Stylists and the salon community have always been at the heart of Moroccanoil. It was a stylist who first introduced our co-founder, Carmen Tal, to the transformative powers of argan oil. When we were just getting started, it was stylists who helped get the word out by championing Moroccanoil Treatment to their clients. To this day, it is stylists that guide us as we work to create new products (and our network of salons that helps people find their favorites). To say we are grateful for this community is an absolute understatement. Given our immense appreciation for the passion, creativity, and expertise stylists bring to their work every day, we thought it was only fitting to profile a few of the salons who are integral parts of the Moroccanoil family. Today, we’re starting with Vogue Salon & Spa in Waxahachie, TX. Read on to find out what owner Brooke Caldwell has to say about what makes their salon tick, how they’re weathering COVID-19, and which products she thinks everyone should try.
Like many salons across the country, Vogue closed for some time earlier this year to help slow the spread of COVID-19. What’s the best part about being back at work?
I think it’s safe to say the beauty industry was most definitely missed for the seven weeks we had to close. It was a very stressful time period for everyone financially, emotionally, and mentally. I think we all definitely learned how we take for granted the small things in life like getting our nails done or just getting a haircut. It has been really nice being back to work—and knowing how missed you were and how big of a role you actually play in people’s lives. It’s a very rewarding job, especially when you were missed as much as we were in the beauty industry!
How did the team stay connected during the shutdown?
We are such a big family—we never missed a beat when it came to staying connected! We have our group chat that we constantly talked on, and we would do a big Zoom hour and video chat! We even met at our salon one morning and sat outside 6 feet apart and just had breakfast together! It’s hard to go from seeing each other every day to nothing at all! They’re your family!
Do you have any advice for stylists still not back at work?
I honestly cannot imagine what y’all are going through. Seven weeks was hard enough. I would just say hold tight because the time will come when your back is killing you and you can’t wait to have a bathroom break so you can sit down for a minute! I think it was made very clear how needed the beauty industry is, and as soon as it’s allowed people will be flocking back to you.
What about for clients still waiting for their favorite salon to re-open?
All I can say is wait for them! They rely on you to keep them afloat. Whether it’s a massage or a pedicure or a corrective color because you used box color, just make sure to remember that there are careers that depend on beauty services. My motto for our salon has always been “choose to be beautiful”. I believe true beauty comes from within, but a good hair stylist is always not too far away!
Do you notice clients asking for different cuts or colors post-shutdown?
Oh yes, of course. I have had a lot of people going gray. Honestly it has been nice to do different things on people and see them get out of their comfort zones!
What kind of changes do clients generally request as the seasons change?
There is always the “lighten it up for spring and summer” and “darken it up for fall and winter” requests. As the years go by the styles change though, so it’s fun trying to keep up with the new trends and then watching them change as soon as you feel like you finally got it down!
What’s one tool or product everyone needs in their beauty arsenal?
I am not the person to ask that question to! You’ll walk out with five products! I think it all comes down to the Moroccanoil Treatment. It is like liquid gold for every single hair type, wet and dry! It’s so lightweight—it vanishes into the hair cuticle and works its magic from there. After that, I could go on and on. For curly hair, my favorite is Curl Defining Cream. For thicker or frizzy hair, I love the Hydrating Styling Cream. For thin hair, I absolutely love Volumizing Mousse. If you sit in my chair, that is most likely going to go on your hair. I love Protect & Prevent Spray. I have seen so many people’s hair color being saved from color fade after taking that home. For stylists, I love the Hairsprays and the Dry Texture Spray. Over quarantine I fell in love with Mending Infusion. If you need a haircut or to fix up dry endsy, that’s your product right there! I use it even when I don’t need a haircut! The Dry Shampoos are also most definitely one of our top sellers! So just one?
Tell us about a typical day at Vogue.
I always imagined my salon being quiet and serene but I was blessed with the most outgoing, fun and talented girls around! Vogue is a very upbeat place to come and spend your time! Everyone knows everyone because we have all been together for so long, so I have found that clients don’t just love Vogue for the services and talent we offer but the fun, laid-back experience they get to be a part of as well! A day is full of laughter, friendship, beauty from head to toe—and of course the aroma of Moroccanoil! We are a family, from teammates to clients!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a salon owner and stylist?
I love the sense of community we bring to the town. We are able to be a part of every aspect of our clients’ lives, from weddings to babies to laughter to tears. The salon is a safe place for so many to come and vent, cry, laugh, and smile. We are able to make them feel beautiful no matter what part of life they’re going through. I love seeing the faces of every client who leaves. I love listening to the conversations throughout the salon. And I love when they tell their friends how much they love going to Vogue.
What do you wish more people knew about their salons and stylists?
I think a lot of people think that when we go up on prices, it’s because we are becoming greedy. We have so much love and appreciation for the clients who have been with us for a long time. But we also want people to know that price increases are a reflection of new skills learned through continuing education classes and hours behind the chair. Stylists grow throughout their careers, and we aren’t who we were when we first started. Just like you earn raises at your job, we earn raises at ours. Even just to keep up with inflation, the increased cost of supplies, and daily operating costs. I think that’s the biggest thing I want clients to understand: that although we absolutely love our jobs, they’re still what puts food on our tables and feeds our families.
Is there anything else you want people to know about Vogue?
A little history about Vogue Salon & Spa is that we were established in 2011. We quickly became a Moroccanoil salon and have prided ourselves deeply in that. We have been to the Moroccanoil Academy in New York and to numerous trainings and classes. Everyone uses different color lines, but Moroccanoil is the glue that keeps us all together in unity. In 2019 we were able to expand into a gorgeous new location we named Vogue Salon & Spa at Legacy Ranch and went from about 15 people to 25—including receptionists and our new spa techs that we were able to add. We have been voted Top 3 Salons in our County two years running, and I was nominated for a 40 Under 40 young professionals award in 2019.
COVID took us out right after all of this, but little did I know in June of 2020 during a global pandemic, God would place a second location in my lap that was in need of a new owner—and that is how Vogue Downtown came to be! We now have two beautiful locations in Waxahachie, Texas, and I have 36 women who work for Vogue between the salon, spa, and receptionists!
Thanks so much to Brooke and the rest of the Vogue team for sharing the inside look at their daily lives! You can keep up with Vogue on Instagram (Legacy Ranch // Downtown Waxahachie) and Facebook (Legacy Ranch // Downtown Waxahachie).