Rising Stars: Meet Chad Cardoos of Sherman Oaks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chad Cardoos.

Hi Chad, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I wanted to be an Architect though I wasn’t strong enough in Math. I became an Architect in another way, as a Hairstylist. Come to think of it I also wanted to be a Psychiatrist. So I get to cover all the bases as a Hairstylist! Behind the chair I am an artist and a therapist and when i’m working on a photoshoot i’m an artist and an architect. I have a range from very structured, classic looks to constructed chaos and everything in between. I always needed to be well rounded and well versed as a platform artist for hair shows and educator in classroom which carries over into all I do.
Ive traveled the globe representing numerous hair companies as an artist and educator teaching new trends, training hairstylists within each companybeing a mentor to many, product development, trend releases, and curriculum. I’ve styled for top LA designers such as Alan DelRosario, Kevan Hall, J-Lo Design, Cynthia St.Vincent, among others. Numerous music videos, most notably Britney Spear Ooops! I Did It Again, and others. I’ve styled for numerous reality shows, a few ran a season, some just a few episodes, other never made it. LOL. I’ve graced the pages of Harpers Bazaar, Elle, and GQ, to name a few along with campaigns for Guess, Target, Chanel, Donna Karan, and Gucci.

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?
I consider myself lucky to have accomplished all I have in the industry. As for it being a smooth road, not at all, Im an artist not a business person. I struggle as most artists do. Most hairstylists deal with the highs and lows of the economy, the seasonal issues, etc, etc. I came out to Hollywood to work in film and television and I have dabbled in it never steady enough, then only to realize i’m more of an editorial hairstylist. Needless to say, I have lots of good advise from past experience for new, up and coming hairstylists. Hairstylists today are different! When I was up and coming it was all word-of-mouth, we didn’t have instagram to sell ourselves. I do have to say, todays hairstylists should be selective about what they chose to retain from instagram. There are some great artists doing great work but there is also a lot of mis-information being posted.
There’s a saying by Pablo Picasso, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an Artist.”

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I enjoy collaborating and being part of a team. It’s rewarding to use my creative skills as an educator to help talented stylists realize their vision. It’s also rewarding to utilize these skills behind the chair to make my clients happy and show them they can have what they want.
My work isn’t just about making people look and feel great — it’s about revealing personality and character, expressing a mood or concept, telling a story or creating their fantasy. Hair is an accessory that adds to or enhances the overall look. I want people to look at my clients and compliment them, not just say, you have great hair. I want them to say, You Look Great. I believe the hair should move, and have an energy to enhance without being the central focal point. I love it when my clients tell me they’ve never gotten so many compliments before.
Hair should be easy to manage. If you have to fight with your hair to make it look good something is not right. It always surprises me when clients tell me their hair has never looked so good, or it’s never looked so thick or so voluminous, I talk to my clients and tell them what I know and so many times they say they have never heard that before. I am here to tell my clients what they can expect and whats possible given the canvas we are working with. It’s very important to talk to your clients. Consultation is key. The consultation is the hairstylist’s opportunity to gather all the information they need to achieve a perfect result.
I am most proud that my clients gain a sense of comfort shortly after sitting with me.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
This industry is always evolving and changing so it’s never-ending education. I always have said to other stylists there is something to learn from everyone, whether it’s something to do or not to do and what you can take away from that. The hairstylists that think they know it all are the ones that short-change their growth.
Personally, I have worked with some of the best Hairstylists and Creatives in the industry but i’ve never had a mentor. Perhaps I was too stubborn, too independent. I had a knack for seeing something, being able to break it down and rethink it in my terms as a left-handed artist and replicate it. I was a quick study. I am very lucky in that I have taught and trained stylists all around this country and internationally. I enjoyed teaching very much because i enjoyed seeing other hairstylists have their light-bulb moments. In teaching one learns and it always surprises me what I learn from watching new hairstylists.
See everything, take it all in and learn it in a way that works for you. Find a mentor or be someone’s mentor.

Pricing:

• Haircut & Style. $125. +
• My pricing is all within my booking system
• At chadcardoos.glossgenius.com

Contact Info:

• Website: Chadcardoos.com, coming soon…..
• Instagram: @chadthealchemist
• Facebook: Chuck Cardoos