Our profile of Yara de la Torre, a stylist whose story of perseverance after tragedy included finding multiple adaptations that allowed her to continue doing hair, featured a description of a custom-designed holster that Yara wears to hold her salon tools and which allows her freedom of movement while working from her wheelchair. The holster was designed by Sandra Teal of Salon Armorwho says it is her mission to help hairstylists work more efficiently. And because she is a stylist, herself, she understands exactly what they need.

 “I know how they work, what their day looks like, and I know the pain of reaching for something when your body hurts,” Teal says. “People who have bought my wristband see what it does—it makes them work faster.  And if I can get one extra haircut in in a day, that’s money. It truly gives me joy to help people and I love solving problems.”

In 2004, when Teal was at America’s Beauty Show in Chicago, she was watching hairdressers styling on stage. She noticed the way they secured clips to their body—on their cuffs, their watches, etc.—something she’d done often enough herself, but it struck her how inefficient and almost sloppy it looked…and an idea for a business was born. Salon Armor started with a magnetic wrist band to hold pins and clips for working stylists, and has expanded into custom gear for barbers, makeup artists, nail technicians, and anyone who reaches out with a problem to be solved.  

“Yara contacted me and said that she initially wanted a belt and she was going to drape it across her chest,” Teal explains. “I said, I have a harness that would be even better. I asked what she wanted it to hold and my brain started to work. I’d also designed something similar for a woman with MS who uses a walker and couldn’t get to her phone when it rang. So now she can wear it, along with her lipstick, her sunglasses, and more.”

From that first Salon Armor Magnetic Wrist Band, Teal has built a business and she exhibits at trade shows around the country, where stylists now put in requests for specific colors and themes.  “I love sourcing for different colors and embellishments,” she says. “I’ll browse the hardware store and find interesting things I can incorporate into a piece.  People want to work effectively, and they want to look cool doing it!”

Guy Tang, hair artist and social media superstar, has worked with Teal on custom pieces, including his signature gauntlets. “We made a collection together and I’m making gauntlets for his music videos. He describes the video—the vibe, the color—and then I create these very cool gauntlets around it.”

In addition to her designs for hair and beauty pros, she has also improved the way golfers hold their tees and even fashioned a better leash for when she walks her dog. And what challenge will she take on next? “Hair extension artists. I know there are things I could do to help them work more efficiently.”

Visit her page on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/salonarmor/