local storiesMay 22, 2023

Meet Emilly Dama

Local Stories

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Emilly Dama. Emilly was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Taya Hawkins.

Emilly, can you walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Everything honestly started in high school for me . I was always a girl who was into the beauty world and would always get complimented on how I carried myself from my hair to nails to lashes. Senior year I knew I wanted to be a cosmetologist and went to school for exactly that. It wasn’t until I was almost done with cosmetology school though that I knew I wanted to have my own lash business . The rest is history !

Please tell us more about your brand, Damalashes
I am a licensed cosmetologist who specializes in lash extensions. I started lashing in 2018 before everyone really got into the game and one thing that first set me apart in la was that I was one of the first to offer bottoms lashes and unique wispy sets . I also take pride in how much hospitality and customer service I bring to all my clients . My clients constantly tell me about the simple fact that I’m one of the nicest and down to earth lash techs they have come across , and that not only sets me apart but also makes me the most proud in what I do .

So, as we mentioned to our audience earlier, you were introduced to us by Taya Hawkins and NailssByTaya and we really admire them and what they’ve built. For folks who might not be as familiar, can you tell them a bit about your experience with NailssByTaya.
I love the story of how me and Taya met. I was actually moving out of one of the lash suites I was renting out of and she was moving into the building. I had followed her on Instagram a few years prior when she first started doing nails and was a fan so I instantly knew who she was. Being a Virgo a part of me wanted to say something and the other part was going to just keep going with my day. I do love making business relationships as well though so I had to say something. I ended up stopping her before I left and we instantly clicked . We had a good 30-minute conversation and the rest is history. I think about a few weeks later we started servicing each other and became even closer . Being that she has more experience than I do in the beauty industry, she has been such a big help when it comes to how I run my business. Her work ethic is out of this world. Taya not only cares for her business but also respects her business. She loves her business the way she loves her clients. You know those people you meet and can have a five-minute conversion with and think to yourself I feel like I’ve known you my whole life? She’s literally that friend to everyone. She gives people the space to be comfortable and be themselves because she simply does exactly that . It’s honestly beautiful when you can meet people and know that you are getting the pure genuine them. Being that she’s genuinely such a loving, respectful and understanding person being a client and a friend are both a blessing. She has honestly gotten me through a lot in the short time that we have known each other and with how pure our bond is I’m going to make sure that we continue to grow as business partners. People like her don’t come around often!