Roz Corpuz

For as long as Roz Corpuz can remember, she’s been fascinated by hair. “As a kid, the bigger the hair and the more makeup a woman had on, the more beautiful she was to me,” says Corpuz, who remembers obsessing as a child over characters like Peggy Bundy and Morticia Addams. These days, Corpuz gets a kick out of creating fashion-forward looks on her clients at Umbrella Salon in San Jose, CA. “I work with an amazing group of talented people,” she says. “We’re always teaching and learning from one another, and we’re eager to contribute to the progression of this industry.” ✂ —Kelley Donahue

 

AHA MOMENT

In my teens, I expressed an interest in the beauty industry to my parents and although they understood my passion, they urged me to go to college. I took their advice and began studying nursing, but a part of me still yearned for a creative outlet so I enrolled in beauty school in 2007. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.

IN TRAINING
After attending the San Francisco Institute of Esthetics and Cosmetology, a Paul Mitchell Partner School, I began working at Umbrella Salon in Northern California. For me, it’s been the perfect landing spot because the salon is a proponent of continuing education.

STYLE PREFERENCES
I think there are beautiful aspects of the hairstyles of every decade, from the elaborate updos of the Victorian era, to the classic fingerwaves of the 1920s and ’30s, to Lucille Ball’s red curls in the ’50s, the backcombed sets of the ’60s and the Gumby-inspired flat-tops of the 1980s.

BEAUTY MUST-HAVES
Oribe Hair Care Supershine Moisturizing Cream and Dry Texturizing Spray are my favorite styling essentials.

MY MENTOR
I learned about sanitation, safety, elevation, tension and over-direction in beauty school but it’s Umbrella Salon founder Kien Hoang who has taught me how to see and understand hair and become a better hairdresser.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE
I tend not to give myself credit for the knowledge I possess and the accomplishments I’ve achieved, but I’m working on that.

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE I EVER GOT
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” That saying was on a picture that fellow hairdresser Mark DeBolt shared with me during a color class.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT
On a personal and professional level, winning Wella Professionals 2013 North American TrendVision Awards in the Young Talent category was a huge accomplishment and honor.

NEXT STEP
I look forward to continuing my education, building my skills and sharing my knowledge with other up-and-coming hairdressers.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Participating in New York Fashion Week, photo shoots and collaborating with other artists (PHOTOS ABOVE)