Today we’d like to introduce you to Lexi Smith.
Hi Lexi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I always was an avid environmentalist. Growing up, I felt guilty for choosing to do hair rather than going to school and helping fight climate change. I went vegan right around the time I went to hair school and it was then that I decided I wanted to do hair in the most sustainable and ethical way that I can. I learned to ask questions and not to just take what’s available, but to ask/find/create what I need.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I chose to booth rent quickly after graduating from school so I could control the products that I used behind the chair and feel good about the products I recommended to guests. I had a small clientele and learned a lot during my first year and a half (techniques AND business). I didn’t make a lot of money, I leaned on my husband for support and took as many classes as I could afford. I didn’t work for 3 months in 2020 because of COVID and I would say it wasn’t until December that my career really took off. Since coming back from the pandemic, I have had a much more stable business.
My clientele really is my friends. I think with true colors starting to show around mask-wearing and the election, a lot of people really started looking for new stylists. Not just someone who is good at hair, but someone that they can truly be aligned with. Over the course of 2020, I really feel like I have built my tribe.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a hairstylist in Kansas City that specializes in lived-in/dimensional hair. I would describe myself as conscious. I focus on being as sustainable and ethical as I can be. My color is lower-tox, meaning there is no ammonia, PPD, resorcinol, and uses less than 1% fragrance. It’s also gluten-free, soy-free, cruelty-free, and vegan. For products, I try to only use products in infinitely recyclable packaging (meaning glass or aluminum). I try to stay away from all plastic, even “recycled”. I’m green circle certified, meaning I recycle 95%+ of the waste I create.
https://greencirclesalons.com/where-waste-goes/ <- a really cool link that shows exactly where everything goes. From excess color to hair clippings, it’s all being used!
Honestly – If the product or brand doesn’t align, I just won’t use it. So, pickings are slim in the industry, but I only use 100% vegan + CF products, no plastics, lower-tox/nontoxic products, and things that are ethically produced, including hair extensions.
For Earth Day 2020, Parade Magazine (it’s tucked in the weekly national and local newspapers) chose 1 eco-business from 50 states and I was chosen for Missouri! On top of that, they only chose 10 for actual print, and I was selected!
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Find your people on Instagram/Tik Tok/Wherever. Know them. My best clients are the ones that do their research on who they want, what they want and keep an open mind. 🙂
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: lexismithair.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexismithhair/
Image Credits:
McKinsey Jordan
