Julie Vriesinga 

What country are you from and where do you live? 

I was born and raised in Canada, in a small beach community on Lake Huron. I currently live in Forest Ontario with my husband and four children. I work both out of my home and at Salon Entrenous in London Ontario.

Title of what you do and what company you work with? 

I am the Artistic Director and a hairstylist at Salon Entrenous in London Ontario. We are a proud L’Oreal salon.

Education background (hair schools, salons, self taught)?

I have been working hands-on in a salon since I was 15 years old for 22 years now. During those years I have worked at two salons and have been with Salon Entrenous for the last 18 years. I went to a private hair school in London Ontario and completed my apprenticeship and continued my education with L’Oreal over the years. 

What is your signature style/artistic expression in your work? 

Detail! From my competition work to my clients sitting in my chair detail is the way to make something yours, make something special. I recently heard a quote that said, “The difference between good and great is in the details.”

Do you have a career turning point or big break that has helped your career?

I really think that the first competition I ever entered was a moment that pushed me forward and sent me on this path. I entered and won Newcomer of the Year in 2005 at the Mirror Awards. However, I think the more important part of this was the work I put in the years following; many attempts to make finals and many losses when I did make it to the finals. These were the years of never giving up that set the stage for later successes.

What was your scariest and proudest moment of your career? 

One of the scariest and most nerve racking points as well as one of my proudest moments happened just this past January on the same night. I did my very first live show at the NAHA awards and I also won Master Hairstylist of the Year later that night. It was so scary but also so rewarding pushing past that fear and presenting some of my work.

What is next for your career goals? 

This has been a crazy year for everyone in our industry and I’m sure I’m not the only one who hasn’t been able to put together a new collection for competition this year. I am already thinking about when and how I can do that because I miss it so much.  Something that I would really like to do in the future is start working with a company, maybe educating and stage work, this is something that will definitely push me out of my comfort zone.

What advice would you give someone starting out in your business? 

I really think the most important thing we can all do is keep educating ourselves and pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones. That’s where the magic happens.

IG:  @julievriesinga