From Behind the Chair to Global Ambassador w/Oana Ciofu

The Hair Game (00: 00:00:00 00)
This is exciting.

oana (00: 00:00:01 01)
This is so exciting. So nice to see you after so many years.

The Hair Game (00: 00:00:02 05)
listeners, Awana and I, we were DMing and she was complimenting the podcast years ago. I think this is actually pre-COVID. I went back and looked at our DMs and she did too. And it was 2019 and a little bit in 2020. And she jumped onto a live with me that long ago. anyway, she's,

00:00:03 She's been a fan of the podcast and I've been a fan of hers and it's been fun to see her grow. And so really happy to have you on the podcast finally.

oana (00: 00:00:04 37)
Thank you so much. This means so much to me because I remember like years ago when I used to listen to your podcast and I have to say I did grow up with your podcast and was so inspirational at the time. So now being in the podcast, thank you. Means a lot.

The Hair Game (00: 00:00:05 49)
Thank you.

00:00:06 That's awesome.

00:00:07 That's awesome. Thank you so much. I love to hear stuff like that. Having a podcast is interesting because we create this audio file. It's a digital file of audio. We then upload it to the internet. We see that people download it, but there's not back and forth communication. know, there's, we have an Instagram account, but you know, that doesn't really represent the listeners. ⁓

oana (01: 00:00:08 18)
Mm-hmm.

The Hair Game (01: 00:00:09 24)
We see, we see all these downloads and I often say, you know, it's we'll keep doing it as long as people keep listening. So we see all these downloads, but we don't get that much interaction back. And so it's, it's a little, it's satisfying to do it, but it's not as satisfying as having a conversation with somebody right. Where you're, you have a back and forth communication. So, ⁓ so thank you for saying that and, ⁓ love to hear it. And that's.

oana (01: 00:00:10 48)
That's true.

The Hair Game (01: 00:00:11 53)
That's one of the reasons that we do it, because when we do get feedback, it's very satisfying to know that people are getting benefit from these conversations.

oana (02: 00:00:12 02)
But I have

00:00:13 to mention that since we had our last conversation, I went and I was listening to so many podcasts and was like, ⁓ this is so nice. Even like hearing the stories from people, even like Lala, the girl from Romania, exactly with the updos.

The Hair Game (02: 00:00:14 14)
Ha

00:00:15 Yeah, up to you.

oana (02: 00:00:16 22)
I was like, oh, this is so cute because I know her from Instagram, but I actually didn't know her story and it was amazing to listen to the story. was like, oh, that's so nice.

The Hair Game (02: 00:00:17 32)
Yeah, and that's what we try to do. And there's surface, ⁓ there's a surface connection that you have with people on Instagram. Some people do a better job of trying to get below the surface, but still, you know, it's a short video and some people do a good job of getting on there and talking, but still only for a little bit of time. You don't really have time to really unfold your story. mean, Lala is particularly, she has a particularly great story.

oana (02: 00:00:18 40)
It is.

The Hair Game (03: 00:00:19 01)
and she's really good at telling the story. So yeah, I'm glad you mentioned that. Yeah, I was thinking about you and her ⁓ because I know that you're both Romanian. Okay, well, let's talk about you. You're Irish, so you're a hairdresser. You're not Irish.

oana (03: 00:00:20 03)
Yeah, it was so nice to listen.

00:00:21 I am 100 % Romanian. I… Yes. I know. I will explain you. Because everybody is like, oh, you're Irish. Well, yeah, the hair is Irish. So I was born and raised in Romania and I moved to Ireland when I was 21. I said I'm going to Ireland for three months to learn English and I'll move back home. But well, you know, I didn't learn.

The Hair Game (03: 00:00:22 20)
100 % Romanian.

oana (03: 00:00:23 44)
English in three months was impossible with the Irish accent, of course. And I stayed one year and I said, I will stay one more and one more. And I stayed 10 years.

00:00:24 And I said I moved back home four years ago. So if my English is not that good, it's just because I don't practice as much.

The Hair Game (04: 00:00:25 05)
Okay, so I know that you were working hard to learn English when we were talking last, been five or six years again. You were working hard to learn English. Your English is pretty good to me. even when you got on the live, I remember your English was good. So you spent 10 years in Ireland and were you a hairdresser there?

oana (04: 00:00:26 11)
Yep.

