Angel Martin styles a client's hair in the ACHS cosmetology classroom.
Holding a stack of flyers, Angel Martin walked through the halls of ACHS’s King St. campus on Sept. 17 to advertise her hair styling business, Heavenly Strands.
“Support Your Local ACHS Cosmetology Student,” they read, followed by a list of the hairstyles and an offer of $10 off for new clients.
Angel started Heavenly Strands in January of 2023, sharing her gift of hairstyling with other students throughout the school. Word of mouth has it that she charges a reasonable price, and exceeds expectations. Soliana, a student and a regular client, has nothing to offer but praise. “If you get your hair done with Angel, best believe that she will make sure you are comfortable,” she said. “The conversation will be tea– so will your hair– and the price is so affordable. Everyone needs to book with Angel.”
“I have always had an entrepreneurial mindset,” Angel said. “Even going all the way back to 8th grade, I was selling my own press-on nails and jewelry.”
Angel is a senior at ACHS, in her second year pursuing cosmetology in the class provided at ACHS. This April, she’ll have earned enough practice hours to go to the state board for cosmetology testing– an exam she has been studying for all year. Passing allows for the legal operation and ownership of a salon, and the pursuit of a more professional role in the hair industry. Though she started taking cosmetology seriously in recent years, her passion for hair has been present from a young age, just like her business-savvy spirit.
“I had the foundation from a young age for loving to do hair. Growing up, I played with Barbie dolls and stuff like that. I would ask for the dolls for longer hair or more hair because I wanted to experiment with styles. There has always been a creative aspect behind hair for me.”
Angel typically takes clients on Fridays during her cosmetology period at the school, as well as outside of school at her home or the client’s. She smiles explaining the stylist-client dynamic, one of her favorite parts of the job.
“I love how I can bring confidence to my clients – they are always so happy at the end of appointments. I like their reactions too. It is a really uplifting experience.”
Angel also goes out of her way to create an environment that is tailored to every customer to make them feel as comfortable as possible.
“It depends on the client, but I personally cater to them. For the most part, I talk with all of my clients at some point. Normally I put on a show or movie they want to watch, maybe music – all depends on what they like.”
This aligns with the experience of clients, describing Angel as warm and easy to talk to.
“My experience with Angel was proof that good hair really does boost your confidence – especially when there’s lots of laughter involved,” one of her clients, Vaya, shares.
Heavenly Strands offers a range of hairstyles from knotless braids and box braids to cornrows and silk press curling (Angel’s favorite). But, she specializes in natural hair styling, which inspired the development of her own hair oil.
“I remember trying to buy different hair oils from the beauty supply but I often wouldn’t see a difference or it would irritate my scalp. So I eventually created my own two years ago and that’s what I’ve been using since.” Angel is selling her oil for $15 per bottle and also offers it in grease form. Down the line, she wants to start selling this along with more products and eventually start her own chain of salons.
“My hair used to be a little bit above my shoulders,” a client, Zeanise says, “and now that I have been using Angel’s homemade oil, my hair is past my collarbone. It feels so much healthier. She specializes in doing natural hair, so not only is she styling my hair, but she’s taking care of my hair underneath.”
Heavenly Strands doesn’t stop at great prices and convenient service: it extends all the way to a loyal market of customers and an exclusive product with real results. Angel didn’t hesitate to answer “yes” when asked if she wanted to expand this business after high school. “Hair is like a canvas waiting to be painted,” she said. The finished masterpiece of this business can’t be seen just yet, but the first coat looks promising.
If interested in booking an appointment with Angel, contact @heavenly.strands on Instagram for more information.