2019 MODERN SALON 100: Sarai Speer @ThePlatinumGiraffe

Sarai Speer, @ThePlatinumGiraffe, says the best way to get engagement is to post “controversial, outlandish, hilarious, crazy amazing transformations.” It’s worked for her! According to Speer, social media has completely changed her life. “I’ve been able to build my dream clientele” as a result of Instagram. “It has helped me meet some amazing friends! I’m really grateful for the relationships I’ve built from social media that I wouldn’t have been able to do on my own.”

Sarai Speer

@ThePlatinumGiraffe

With Love Salon, Kansas City, Missouri

Specialty: Icy white platinum color

Top-performing post: I have twp! My “Whoville” cutting technique made it to the “Insider” and “The Today Show.” It was a unique technique that people RIPPED me apart for and was VERY CONTROVERSIAL! The second was the denim/blue jean hair, which went viral. Literally, for months on end, it got reposted by every industry publication and made my FIRST “Allure” article.

Favorite apps: LumaFusion for video editing, Layout or SplitPic and VSCO for cleaning up backgrounds.

I follow: @hair.video, @beautybymissruby, @realericvaughn, @zachmesquit, @hairbyshawna_russell, @trailertrashtammy

Pro tip: Videos! Controversial, outlandish, hilarious, crazy amazing transformations or some amazing click bait! Photos from a DSLR! Sure iPhones take great pics, but I do side-by-side comparisons (DSLR vs iPhone) in posts, and those go CRAZY! DSLR is just hands down better! More detail and captures TRUE tonality!

Hidden talent: I’m pretty damn amazing with razor cuts.

Fun fact: I’ve eaten a 10 pound burrito in 20 minutes....TWICE. I do all kinds of crazy food challenges...and WIN! (Five pound spicy skillet challenge, 36 tacos at once etc.)

My audience follows me because: I’m an honest, straight shooting, NO BS kind of girl. I’m hilarious (just watch my IG stories), I do amazing transformations and blonding work, and I’m happy to share my process and formulations and help people.

How social media changed my life: It has completely changed my life. I’ve been able to build my dream clientele from IG, work with brands, start my independent blonding education/classes, travel the country teaching, and it has helped me meet some amazing friends! I’m REALLY grateful for the relationships I’ve built from social media that I wouldn’t have been able to do on my own! I’ve also realized it’s okay to take breaks from social when I’m feeling overwhelmed. I don’t beat myself up over NOT posting one to two times a day.

My first @modernsalon feature: I was featured Dec 23, 2016! It was a how-to transformation doing a vibrant red without lightener. I totally cried! This was such an honor for me. I had gotten sober nine months prior and was working my butt off to produce amazing work and get noticed by industry publications. I had made a goal list for 2016 and getting MODERN SALON happened six days before 2016 ran out. So, it was truly a special moment for me.

Click here to the see the full list of this year's MODERN SALON 100.