As a teenager, Kell Grace would experiment constantly with her thick, frizzy hair, often creating a different look each day. Without realizing it, she was already building the skills that would eventually shape her career as a master stylist known for “4 updos in 4 minutes.”
"I started doing my own hair because I had so much of it," she says. "Then people started asking me to do theirs."
After attending cosmetology school, she landed her first salon position and quickly gravitated toward bridal styling. The salon didn't have a dedicated bridal specialist, so she saw an opportunity to step into that role.
As her bridal clientele grew, so did the requests. One question came up repeatedly: Do you do makeup, too?
At the time, she didn’t. But after hearing the same request from bride after bride, Grace decided to expand her services. She attended makeup shows, sought out additional training, and built a makeup kit from the ground up, realizing that clients wanted someone who did both.
The experience reinforced something she still believes today: hair and makeup work together to create a complete look. Offering both services allowed Grace to serve her clients better while also growing her own creative skill set.
In addition to running her hair and makeup studio, KellGrace, in Winter Park, FL, she teaches modern updo techniques rooted in bridal styling trends.
At the upcoming Be+Well | Beauty and Wellness Show in Las Vegas (formerly International Beauty Shows), students can expect a high-energy, hands-on master class where they learn to complete an updo every five to 10 minutes. Grace will also lead a Look & Learn session that breaks down updos in a more observational format.
“The way I approach updos is very simple, but they have a glamorous finish,” she says. “Sometimes I think in the industry we overthink updos. We put too many steps into them that don’t need to be there. A lot of people who take my class say, ‘Wow, that was so simple.’
“My pinning technique also stands out in both the workshop and the Look & Learn. The way I pin hair for updos is a lot easier and more efficient. It holds really well, and people really like that.”
Focusing on the business side along with technique is a key part of Grace's teaching. She says many stylists underestimate the value of updo services because they overcomplicate the process and take too long. Once efficiency improves, the financial side of the service changes quickly.
“After taking my class, students will see how profitable it can be,” she says, noting that charging $100 per updo and completing two or three in an hour can add up to $200 or $300 an hour before tips.
When she’s not working with clients or teaching stylists, Grace shares short-form tutorials across social media. Her videos often generate hundreds of thousands of views, with some surpassing a million.
Over the past year, her audience has continued to grow, with Instagram alone now generating more than five million views each month. Still, she doesn’t attribute that momentum to a single viral moment.
“Consistency in my career is what got me where I'm at,” Grace says.
“I always tell stylists that consistency is where doors will open. It's hard to say someone randomly found me, and all these doors opened. There was a lot that led to that.
“Sometimes people think, ‘Wow, it's so cool that you have all these followers,’ or ‘You have these big stages.’ But it's hard work to get there.”
Kell Grace is teaching "Style Faster, Earn More: The Updo Profit Power Workshop" and "5-Minute Updos That Sell: Live Demo + Face-Framing Mastery" at the Be+Well | Beauty and Wellness Show – Las Vegas (formerly International Beauty Show), taking place June 27-29. Registration is here; use promo code EDSALON20 for 20% off education.