A third generation hairstylist, Theresa David hung out in her grandmother’s salon, attended her father’s cosmetology school and worked in her brother’s salon for five years before striking out on her own. But she’s got a lot more than hairdressing-in-her-blood going for her. The brainy beauty pro also holds an associate degree in industrial engineering, a BA in business and a MA in elementary education. Still, she eventually succumbed to the siren call of a salon because it just “feels and smells like home.” Now, Theresa has been working as a stylist for over 20 years.
Three years ago, she was working in salon she liked that closed, and discovered there were few places to rent locally. She ended up unhappy at a rental station until Salons by JC opened, and she was one of the first to sign up for her Theresa David suite at Salons by JC, Raleigh, NC. In fact, she and a friend rented three suites, so they could open them up and use the middle one as a waiting area for both of their businesses.
“We both offer quality services on the high-end, and a waiting area created more of a traditional salon atmosphere for our clients,” explains David of the choice. “It was a great option to have in a suite situation. Every client should be treated like a superstar; that’s something my brother taught me. My friend and I know one another’s clients well; they’re all famous to us.”
Well-versed in every aspect of hair and its care, Theresa can go from creating pink and purple hair to razor-cutting thinning hair to blending gray in a day. “I concentrate on the needs the client in my chair and apply my creativity and know-how to create the best look for his or her lifestyle, personality, face shape and more,” says Theresa. “In addition to cut and color, for which I often suggest a bond-strengthening Olaplex service, I specialize in Goldwell Smoothing treatments, which use no keratin or formaldehyde and last three to four months. I also specialize in updos and perms.”
Once a “lost art,” perms are experiencing a comeback, and have even been featured in top women’s magazines recently. Notes Theresa, “Today’s perms are for movement, wave, body and texture. I’m very careful to keep the hair healthy and won’t perm heavily highlighted hair.”
Theresa has had her work published in numerous newsstand hairstyle magazines, and her portfolio is kept upfront at her Salons by JC location, so that walk-in clients can see her work. She hasn’t had time to put her photos on Instagram, she laughs; her current clients refer her to others so often that she’s just been too busy. Of course, she always gifts clients who make referrals with a reward chosen just for them, such as a serum that helps maintain their hair color or a free conditioning treatment.
“They’re all my super stars,” she says. “They are the reason I continually train the in the latest techniques and stay up-to-date on the newest hair fashions.”
