2019 MODERN SALON 100: Mirella Manelli @MirellaManelli

When we think of SoCal artist Mirella Manelli, one word comes to mind: joy. Whether it’s a simple comment on an Instagram post or a longer conversation, Manelli’s positive attitude and strong work ethic make her a pleasure to work with and just have friendly chats with. Her passion for her craft is evident in everything she posts, and we can’t wait to see where this pretty mama (her posts of her babies are just TOO adorbs!) goes next.

Mirella Manelli

@MirellaManelli

Rebel Femme Salon, Mission Viejo, CA

Specialty: Color correction and Updo education

Top-performing post: The most engaging posts that go viral (2-7 million views) are hair videos of my daughter. Most recently, my color tutorials are doing very well. I just posted a color correction video of a peachy hair color to cool blonde transformation that has more than 300k views. Stylists really love my explanations in both voice over and caption. I started doing this knowing that everyone learns differently, and I want to make sure I can educate the best I can in a 60-second clip.

Favorite apps: I actually don’t use apps for my photos. I’ve invested in a professional camera and lens, and this has made a huge impact over my posts. Taking great photos to begin with saves me time, so I don’t need to edit. I’m still learning every day how to use my camera, but just like Instagram, everything is trial and error. My side-by-side formulation posts are the only posts I use an app for. I use LiveCollage. For my videos, I use Final Cut Pro on my laptop.

I follow: @TraeHowardHair, @Frances_HairArtist, @Carolineanythingbutbasic, @daryna_barykina

Pro tip: Find out who your target market is, and post what they like to see from you. I learned early on that my target market was the hairstylist. People love my videos whether they were easy updos or color applications and formulation. I also learned that people love to know who the person is behind the account. Giving your audience a little glimpse into your life makes you real and authentic. I never knew how invested people were in knowing who I was until I shared my pregnancy journey with my daughter. Share the real you, and write your captions how you normally speak! There are enough perfect people on the gram.

Hidden talent: When I first started with Instagram, I used to post a lot of short haircuts. This is something I don’t really share anymore, but I think I can do some super cute bobs and creative pixies.

Fun fact: I can wiggle my ears independently or both at the same time.

My audience follows me because: I think people love that I share the real me (little glimpses into salon ownership and motherhood) in addition to full formulas and video tutorials. I also try to respond to every question (although it can be hard at times). Being transparent is important for me, and it’s something that I’ve always done with my feed.

How social media changed my life: Social media has allowed me to do what I love but in a much broader scale. I love educating and helping stylists simplify the way they do hair. I think specializing in a certain technique for branding purposes is important, but what is even more crucial for your business is being well rounded in this industry. I try to convey that in everything that I do from the classes I teach in my salon to the full-length YouTube tutorials I create. My purpose is to give stylists the confidence to create their own style of doing hair.

My first @modernsalon feature: I think the first photo that was shared by MODERN was in 2013. I remember I was ecstatic, and this motivated me to continue to post more and create more content.

 

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