DNW Luxe Hair Studio

I just said to Sean “We’re doing all of this work, and we’ve taken on all of this risk…and we may have rolled the dice a little too hard.” I was panicking. Because my friends were selling their salons. Because “the economy.” Because I was scared I didn’t choose the right neighborhood. And all I could think of was my grandfather and his disappointment…literally. Next thing I know Alderman Gardiner was on the phone congratulating me for a $130,000 small business grant…… and I just screamed. We were about to do the one thing I swore I wouldn’t do. Risk our home to see this through. Because I want to build the salon space I didn’t get. I want to bring the education I didn’t get. Because I wanted to create the mentorship I didn’t get. And I get to be the leader I didn’t get. Now I get to be all of those things. And maybe it was an angel, my grandfather, that said “you applied 4 times…they can’t keep ignoring you.” Maybe it was hard work. Maybe it was learning I am a terrible employee and always have been because I was meant to lead. Maybe it was just meant to be. Here’s to Worthy Salon ‘26. For you, gg and papa. For my cheerleader who sees me better than I do, Sean. For my aunt who’s always said “it’ll work out.” For my sister in law who worked a beautiful mock up. For Emily, the persistent student that proves I can teach….. for any dreamer that loves to take care of people. And for all of you. Thank you.

🤯 The color technique you might be missing ot make your hair look twice as thick and full....

If you have fine hair and your colorist keeps going lighter — they may actually be making it look finer. 👀

I know. Nobody told you that. Let me explain.

Here's a little color science that changes everything:

💡 Light hair reflects light. 🌑 Dark hair absorbs it.

When hair is too light — all over, no variation, no depth — light passes straight through the strands. And the more light that passes through, the finer and thinner your hair appears to the eye.

It's not your hair's fault. It's the color.

Here's what strategic lowlights actually do: 🌿

✨ They absorb light instead of reflecting it — creating the visual illusion of depth and density
✨ They add contrast — making your highlights appear brighter and more dimensional by comparison
✨ They make your hair look and feel thicker without a single extension or volume product

The goal isn't to go darker. It's to create balance.

A few well-placed lowlights woven through an otherwise light color doesn't dim your blonde — it makes it shine harder. Because contrast is what the eye reads as full, healthy, dimensional hair.

If you've been told your fine hair "can't handle" lowlights — or if your colorist has only ever taken you lighter — this is worth a second conversation. 💛

Fine hair isn't a limitation. It's a placement problem.

📍 Private studio, Portage Park | Worthy Salon opening August 2025
🔗 Book a consultation — link in bio. DMs always welcome.

Services are getting more expensive. Fewer visits means more money in your pocket. 💰

Here are 3 products that make that possible — a small investment at home that protects your color long term and keeps you out of the salon chair for all the wrong reasons.

🔴 REDHEADS + COMPLEX BRUNETTES that keep fading:
Gemstone Pre-Shampoo Treatment — use it before you wash. Seals the cuticle, fortifies your color, and stops the fade before it starts.

☀️ EVERYONE this summer:
Sun Catcher — lightweight leave-in with UVA/UVB protection. Because the sun doesn't care how much you just paid for your highlights.

👱‍♀️ MY EASY-TO-BRASS BLONDES:
Sunset Boulevard — at minimum, the daily protection cream. Think Sun Catcher but with pearlescent toning hues specific to blonde hair. Quiet, daily brass prevention instead of emergency correction.

Your color is an investment. These protect it. 🌿

And if you've been thinking about a color appointment — I'm taking new clients now at my private studio in Portage Park. Worthy Salon opens this August.

📍 Portage Park | Worthy Salon opening August 2025
🔗 Link in bio — DMs always welcome. 💛

Unpopular opinion: charging $250 for a curly cut when a standard cut takes the same amount of time is a sham. 👀

I said what I said.

If a service takes an hour — it takes an hour. The price should reflect the time, the expertise, and the complexity of the work. Not a certificate on the wall and a specialty label that gets passed on to the client as a premium.

Understanding texture isn't a niche skill in 2026. It's a baseline. Every stylist should have a working knowledge of how curly, coily, and wavy hair behaves — because it walks through the door every single day.

Taking a class is valuable. Growing your skills is important. But the cost of your education shouldn't automatically become a surcharge on someone's haircut unless that service is genuinely taking more of your time.

At my chair — a curly cut is a cut. You pay for the time it takes. That's it. Thicker hair? Want it straight? Takes more time? Price adjusts based on those additional factors.

No specialty tax. No mystery pricing. Just a stylist who understands your texture and charges you honestly for the work. 💛

Because in 2026, that shouldn't be a luxury. It should just be the standard.

📍 Private studio, Portage Park | Worthy Salon opening August 2025
🔗 Link in bio — curly girls, wavy girls, and everyone in between: you're welcome here.

Call now to connect with business.