Life & Work with Sonia Mata

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonia Mata.

Hi Sonia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always considered myself a creative person, however, that isn’t always the greatest formula when going through high school. When I was 16 or 17, my creative writing teacher helped me find a beauty school program for me and that’s really when I finally felt I was moving toward life for myself.

Prior to that, I was just a sponge whenever people did my hair or my sister’s hair. I learned so much from watching other hairstylists as a girl. The funny thing about life is that it doesn’t move in a straight line though. For years after completing cosmetology school, I found myself moving farther away from my passion and working in insurance and real estate, which felt completely opposite to my goals.

Looking back, I guess can credit those years working in unrelated fields as contributors to my people skills and building strategies to be successful in my art. Now, I’m in control of my own clientele and I can stay true to my creative self, chase what’s new in beauty, and serve others needing a bit of self-care or a chance to express themselves.

It’s so fulfilling to be able to enjoy doing that day in and day out.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth road? Absolutely not, but that’s what makes it real and important to me. What was probably the most difficult was not knowing how to go “all in” and commit to my dreams and trusting that I wasn’t just going to fall.

Being able to commit to what I truly loved to do was definitely the ideal, but so many things can go wrong while you’re fine-tuning and honing your craft. I struggled to push through that uncertainty, for sure. I worked hard to prioritize my education and certifications in order to equip myself to be happy and confident when servicing my clients and their needs.

The biggest rocky road was honestly the pandemic. It completely ground me to a halt and stopped all my momentum. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. From not having a job, to only having water in my fridge and figuring it out, to trying not to lose myself and my mental health, it took all of me not to panic.

I let faith guide me and my grandma, my biggest fan, be my inner voice. Her memory is one of the only things that pick me up on hard days. I miss her a lot. When struggles left me with nothing, that’s really when I found out what I was made of and what I wanted out of life.

So, definitely not a smooth road, but along the way, I learned how to even out the pavement myself, so to speak. Haha.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Do you mean what do I do, aside from giving my clients the hair they want or guiding them to express themselves authentically through a hairstyle they can strut in? Haha.

I specialize in hair extensions and blonding to put it simply. I love creating custom blends for clients. It’s where I really come alive since I’ve been doing it the longest. My sister was the first person I worked with when I was 16. I saw her struggle with fine hair and her longing for fullness and density. To see how happy and confident she was afterward really touched something in me.

What I truly strive for in my appointments, and what I feel sets me apart is the ferocity with which I approach reaching my client’s hair goals. I am meticulous when it comes to customizing hair blends and applications, filing away what works to recreate and innovate at the next appointment. That means I’m constantly educating myself so I’m not limited to just one thing or one way.

So I do it all from K-tip, I-tip, hand-tied wefts, tape-in extensions, you name it! To see how inches on your hair boost confidence and make someone feel great is inspiring and it motivates me to be on my A-game to ensure people get up off my chair feeling their absolute best selves.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
It’s impossible for me to stay still both physically and mentally and that’s what makes LA perfect! It has multiple personalities so everyone can relate to it… like me haha!

LA has areas with their own vibe like Pasadena, Hollywood, Downtown, East LA, etc. and in my line of work, I’ll meet someone getting ready for a first date, their wedding, a funeral, a job interview, a makeover, etc. that each needs different kinds of attention during the appointment. That’s what makes me a great hairstylist and Los Angeles a great city.

On a personal note, I love that Los Angeles still echoes its Mexican roots in different ways all over the city. My identity is something I’ve grown to own and express without restraint. It’s important to me that I can be my true and authentic self while serving any type of client and any type of hair.

Being able to work in this city gives me the blessing of working with people from all walks of life with all kinds of backgrounds. To be able to hold such a wide variety of companies with equally varied experiences is truly special.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.soniamatahair.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soniamatahair/?hl=en
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/xtensionista-pasadena-2
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/xtensionista/

Image Credits
Asad Zaman