00:00:27 Thank you.

00:00:28 Thank you. Yes.

00:00:29 Yeah, so the story was, okay, ⁓ I started when I was, let's say, 18. I got a summer job. I went to Spain. I don't know if you did listen to the real idea on Instagram. Actually, it was my first time sharing that on Instagram. So I started with my hair, of course, being currently the only thing I could do with like using a straightener because with like no product, no techniques.

00:00:30 And I was using this. Sure. Yeah.

The Hair Game (04: 00:00:31 59)
And let me pause you there for a second. So for the listeners who

00:00:32 don't know Awana and her hair, your hair is I think pretty well known on Instagram. I mean, you have the most beautiful curly hair with a little bit of a red tone to it, but you know, beautiful brunette, you've got some highlights in there. And so when Awana talks about her hair, everyone stops and listens. Okay, keep going.

oana (05: 00:00:33 09)
It is. Thank you.

00:00:34 Well, at that time,

00:00:35 at that time I have to say I did played a lot with my hair like going like short, bob, blonde, like all the colors and I used to save money to go to the most expensive hairdresser in town. So that's kind of how I started. I was very familiar with life in a salon. I said, oh, this is so cool. I didn't realize you have to spend so many hours, but yeah, let's keep that besides. So.

00:00:36 I said to my dad, dad I want to be a hairdresser and he said, what a hairdresser? No, you have to go to college. You have to, you know, be, I don't know, a doctor, accountant, whatever. And I said, no, I want to do hair because this is my passion. Cause at that time I used to, do my friends, neighbors, you know, playing around only like blow dry that kind of stuff.

00:00:37 And he said, I'm going to give you money only if you go to college, not for the beauty school. And I said, you know what? I want to do what I want to do. So I said, I think I'm very good at it. So I have to keep up my dream. And I went to Spain. I had a summer job. I saved every bit. And I came back home. I did a beauty school, but in the same time with my high school. So I was going in the morning to the high school.

00:00:38 finishing at 2, maybe 1 p.m. and at 4 p.m. I was going to the beauty school from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day for one year. So this is the story, that's how I started. And after I finished my high school, I went to the hair salon back in my town and was, I think I was there for one year and after that I said,

The Hair Game (06: 00:00:39 56)
Okay.

oana (07: 00:00:40 09)
why not opening my own salon? I was like 20, I didn't know nothing about it. So it was next to my town, was a little town, more like a village I would say, well, kind of a village. And I said, no, no, I don't like this. So I stayed there probably for four months, five months, and I said, I'm going to Ireland. So that was the point when I moved in Ireland, when I was 21.

The Hair Game (07: 00:00:41 15)
Wow.

00:00:42 When you were 21 and you were very new in the industry and what caused you to want to learn English?

oana (07: 00:00:43 40)
Yeah.

00:00:44 Mm-hmm.

00:00:45 I think just, well, of course we do learn English in school, like from very like, even like in the kindergarten, they learn English, but I didn't like my teacher, I have to say. So I was like, no, I don't need English. Like I don't need French because we did French and we did English. So I said, no, I don't need it. And my dad was like, you need a second language. This is the future.

00:00:46 because he was traveling a lot, so he knew English and they're like, it's second language, so you need to have it. So that's kind of, said, no, I'm going to move to Ireland or UK, but I chose Ireland.

The Hair Game (08: 00:00:47 30)
Okay, and so I imagine, I have a daughter who's 14 years old, imagining her moving away makes me very sad. So what was your parents' reaction to that?

oana (08: 00:00:48 35)
Mm-hmm.

00:00:49 So when I said to my mom, at that time, my family, I think when I was 18, they moved to Italy because it was very popular, like lots of Romanian, they moved to Italy for work. And they moved to Italy even before I was going to Ireland. And when my mom heard that, she said, you know what? I'm going to send you as much money you want. Just stay home.

00:00:50 It's like,

00:00:51 stay home, please don't leave the country. Yeah, just because probably they knew how hard it is to go abroad and not be home. So probably that's why she said that. But I said, mom, I'm going to learn English and I'm going to be home in three months. So, yeah, don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. I'm going to work in the hair salons. Yeah.

