Meet Ella Martin of EllaClare hair

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ella Martin.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
At the end of my junior at Mesa High school, with the fear of no scholarships or ways to pay for my college education I made the last minute decision to enroll myself in the EVIT (east valley institute of technology) program for cosmetology. I saw this as a practical decision that could benefit me in the long run. This meant long days, extra online classes, and a lot of faith that things would work out.

Upon finishing my 1,600 hours of hard work, I had completely fallen in love with everything that had to do with hair, and all thoughts of a traditional college degree faded off… Shortly after receiving my license as a cosmetologist, I was able to find my first ‘big kid’ job at a salon. Tantrum Hair salon in Mesa, Az quickly became home to me. Being a cosmetologist is like being an artist, and hair is a canvas.

I found intricate braiding and styling to be my muse, and with the help of many close friends and new acquaintances participated in photo shoots. The more shoots I did, the more joy it brought into my life. Along the way, I was able to meet some of the most amazing artists I’ve ever seen. We all in our respective fields would donate our time and talent to create beautiful content we could all share via our social media accounts as a way to put ourselves out there.

This, in turn, helped refine my skills as a new hairdresser and keep my artistic desires burning bright. All the hard work put into the last year of participating in shoots had an instant impact in my confidence in my craft, which is so important as a new stylist

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not… during my senior year, I worked, went to high school, went to evit and went home to do more classes online just to make it to graduation.

I worked for a gym after graduating high school while finishing up cosmetology school and those days were the worst. I would be up before the sun opening the gym, heading straight into school once my shift finished, usually not making it home until after the sun went down, and I did it Monday through Friday. I still look back and wonder how I did it honestly!

The biggest challenge for me going into this was the fear of rejection, or not being good enough, or pretty enough, or likable. The longer I’ve been in hair though, I’ve had so many opportunities to meet so many people who welcomed me into this community with open arms. and with each new client or each woman I help to feel beautiful and love the way she looks- I feel my confidence in me continue to grow stronger and stronger

Please tell us about EllaClare hair.
I am a licensed cosmetologist! I do haircuts, color, blondes, braiding, wedding updos, and formal styling… anything having to do with hair! I have a huge love for formal styling, and most importantly wedding looks. There’s nothing that brings me more joy than helping be a part of someone’s big day! A close friend of mine even started referring to me as the ‘updo goddess.’

I am known for creating some more intricate styles: braids, twists, updos, you name it, and I’ve probably done it I put a lot of heart into everything I do, which I feel sets me apart from others. Waking up knowing I get to do hair, I already know it’s going to be a good day.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Growing up I was the youngest of 5 girls. Family is so important to me. Any memory with them is cherished to me. My favorite memories to me were when as a young girl we would drive to small Safford, Az to visit my grandpa. He had the most inviting and caring spirit of anyone I know (a trait I try to carry into not only my work but into my interaction with my clients). He had horses on his property, and a large mature pecan tree.

My favorite memories were going out in the morning with him to feed the horses and gather as many pecans in our hands as we could stand to carry to take them back inside and open them. I’ve always had a large love for nature and animals. So being with my Grandpa D.O.R. (his nickname) was always my favorite… I’m even getting weepy now writing about it and missing him.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1229 N Gilbert Rd Mesa, AZ 85203
• Phone: 480-353-7686
• Email: ellaclarehair@gmail.com
• Instagram: @ellaclarehair
• Facebook: EllaClare hair

Image Credit:
visual creations studio, ashlyshae photography, Olivia Gunnell Photography, Wander back Phitography, Amethyst Image, Kacilou photography, Atlas Rose photography

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