Melissa Owner
As the owner of The Beauty Lounge Minneapolis, Melissa has a vision for creating change in the beauty industry. She believes that salons should be inclusive spaces where all stylists are highly skilled on all hair textures. Additionally, she has created a class to teach parents how to care for their child's curly hair. Melissa is an educator for MIZANI and is a published hair stylist and makeup artist.
Specialty: Creating complete looks that fit an individual's personal brand
Super Power: Patience
Guilty Pleasure: Popcorn, Rap/R&B Collabs, Reading the comment section
Hometown: Tucker, Georgia
Bryanna Operations Manager @bryannakdr
She’s back! After a 5-year detour in Portland, Oregon; Bryanna has rejoined The Beauty Lounge Minneapolis Team. Although she left physically her presence lingered. Bryanna maintained a station at The Beauty Lounge and saw clients several times each year. She is officially the OG and has worked at all three locations. Bryanna answered a Craiglist’s ad in 2013 for a stylist. When she arrived Melissa and Bryanna recognized each other immediately. They had worked on a few bridal makeovers together.
Bryanna is a lifelong learner, during her time on the west coast she honed in on her barbering skills. Her repertoire includes everything from a basic cut, a fade, and even a straight-edge razor shave. Her goal is to be a well-rounded hairstylist. She has been known to transform her hair color on a whim. Bryanna loves breaking the color rules and embraces the fact that bold color makes people look. It turns heads! She also loves shaping hair with stunning cuts. Bryanna is masterfully skilled with all hair textures.
She has been a professional stylist for over 13 years. Bryanna has always liked playing with hair. As a kid, she cut her Barbies hair and used markers to add color, she was a colorist in training way back when! Bryanna has found her thing, her reason for being. She always wanted to be a stylist. It is the perfect life for her, she loves meeting new stylists who are pumped about working in the industry.
Bryanna has nervous excitement about being the Salon Manager for the Beauty Lounge. However, one this is for sure The Beauty Lounge Minneapolis is her home, period, she is invested in the mission and brand. She considers it a privilege to be part of a hair revolution. There is not a chance to get bored. Salons have historically been self-segregated. Bryanna is invested in breaking the mold! Breaking down barriers, removes ignorance, and opens your mind.
Bryanna loves Fruit Punch Kickstart. She enjoys cake with frosting, lots of frosting. In her free time, she loves crafting and spending time with her husband and son.
Erika
@styled_by_ka Independent Stylist
Oh, how plans change Erika attended college in Texas with intentions to become a teacher. As a college student she charged $25 for a wash and dry. But she never considered hair styling as a career. Her BFF tried to convince Erika multiple times to attend beauty school. Erika’s family needed her back home in the Twin Cities. Unbeknownst Erika her BFF sent her information to Beauty School. She attended because she always loved giving her friends and family the latest hair style. Erika graduated and quickly learned; hair is a career! Erika has worked in at salons primarily in St. Paul. She experienced burnout with the salon scene and decided to spend time as a traveling stylist until she determined the next move.
Erika has learned of the Beauty Lounge Minneapolis a fellow stylist. She was intrigued but reluctant to cross the river. After meeting Melissa and understanding her vision she joined the team.
The Beauty Lounge restored her love hair! Erika is a classic stylist and short hair cut magician. She wields her scissors to create an envious Pixi cut. Erika is a self-described traditional stylist with over 10 years’ experience yes, she keeps up with the trends, but her fierce flat iron skills are hard to beat. Erika is a true St. Paul girl but is willing to cross the river daily for the Beauty Lounge. She is the mother of one high school and one college student.
She has earned the title of the salon matriarch because she watches General Hospital. Yes, the soap opera General Hospital! Her guilty pleasure is a pistachio muffin with a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato or Dunn Brothers Chai Tea with a shot of banana and vanilla.
