July 23, 2019

Life and Work with Krystal Santiago

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Krystal Santiago.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Krystal. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My name is Krystal Santiago, Im the youngest out of 4 kids and i was born and raised in Houston, Tx.
I grew a love for doing hair starting in high school but at the time i was also interested in the medical field. So i decided my senior year before going off to college to take two internships, one in the medical filed at the hospital and one at a salon where i would work as a assistant but also help out as well with the front desk. During that year i learned what i wanted to do and what i really enjoyed doing the most. Even though the medical field such as being a anesthesiologist would be great, my love for hair, fashion and making people not only look but feel good about themselves. Either way, i knew i wanted to do something with my life that would not only help them but impact their life in some way. After high school i immediately started cosmetology school and got my license within year of graduating. From there i worked at many great salons around the Houston, Katy and Sugarland Area, but it wasn’t till i worked at Milk and Honey starting 3 years ago that i grew as a person but my platform as a hairdresser grew as well. Not only do i love working at Milk + Honey but it has given me a opportunity to do what i truly love doing, i have the greatest coworkers and have met the coolest clients i could ever meet from around the world. My passion for doing hair has grow tremendously over the years, as i travel to take classes to keep me up to date and stay on top of trends and techniques. I’m always consistently trying to grow each year and be even better then i was before. Specializing in Balayage and Color Corrections, a lot of my time is invested in learning different color lines, learning from celebrity hair artists to watching hair videos till 3 am. I am a Kevin Murphy session stylist so i do special styling for such things as weddings, photo shoots and magazines. A lot of my inspiration comes from Traveling the world where i get to meet different kids of people, see the culture, amazing views from the Andies Mountains to the beautiful beaches of Thailand. Getting to where i am today took a lot of consistency, sacrificing days off to go to classes, not going out to practice on my mannequin at home, reading and researching. I would not be where i am today without the support of my family, friends and my clientele. they have all been so loyal and faithful to me and i am so greatful i get to live my life everyday making people feel beautiful which in return makes me feel just as great.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No it has never been a smooth road.
I think its a great thing to not have everything work out the way you want it too or think it should, thats when you learn so much about yourself as person and as a woman. what you like and dont like and what you will and will not accept when it comes to you and your career.
I took some jobs where i thought id be there forever but at times some places didnt fit my personal goals or career goals.
some struggles along the way to where im at today was finding the right salon that not only met my personal needs and respected me but also gave me a opportunity to grow as a artist.
Any advice id give to young woman who are starting out there new in this industry,
know what you love to do the most, what you actually enjoy or would enjoy doing everyday, stick to that and invest everything you have into it. its the most rewarding thing in life when you can wake up to do what you love and also make a hell of a lot money doing it too. dont let no one distract you from your goals, sacrificing is hard but the payoff is worth it.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Milk + Honey Salon and Spa – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Im a level 3 hair stylist at milk and honey salon and spa where i specialize in blonding, balayage and color corrections. most of my clientele that come in are wanting a high end look but still low maintence as possible.
what sets me apart is my balayage techniques and placements that give my clients a natural “lived-in” look that they can grow out for almost a year and my styling skills that come from being a Kevin Murphy session stylist.,

Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
Books i consistently read; 48 laws of power, 7 habits of highly effective people, and rich dad, poor dad.
I read these books and i pick up something new every time. they help me in the salon and in my personal life as well.
Meditation and yoga has helped me tremendously to keep me calm and my body healthy
Podcast: The Thriving Stylist by Britt Seva

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