Year Started in Hair Industry
Education
Specialties
Bio
Hey my name is Raquel but you can call me Raw! I’ve been in the hair industry since 2015 but my relationship with hair goes way back to my teens. I guess you could say I was always ‘that friend’ doing everyone’s hair and makeup. I loved making my friends feel good.
After attending university I was feeling unfulfilled in teaching and thought I would take a risk and follow my heart. Growing up I struggled with poor self-image and along the way I’ve come to learn so many people do as well. From that, I always had this inner desire to make as many people feel beautiful and better about themselves as I could.
I started my hair career by assisting a very busy and talented hair artist at a high end salon in Burlington. Here, I studied with Schwarzkopf’s ASK Academy, gaining many certificates in colouring and cutting courses. As a team our salon competed in one of the most prestigious hair competitions, Contessa, and got chosen to go on to finals. This gave me a taste of doing photoshoots, from the hair colour to styling, makeup and wardrobe. I learned how to put it all together. After assisting for two years, I went on to become my own hairstylist at a studio in downtown Hamilton. Here I trained with Redken and gained certification in courses such as, creative colouring and blonde mastery. I also participated in Toronto Fashion Week, styling hair for designers iconic looks. Working here I got to play around a lot with colouring and discovered my love for it.
Many clients come to me for my blonde work. I would say that blondes and creative colouring are my favourite thing to do because I love giving people a whole new look. I think changing your hair can totally change the way you feel and give you a new attitude, like you are a whole new person. That’s what I love about doing hair.