Stephanie Level 3 Stylist, Team Leader, & Trainer
Stephanie is an artist at heart. As a first-generation kid, her parents provided loving guidance hoping she would pursue a “professional career” and spoke often of fields like doctors, lawyers, and accountants. She thought about pursuing a career in public health while growing up in Minneapolis where she was born and raised. In high school, she was cutting hair and giving manicures.
Eventually, after pursuing other interests Stephanie returned to her first love, styling hair. She always wanted to work in the beauty industry.
Stephanie has a growing clientele, she skillfully performs flat twists, protective styles, and wash and go services. Her services also include color, highlights, natural styles plus she loves giving a good cut. She enjoys seeing her clients smile upon seeing their new hair cut. Stephanie’s clients love her, she consistently receives warm and thoughtful reviews.
Stephanie supports small businesses and loves La Michoacana Purepecha for its authentic Mexican treats and the Chai Tea at Dogwood Cafe. Hint, she also loves a good salty snack.
Natalie Level 4 Stylist, Makeup Artist, & Training Coordinator
When Natalie was living life as a Licensed Pharmacy Technician, the beauty industry was always her secret passion. She had always loved all things beauty. Natalie grew up in Minneapolis practicing the latest makeup trends on family and friends.
She found many jobs that were “beauty adjacent” like working for others in the industry, managing a makeup store, etc. But Natalie never thought the beauty industry would be enough financially, and often brushed off the desire to pursue her dreams. After a decade of uncertainty she finally put fear aside, enrolled in beauty school, and has never looked back. With over 3 years of experience as a licensed cosmetologist, her skill set is consistently growing.
Natalie loves being a stylist at The Beauty Lounge Minneapolis. She has grown with the salon and plans to be a long term team member. "It was always a great experience when getting my hair done at The Beauty Lounge, but now as a stylist behind the chair, I get to ensure every single person has a good experience just like I always did". Hair color and curly hair cuts are her jam, Natalie lives for the transformation process. She enjoys making her client’s hair color dreams come to life. Natalie wants to lead the color transformation revolution! Her talents include wash and go styles for natural hair. Natalie loves the natural hair movement and helping women embrace their unique texture.
The setting and ambiance of The Beauty Lounge are unparalleled. Natalie has fully embraced the vast array of services the Beauty Lounge provides. She said it best, “You can’t find this anywhere else!” She loves food, Natalie is a self-professed foodie. She loves fancy chocolate artfully crafted by a chocolatier. Bar La Grassa is her favorite place for pasta. When dining in at home she enjoys whipping up some Shrimp Scampi.
Her go-to drink is iced coffee (yes, even in the winter) with a little bit of coconut milk and a splash of flavor like hazelnut. You will have a heart forever if you bring iced coffee and a croissant.
Stefanie B Nail Technician
Stephanie expresses her artistry through nails. This creative soul was raised in the south suburbs of Chicago. Her family moved to Minnesota and they all consider it home.
Sometimes the road of life winds before arriving at the next destination, this is true for Stephanie. Her interest in nails has been around since she was doing nails in college to earn extra money. She became a licensed nail technician in 2013 because it seemed like an obvious career path. But along the way Stephanie explored other jobs in the service industry and as a graphic designer.
She wants her clients to have a good time in the chair. Stephanie is skilled in nail care classic looks but shines in the extravagant over to the top long nails made famous by “the gram.” Stephanie loves a creative challenge, bring in a picture for inspiration and she will take it from there.
While happily living her best single life, Stephanie is always busy. She is active in the community and creates crafts, florals, her creativity boundless. She also enjoys Anime, Disney and Hello Kitty. Her favorite color combination hands down is hot pink and black.
A lover of live music, she counts herself as an original Lizzo fan. But is not limited by genre her ears rock out to heavy metal and head bop to hip hop. Stephanie enjoys exploring the hidden gems of the Twin Cities and has lived all over. She often works as a bartender, which provides an opportunity to meet new people, taste the latest cuisines and hear up and coming musicians. The contents of her cup vary, she might have an iced peppermint latte from Dunn Brothers or a fruit smoothie.