The Hair Game (09: 00:00:52 12)
they're not even at home.

00:00:53 and ten years

00:00:54 you so you spent ten years in Ireland did your parents come visit you in Ireland

oana (09: 00:00:55 39)
Yeah,

00:00:56 yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. My mom came a few times. She loved it. Yeah, Ireland is beautiful.

The Hair Game (09: 00:00:57 48)
Ireland is beautiful. went, I made it there. So my mom is Irish, almost a hundred percent Irish. I mean, she's American, she's American, but her lineage is Irish and my dad is Italian. And ⁓ so Ireland and my wife is almost entirely of Irish descent. And, but I had never been there before. I'd been to England, I'd been to Scotland, I'd never been to Ireland.

oana (09: 00:00:58 54)
Wow!

The Hair Game (10: 00:00:59 17)
So this past summer, my family went to Ireland for the first time. And it was really, really awesome. It was really awesome. what was it like moving there? And you said you were 21?

oana (10: 00:01:00 24)
Yeah,

00:01:01 So I was 21 after four years I took over the business. I was kind of in that.

The Hair Game (10: 00:01:02 37)
Okay, so hold on.

00:01:03 So you show up to Ireland at 21. You didn't know anyone?

oana (10: 00:01:04 41)
Yes, yes.

00:01:05 Well, not really, I have to say. No. Well, someone that said, well, I need a hairdresser if you, we have a job if you want to come and take it. And I said, yeah, why not? So it was hard because they accepted me with no English. I was like smiling and saying, thank you and hello at the beginning. But people were so kind in Ireland. So.

The Hair Game (10: 00:01:06 56)
Okay.

oana (11: 00:01:07 08)
Everybody was nice and had the patience with me. yeah, and after four years, I think four or five years, I took over the job, the salon, the business. And yeah, I had to kind of stay and make things work because you're like in that system. It's very hard to kind of live. But COVID came.

The Hair Game (11: 00:01:08 18)
Okay.

00:01:09 ⁓

oana (11: 00:01:10 31)
So when COVID came, I said, I think I need to change something and I want to move, but I didn't really want to go home, but that was the thing at the time, wait the next and yeah. And I said, okay, call me home.

The Hair Game (11: 00:01:11 46)
Yeah.

00:01:12 Okay. So let's go back to Ireland. So you, you got there, you had a job right away in a salon and you needed to learn English. So how long about, how long did it take you to feel comfortable with your English?

oana (11: 00:01:13 54)
Mm-hmm.

00:01:14 Yes.

00:01:15 Forever. I still have a problem, think. I think. Thank you.

The Hair Game (12: 00:01:16 09)
No, you're doing great now. But I mean,

00:01:17 the point to where your clients could understand you, you know.

oana (12: 00:01:18 16)
Well,

00:01:19 that was quite easy to learn, know, how to explain what they want, but having a full conversation, that took me probably two years, I would say, because the accent is very strong in Ireland, and especially where I was living was like more South East and was very strong. So I was like… No, was like one hour and a half, it was called Wexford.

The Hair Game (12: 00:01:20 31)
It is.

00:01:21 Let's Dublin around Dublin

00:01:22 Okay, interesting.

oana (12: 00:01:23 46)
Yeah,

00:01:24 so it was like a small town, very cute.

The Hair Game (12: 00:01:25 51)
Yeah. So you, so it took you years to learn how to kind of converse comfortably in English, but what a great experience. mean, it's, I would love. So I, I lived in Italy for about a year. My dad's family is from there. I love Italy. I've been there maybe 25 times and I've taken my kids there maybe three or four times now. And my dream really is to go and spend years there.

oana (12: 00:01:26 56)
Mm-hmm.

00:01:27 Yeah.

The Hair Game (13: 00:01:28 21)
you know, maybe not move permanently, but to spend real time there and, you know, develop relationships and be able to have free flowing conversations in Italian. I know a few words, but not a lot. And so you're kind of describing something which I would really like to do in my life. And I don't, I feel like I'm running out of time a little bit, you know, it's.

oana (13: 00:01:29 21)
Mm-hmm.

