MODERN SALON met Justin Toves-Vincillone (@ahappyjustin) the day of his Ulta Beauty Design Team auditions in Chicago. Right away, Toves-Vincillone introduced himself to MODERN editors with his genuine smile that we have grown so accustomed to brighten our day when we run into him on tradeshow floors or Ulta Beauty events. Toves-Vincillone brands himself with positivity, and you can see that through his Instagram feed and bright, shiny beauty creations.
Justin Toves-Vincillone
Los Angeles
Specialty: Total Looks—Color, Cut, Style, Outfit, Makeup
Top-performing post: A custom coral with dimensions of light and dark coral.
Favorite apps: Lightroom for correcting color and lighting errors often created by shooting in RAW. Facetune2 helps me touch up my subject’s face. iMovie allows me to make videos that showcase my color application techniques, and I can create them immediately and FAST.
I follow: @brittsully, @almogcohen_hair, @romeufelipe, @cwoodhair, @topknotbalayage
Hidden talent: I do makeup! And I actually do a lot more makeup than I show on social media. I started with makeup when I was 16, way before I even dreamed about doing hair as a career. I would do my friends’ hair for fun, but they’d mainly come to me for their makeup and fashion questions as blossoming young adults.
My audience follows me because: I like to believe that my audience likes my content, context and message. I do hair, and that’s obvious. I like to set myself apart by using a context that feels as if I am speaking to my family or friends and I make sure it’s vulnerable, honest and relatable and sometimes fun!
How social media changed my life: Before I started using social media as a tool, I felt as if I was shooting blind. I knew my work was good, but I had no idea how to present it let alone how to gain reach. I didn’t even know what “reach” meant! So all in all, social media has helped me become a confident artist in every aspect of this industry.
My first @modernsalon feature: It couldn’t have been more magical. I was with my team at lunch during ULTA Beauty’s empowerU event. We were waiting for a brand presentation to start and my girl Galyna @ufirami came over, wrapped one arm around me and pulled the other arms around and put her phone in front of my face. It was my most recent post of the coral I mentioned above. I was shocked and so honored and happy. I was telling strangers and it was probably so annoying, but I couldn’t help it.
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