Today we’d like to introduce you to Layeli Collazo.
Hi Layeli, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have to start by saying that for me, hair and skincare is more than my profession — it’s a form of love and healing. Every service, and the salon itself, has been designed to make people feel seen, valued, relaxed, and renewed. I’m so very proud to say that I’m the owner of Layeli Salon, an Aveda hair and skincare salon in Culver City. There’s been a lot of divine intervention throughout my journey that’s made it possible for me to say that.
This 28-year journey, unknown to me at the time, began when I transferred from a Catholic school to a public high school my senior year. And with a funny twist, I believe this is where divinity first came in! A few of my religious course credits didn’t transfer to the public school system, and I was short on credits to graduate. To earn the missing credits, my mom enrolled me in a school-affiliated cosmetology program. After completing the hours needed for graduation, I knew I’d discovered what I was meant to do and kept going. I’d fallen in love with the technical side of the trade itself, the connection and conversation with my clients, and the absolute excitement I felt helping someone look and feel their best. The program not only provided me with my cosmetology license but also with training and mentorship from stylists with Bumble & Bumble and Aveda (another divine element). Needless to say, coming from two of the top haircare lines, they set the bar high for my quality of work.
In my 20s, I really found my lane for the type of hair and skincare I feel people deserve. Clients deserve to feel good upon walking through the salon door — to experience the highest quality products and stylists and technicians who are not only talented but couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I am always looking for ways to create an even more peaceful and retreat-like experience for my clients. I owe them the world for their loyalty and friendships. Without them, my family, my Layeli Salon team, my Aveda corporate partners, and my faith — I wouldn’t be where I am today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My dream of doing what I love and owning my own salon has required a lot of grit and grace. The beauty industry is vast — filled with big personalities, endless styles of leadership, and a hundred ways to run a business. I was lucky enough to have been technically trained by some of the best in the industry, but no one taught me how to manage my own business. There were some tough realities that reminded me I was the absolute bottom line in keeping the lights on and the shelves stocked. I’d just remember what I’d always heard my family saying: show up — and not just physically, but with presence of mind — pay your bills on time, and don’t spend money you don’t have.
There are days when my body is just beat from long hours on my feet, and my mind has had to rise above more moments of doubt than not. On these days, I draw even more upon my faith and gratitude — gratitude that I even own a salon to tire my body and mind.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
The health of my clients’ hair will always come first. We’ve all walked into a salon with a photo of our dream hair, hoping to walk out looking exactly like that in one visit. I completely understand that excitement — transformation is inspiring. But I’m always honest about the process, because beautiful, healthy hair takes time. I’ll never compromise the integrity of someone’s hair for instant gratification. My goal is to help clients achieve their dream look in a way that keeps their hair strong, vibrant, and truly healthy every step of the way.
How do you define success?
I would define success as a perfect marriage between who you are as a person and your profession. A good measure of my success is the success and happiness of my team — the opportunities the salon has to offer other women who’ve come into my life. If what they say is true, that “your vibe attracts your tribe,” I’ve got a pretty good vibe going!
Starting as a one-woman team, the salon has grown to include women who help you feel and look your best from head to toe. From Tomasa, who will make you rethink how in the world anyone else could ever wash your hair, to Camille, who uses non-invasive ultrasound waves and red-light therapy (via a body cavitation machine) to help reduce stubborn fat cells; to Yobi, who’s brought a revolutionary way to experience a manicure and pedicure to the salon; to Yoanne, who puts her heart and soul into the most thorough facials; to Maya, our newest addition to the family, who truly saves women from over-plucked eyebrows that won’t grow — or never did — with the most naturally beautiful microblading (and other permanent makeup applications); to Jody, our resident artist and designer, who’s always looking for ways to create an even more spa-like experience with everything from healing stones to unique textured and hanging floral walls.
I feel more than successful every day by being surrounded by these women and my clients, who I love. And at the end of the day, I’m blessed beyond belief going home to my precious daughter, my partner, and my mom.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.layelisalon.com
- Instagram: @layelisalon
