| Beauty Articles :: Stylist Profiles |
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| Diane Da Costa, Hair Design Diva: From Styling Dolls to Styling Stars |
| by Ysolt Usigan |
How do you go from earning a bachelor's degree in business administration to styling the handsome heads of such stars as LENNY KRAVITZ, BLAIR UNDERWOOD, and LAURYN HILL? Just ask Diane Da Costa, 15-year veteran of Hair Design and coauthor of "Textured Tresses: The Ultimate Guide to Maintaining and Styling Natural Hair" (Simon & Schuster, 2004), and she'll tell you. Ever since she was five years old, she's loved making things beautiful.
"I was always styling, cutting, and combing my dolls' hair," she recalls. "Then as a teenager, I moved onto adults."
Her Big Break
Although Diane concentrated on business and marketing during her years as an undergrad, she has always kept her Hair Design dream close by working with owner and former model Peggy Toone at Turning Heads, where she got her big break in cosmetology and the commercial beauty business.
All In a Day's Work
From styling celebrities to keeping her hair design business thriving, the only word that can describe Diane's schedule is hectic. From the moment she gets up in the morning, she checks e-mails and makes calls. Throughout the day, she'll attend meetings on new product lines, speak with possible clients, make arrangements with chemists and packagers, and finally, style clients.
With seminars and conventions creeping up once or twice a month, you'd think the stress would get to Diane. Wrong. "I was just telling someone how much work this is and how the hustle is so crazy," she says. "And then the next words that came out of my mouth were, 'I love it.'"
Expert Advice
As far as hair design goes, whether you lock, braid, weave, twist, or curl, Diane's book will inform you on the appropriate instructions for styling your own mane.
When it comes to following in her hairdressing footsteps, she advises you consider all possible options before making a choice on a career in cosmetology. "Seriously research what you're getting into," she says. "In the beginning, the pay is not great. You really have to yearn to be the best. Once you have your skills perfected and some experience, then you'll be ready."
If you're ready, Diane says to keep this in mind when picking a cosmetology school. "Look for an organization that's well-structured," she explains. "And take classes for cutting, coloring, and styling, as well as Salon business, management, and marketing and promotions." Staying well-rounded may set you apart from the rest.
About the author:
http://www.collegesurfing.com/blog
Dawn Papandrea is the Managing Editor of The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.
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