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SEARCHCarrie Marginian is best known for her icy blondes and and soft, lived-in and dimensional colors. See why we chose her to be part of our 2019 MODERN SALON 100.
Carrie Marginian @Carriemarginian_hair
If you look at hair on Instagram, you’ve probably seen a Carrie Marginian blonde and wondered how she gets those spot-on tones. She makes it look easy and she lets others in on her secrets via social.
Carrie Marginian
Cleveland, OH
Carrie Marginian Hair, Rocky River, OH
Specialty: Cool/icy blondes, blonde balayage, soft, lived-in and dimensional colors.
Top-performing post: My most engaged post was an icy, dimensional blonde bob. It was a rooted blonde, melted into bright platinum ends. The cut was slightly longer in the front. The straight hair showed off the seamless blend. It was featured on many social media sites including MODERN SALON. I think so many people liked the color and cut because it was on trend with the cool tones, but a little more low maintenance with the rooted look. The long bob is also one of the most popular hair cuts.
Favorite apps: The only app I like to use on Instagram is UNUM. It helps me plan my posts in advance. It saves me some time when I have to post, and it also gives me a better idea of how my page will look. I do so many blondes, but I like to have a bit of variety on my page so the colors still stand out. I like that my blondes don’t blend in with one another.
I follow: @Mane_ivy, Maggiemh, @Mickeycolonjr, @Prettylittleombre, @Coloredbycaitlin
Carrie Marginian @Carriemarginian_hair
Pro tip: Lighting is the most important. I’m lucky enough to have a lot of natural light in my new salon, so I always take photos in front of a window. Natural light is the best way to show the actual color and it’s true tone. Do not edit your photos! So many stylists are tweaking and editing their own work to make it appear brighter, lighter, cooler, etc. You’re doing yourself a disservice. If a client comes to you with a photo of your own work, and it’s not true to what you created, how can you give them what they are asking for? I also love photos that show a little bit of realness. The background of your salon, some little baby hairs out of place, this is realistic and gives your work more authenticity. The white backdrops and photo shopping may work for others, but I prefer to have my photos on my grid different and unique because each of my clients are exactly that.
Hidden talent: I do not do any men’s hair cutting anymore because my schedule doesn’t really allow it, but I used to specialize in men’s hair when I started 15 years ago.
Fun fact: I can rap (if you want to call it that) and sing any early 2000s song you can name. I have a crazy good memory, and the lyrics to even the most awful songs are stacked away in some part of my brain. My husband gets to hear this on a daily basis.
My audience follows me because: I think people like to follow me because my work is true to who I am as a person. I absolutely love what I do for a living, and I think it shows through the photos. I am always excited to post about a new technique or to explain the process of how I created a look. I like engaging with my followers as well. I always try to answer and comment back to everyone. This not only builds up your engagement, but it also shows support for other stylists, and allows clients to know you care about them. Also, since I specialize in blonding, blondes have so many different types of tones and techniques to choose from when they come to my page.
How social media changed my life: I started my own business and now have my own salon because of it! After I started posting on Instagram a few years ago, I found that my reach of people was far greater than I could have ever imagined. My clientele doubled, and now has even tripled over the last two and 1/2 years. I was able to start working independently in a salon loft, and so many new clients were coming to see me. For the first time in my career I had a waiting list. I still can’t get over how many people are willing to wait a significant amount of time to have an appointment with me. This makes me especially thankful.
My first @modernsalon feature: The first time I was featured on MODERN SALON was the photo that I shared that went viral. The rooted blonde, long bob. I was so excited to see my work on a page that I have been following for so long. I remember getting MODERN SALON magazine long before Instagram was even around, so to see my work featured was extra special. The icy blonde color was something I was particularly proud of as well because that color is hard to achieve.
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