have control – over their lives and their curls.
Did you learn a lot through your own personal hair journey? In my community we have done a lot of straightening – I grew up thinking I had to manipulate the natural state of my hair to try and get the curl out. I was a victim of not wanting to show it and spent every Sunday straightening it so I’d look ‘decent’ for the rest of the week. I associated controlling my natural curls with looking proper. At 21, I became more self-aware, about my skin color and my natural curls, and decided to go into hair professionally because I found it so fascinating.
You’ve been in Austin from California for two years. Was the move a good decision? Definitely! At that time a lot of things were changing in my life and I said to myself, ‘If things are changing anyway, how about I take hold of my life by the handlebars and steer it in the direction I want it to go! I didn’t want to just let life happen to me. I thought about what I wanted and three things stood out clearly: I wanted to spend less time on highways, I wanted to be more involved in my son's education and I wanted a salon within ten minutes of my home. Austin would allow me to tick off all of those things. I found Austin, and Austin found me. Austin is even more chill than California – and Southern Hospitality is real. I love that people have time to talk here.
And as a woman starting a business here…I’m loving it.The small business community is amazing, exceeding any expectations I had. This is a community that really wants small, local businesses to succeed and where everyone supports each other.
You grew up in Los Angeles and spent a lot of time training as a hair stylist in New York City. Are hair trends very different in each city? In LA there is such a strong Hollywood influence that clients come in with a photo of a celebrity and just say, ‘I want that.’ Here, they ask for my opinion more and are open to ideas that suit them and their hair.
What are some hair trends for spring/summer 2021? I feel like more and more people will enjoy their curls. Our world is more global now, we’re embracing other cultures, and with it we’re embracing our natural hair. I predict curly bangs will become a thing – more and more people are already coming in and asking for them, after always thinking they couldn’t. The biggest trend I foresee this year is freedom!
Pull Quote: We believe Hair says who you are, where you’ve been, where you're going and What you want in life.