November Educator Spotlight: Maria Ramirez

Tell us about yourself!

I’ve always loved the beauty industry. Growing up in the salon, my mother always encouraged me to follow in her footsteps of becoming a hairstylist. I was an artistic child and she was very supportive.

I’ve been in the hair industry for more than 11 years. While I was attending cosmetology school, I also worked as a Salon Coordinator. After completing school, I started as an assistant for six months and began building a clientele.

In 2010, I moved to Portland and found Vanity Junkie Salon. I had always been interested in becoming an educator and was looking for a brand I believed in.

How long have you been educating?
 
I became an educator in 2014 with ColorProof Evolved Color Care.

Why did you become an educator?
 
I became an educator because I had always been inspired by other educators. The knowledge I gained from every class and the love I shared for the industry was so limitless that I wanted to share that love with other stylists.

What inspires you to teach for ColorProof?
 
What inspires me to teach ColorProof is the technology behind the brand. It delivers immediate results and is extremely valuable for our guest and ourselves when we’re working in the salon. Being able to guarantee our services and having a product line that stands behind us makes our work shine.

How has being an educator influenced your life in the salon?

Being an educator has influenced me tremendously in the salon. Being the go-to gal when my colleagues and guests have questions about ColorProof and being able to testify or nerd-out on a particular ColorProof product makes such an impact as a whole when it comes to the salon experience.


What is your favorite part about being an educator?

My favorite part of being an educator is sharing the knowledge of Colorproof and going into different salons and learning their culture, no matter how big or small the salon is.

What is your favorite hair trend happening right now?

One of my favorite hair trends I am completely in LOVE with is texture, whether it's a slight wave or a perfectly structured curl.

Favorite ColorProof product you can’t live without?

My favorite ColorProof product I cannot live without is ColorProof IronMaster Color & Heat Protecting Setting Spray. Not only does it lock in your color but it holds your iron work in place, giving the hair long-lasting style. The scent is Roman Chamomile, Clary Sage and Sea Kelp. It's like a mini vacation.
 
Where do you find inspiration?

I find most of my inspiration from social media. I follow stylists from all over, so it's always so interesting to see what they do all over the globe from behind the chair. We are all very visual and Instagram for me is my main platform of inspiration.

Who are your role models? Why?
 
I have many role models but my No. 1 guy is International Creative Director for ColorProof, Phillip Wilson. I remember the first time I saw this man cut hair onstage and my love and passion for this industry grew twice as much. I will always be so grateful to him for making such an impact on my career.

Where can we see your work?
 
You can check out my work on Instagram: @vj.ramirez.hair 

What are your career/educator goals?

My career goals are to keep learning. One of the great things about our industry is that it always continues to evolve. I aspire to become a mentor to stylists that are new to the industry and share and support them to become successful.

What advice do you have for stylists and aspiring educators?
 
My advice to other stylists and aspiring educators is to continue your education, learning and sharing with others. Love and support one another, because what we do is a beautiful thing.