We are spotlighting the winners of Beauty Launchpad's 30 Under 30 contest, sponsored by Denman Professional.
Here, you will get to know Faeth Leilani (@faeth.leilani), a 25-year-old hairstylist, educator and salon co-owner of The Unmasked Coven in Lombard, IL.
Q&A:
Beauty Launchpad (BLP): What is a fun fact about you?
Faeth Leilani (FL): I originally wanted to go into fashion design with hair and makeup as my backup, but I fell head over diffuser for being part of someone’s most genuine self expression!
BLP: How did you get your start in the industry?
FL: My mom is the driving force behind my career path. Growing up, my mom was a licensed esthetician and cosmetologist, who focused on bridal makeup. My first assisting job was with her, doing face prep, lashes and finishing touches. Seeing how beautiful everyone felt sparked an unmatched joy in me. At 14, that’s where my love for the industry began! While my mom’s retired her round brushes and beauty blenders, she is still my main cheerleader for what I’m doing in the industry now. I’m extremely privileged that the high school district I went to offered trades programs for their juniors and seniors, so by the time I graduated from high school, I finished my cosmetology hours, got licensed and began working full time at 18. I started my career at a fast-paced, luxury service salon for the first three years of my career, slowly but intensely realizing that the environment I was in wasn’t sustainable long-term for my physical or mental health. Over those three years, I learned a lot about what parts of our industry were in desperate need of change. Now I can play a part in creating space for those changes.
BLP: Who is someone you consider a mentor/role model in the industry?
FL: There are so many educators that I’ve looked up to, through a screen or in person over the years. It's hard to narrow it down, so this list is only a snippet of those who inspire me:
- Keya Neal (she/her) @keyaartistically
- Aelise Ollarvia (she/her) @hairloveart
- Aishia Strickland (she/her) @iamblackgirlcurls
- Liv (she/her) @yourmanewitch
- Erin Nelson (she/her) @erin_nelson_doh
- Aaron Scott Lacy (he/him) @aaronscottlacy
- Ash Preston (she/her) @prestontheartist
While many of these people I’ve admired through my phone, I’ve had the joy of in-person mentorship from Chrissy Collins (she/her) @chrissycollins_hair, who has been nothing but motivating and encouraging of my journey as an educator. A year or two ago, I asked her how she got into education and how I could. From there, I’ve been blessed with not just mentorship, but also the kindest friendship.
BLP: What is your proudest achievement in the industry thus far?
FL: Opening The Unmasked Coven with my best friend/business partner Sarah Lawler (she/they) @thesarahlawler last year on January 11, 2024. Sarah and I both came from unsafe situations in the beauty industry. As two LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, we’ve faced both discrimination from clients and work places surrounding how we show up in the world and how much space we take up with our “visible queerness." It’s been amazing to come into work knowing that our team and guests can present as their most “unmasked” selves, not diluting who they are for palatability — to have a space where people genuinely trust the artist behind the chair and are coming to us because there’s a mutual respect for each other as people. Something that is unfortunately not always the expected experience.
BLP: What is your favorite piece of advice you’ve been given by a fellow industry/hair pro?
FL: To never stop being a student! I’m pretty inquisitive by nature, so I think it would be impossible for me to stop learning. I’m a firm believer that the moment you stop thinking like a student or being open-minded is the moment you need to take a break from hair, lean into creativity in another art form and get re-inspired again. There is something new and exciting to learn by visiting our foundations of theory each time. There’s so much to explore within our industry! Why would we ever stop playing?
BLP: What is a hair tip/technique you’ve learned that’s helped you be more efficient/successful behind the chair?
FL: Hooded dryers are your best friend. Let’s kick it old school, and bring back using hooded dryers more often! As a curl specialist, I use my hood dryer daily to provide a finish that will last longer than diffusing would. Learning that setting curls is the same theory as roller setting, just without the rollers, is when everything clicked into place for me and jump started my obsession with hood dryers. Many of my guests even love them and invest in a hood dryer for at home to make their lives more efficient on wash day!
BLP: What is your favorite hair trend currently?
FL: Chelseas, Skullets, Mullets and Shags have my attention. Really anything in the alternative hair scene is my jam, but I hold a special place in my heart (and books) for vivid colors, raccoon tails, cheetah print and color blocking, especially on natural curls!
BLP: Who or what inspires your work?
FL: Every sweet little queer kid that seeks out myself, Sarah and our booth renters to be part of their self-expression! It’s such an honor that we can be the adults that help encourage safely trying fun things with their hair! Aside from our teens, many of our newer guests haven’t trusted a hairstylist or barber in years, so it’s really wholesome to be trusted in this way. Our inspiration will forever be the folx that we center. Sarah and I have had the joy of offering someone’s first transformational haircut, taking part in the opportunity to finally see themselves the way they’ve always imagined. Being part of my guests' transitions has not only inspired the work I do in community and behind the chair, but also my own transition. Without the trust that’s been placed in me, I never would have trusted my own sense of self and learned to love the parts I was afraid of accepting. The joy that filled my chair was enough to drown out any self doubt and fear that I wouldn’t be loved or accepted the same.
BLP: What changes would you like to see in the industry to better help hair pros grow and thrive?
FL: I would love to see physical and mental health accessibility become more normalized. As a disabled person, I can’t always guarantee my body is going to cooperate, so I’m very open about this with my guests. Before opening my salon suite and then our shop, I didn’t feel comfortable letting my clientele know the details of my disability or who I am as a person. In our shop, these conversations aren’t considered taboo — they’re common threads of experience feeling “othered” in a world centered around able-bodied people and cis hetero-normative expectations. I would love for more industry folks to take classes by Queer and Disabled educators that focus on LGBTQ+ and accessibility inclusion. This is the only way we can normalize that the diversity of our lived experiences is just as creative and deserving of respect as the work we do.
BLP: What is a career goal you have for yourself?
FL: On the hair side of things, I want to pursue education as my focus long-term, making space to share what I’m passionate and excited about with other stylists seeking a different perspective. There’s so much I want to share about how to make our salon and barbershops more inclusive to marginalized communities. Over the past few years, Sarah and I have tried to do as much as we can to improve the experience our guests have on a sensory, atmospheric and emotional level. Away from the hair chair, my hope is to continue growing the community resources and opportunities that have blossomed since opening the shop! We host “Zine Club," Full Moon Circles, mini art shows and live music and offer mutual aid resources. Ultimately, I’d love to see the safety of the community we’re building continue for decades to come, and host other inspired community organizers events. Thus ramping up the magic of The Unmasked Coven.
