We love repping the whole beauty community, but we feel a certain obligation to make sure our Midwestern neighbors get their well-deserved limelight. After a friend visited this MODERN SALON 100's honoree's salon in St. Louis, we found Kristina Cheeseman on Instagram and were blown away--literally. Cheeseman showcases many of her color creations in wind-blown stills, and we'll never stop obsessing over them.

BEAUTY BIO:
Kristina Cheeseman
@kristinacheeseman
Location: St. Louis
Salon: KINK Hair and Notch Salon in Clayton and the Grove in Saint Louis
Best known for: Rainbow mermaid hair, blondes, balayage, and bobs

Age: 29

Most viral post: A photo of my two favorite hair colors together "Sunrise/Sunset" and "Sea Change." I tend to name my favorite hair creations after musical influences.

Favorite app: SplitPic to morph two images together seamlessly; Facetune2 for fixing facial blemishes, blurring outside the focus point of a photo; Rhonna Designs if I want to make a "Model Call" post or an Educational event; InsTrack because I'm nosy about who follows/unfollows and who's a ghost follower.

Favorite hashtags: my favorite hashtags are my local hashtags. This is where I get clients in my chair: #stlhair, #stlbalayage, #thegrove, #stlouishairstylist... I even started adding some funny hashtags into the mix - I don't think anyone has caught on to those yet. 

Who I’m following: My co-workers for sure. I'm always inspired by them! My tribe: @caitlinfordhair, @caitlintyczka and @evanturnerhair

Tip to get best results on a post: Make sure what you are posting is aesthetically pleasing. Take your client’s cape off, get them out of the chair. Sometimes you have to take 20 pictures to get one good one, but at least you have that one! Is your Instagram set up to be a business account? Look at your insights, what time of day are you getting the most traffic? Be consistent when posting. Respond to comments left by followers and make sure you are utilizing your precious 30 hashtags! 

Favorite professional beauty products: Kevin Murphy Re.Store cleansing treatment (perfect for my rainbow girls, cleansing without fading); Kevin Murphy Bedroom.hair weightless texturizing spray; EVO Fabuloso custom mix conditioner, if I have a client that is rose gold or blue, I will mix a custom conditioner for them to take home to give more longevity to their hue; Bumble and Bumble All Style is a miracle, it does everything and has oil absorbing powders so if you're the person that doesn't like the feel of dry shampoo, use this. 

How social media changed your life: It has opened so many door and opportunities that I would never think were possible. I've met so many cool people through social media, whether it's a new client or another hairstylist. I am constantly inspired when I'm looking at my feed. It gives me the motivation to do more, be better, and push the boundaries when it comes to creative color ideas. 

The first time I was featured on MODERN SALON was….: a purple and blue color melt! This was one of my first dreams to come true!

SEE THE FULL 2017 MODERN SALON 100 LIST HERE!

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