We are spotlighting the winners of Beauty Launchpad’s 30 Over 30 contest, sponsored by Denman Brush.
Get to know Marina Sellecchia (@colorbymarina). She is a hair colorist and owner of Color by Marina in Warrington, PA.
Q&A:
Beauty Launchpad (BLP): What is a fun fact about you?
Marina Sellecchia (MS): I’m bilingual. I’m a first generation Italian American, and my parents were both born in Italy. Italian was my first language, and I didn’t learn to speak English until I started school.
BLP: How did you get your start in the industry?
MS: I’ve always had a passion and interest in the hair industry since I was young. My aunt was a hairdresser, and I always loved going to her salon to get my hair done.
BLP: What is your proudest achievement in the industry thus far?
MS: Opening and running my own successful business, becoming an ambassador for Truss Professional and teaching on stage.
BLP: What advice would you give to the younger version of yourself just starting out in the industry, looking back on your whole career?
MS: Don’t stay somewhere just because you feel comfortable there. Chase your dreams, and make moves that make you feel uncomfortable because that’s where growth happens.
BLP: What is your current favorite hair trend?
MS: Lived in color – I hope it never goes away! Being a brunette specialist, I love that brunettes are also becoming more sought after.
BLP: What is a valuable hair tip that you want to share with your fellow stylists (whether it’s a business tip or something related to styling/working with hair)?
MS: When working with brunettes, I always like to lift them 1-2 levels past my desired level, then tone down. This allows me to fully control the tone and avoid brassiness when the toner fades out over time.
BLP: What inspires your work?
MS: Making my clients feel beautiful and the best versions of themselves always inspires me to take my work to the next level. Seeing their faces glow when they leave my chair is such a rewarding feeling. Also, my children. I put my heart into everything I do and always want to make them proud.
BLP: What is something that keeps you passionate and motivated in the industry each day?
MS: Educating sparks my passion for this industry and keeps me motivated to always keep bettering myself as an artist. Being able to connect with other people in this industry and inspire them to take their work to the next level is such a rewarding and humbling feeling.
BLP: What changes would you like to see the industry make in order to grow/change/evolve/be better than it was before?
MS: Everyone needs to remember that we are all artists with our own unique characteristics, but we are all members of a team in this amazing industry, and we need to always look at each other as team members and not competitors.
To see the full list of winners, read Beauty Launchpad's May/June issue.