00:01:30 Amazing.

00:01:31 That's so cute!

00:01:32 No,

00:01:33 it's never too late. Like my family lives in Italy at the moment. My sister is like there, married, know, kids and I'm sure she's not going to move back home, but I go to Italy quite often. And yeah, they have really nice like Italy is Italy. Beautiful, good food, weather, the nice, the lifestyle is like, wow.

The Hair Game (13: 00:01:34 49)
No.

00:01:35 Okay.

00:01:36 Italy's amazing. Yeah. Yeah.

00:01:37 Yeah, I know. Okay, so let's go back to Ireland. All right, so it took you a couple years to kind of get conversant and you were in the salon and you were just in that salon and then one day the owner was like, I'd like to give it to you.

oana (14: 00:01:38 30)
No, she said I'm going to travel for one year and see if I'm going to stop in Australia or anywhere else. So she wanted to move and because that was a good opportunity for me. I wasn't sure because that came like, ⁓ okay. I'm not sure if I'm ready for it, but I went for it. So yeah, that kind of was like, was a salon, beautiful on the main street.

00:01:39 Well, the little town, it's, don't know, 20 something hair salons was very harsh to have, you know, your very regulars to prove you're like coming with something new all the time. But I have, know, being so young and social media came at the right time. I was, you know, I would say the only one in the town that I came with all the new products, techniques, ⁓ different foils. So all the time I had

00:01:40 to do something new. yeah, when social media and Instagram came, I said I want to be there. And I bought a ring light, as everyone else. And I started doing pictures and content. And that's kind of how I started.

The Hair Game (15: 00:01:41 28)
Got it.

00:01:42 Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

00:01:43 Very interesting. All right. And so how long were you at that salon and why did you leave it or sell it?

oana (15: 00:01:44 53)
So 10 years was all in that salon and when COVID came I kind of started online education, like online classes, but only on Instagram, on private pages where they're like easy, handy, you didn't need a website or something very professional. So I started with Instagram and I think it was about one year almost.

00:01:45 We've been closed, so I said it's a good opportunity to start something new. Because I think every business at that point started from zero, almost. So I did my hair boards in COVID time. I did online education. I took so many classes as well. So I said I want to move to a bigger city to have more opportunities. For me, was very hard in that town to find.

00:01:46 the right people to do the techniques I wanted, like balayage, air touches, was lots of like touch ups, root touch ups, haircuts, ⁓ blood rice. So it was very hard to grow and show on social media. And I have to say, I did so many like free balayages just to have something to post on social media or…

00:01:47 to beg my clients, please, can you stay for a picture? Because at that time everybody was like, I know, don't put my face on it, don't put my face on social media. Now it's different, but at the beginning was very hard.

The Hair Game (17: 00:01:48 24)
Right.

00:01:49 Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Yeah, I remember those days. Okay, so this is such an interesting story. You were kind of busting at the seams of this little town, and okay, and so where did you go next?

oana (17: 00:01:50 38)
Thank

00:01:51 So I moved back home in Transylvania, that was. I didn't really like it. So I said I have to move home, home. So home, home is like where I am right now in Yash, in my town. Everybody knows me. It was easy step. I didn't go for the easy step. At that point I was like, no, I'm going to move home in my town for three months. If I don't like it, I'm going to move. I have a thing with three months.

The Hair Game (18: 00:01:52 15)
Three months,

00:01:53 yes, that's a theme.

oana (18: 00:01:54 17)
Yeah, so I said I took like, how do you say it, a little studio I rented and I said, I'm going to be here. Let's create some content because at that time I had some, how do say, collaboration with Behind the Cheer and I had to do my post and I had to work and so there you go. Four years later, I'm here.

The Hair Game (18: 00:01:55 43)
Yeah. Got

00:01:56 it. Got it. So I kind of didn't do a proper introduction for you. Like I normally do. You're a global ambassador for Moroccan oil. You're on the BTC team and you created a product called hair boards for a balayage and air touch. And, ⁓ so you've done all these great things. ⁓ you've been able to do this from these little places, you know, whether it's in

00:01:57 your town in Romania, which I just looked it up as you were talking, and it's right on the border of Moldova, ⁓ it's not, it doesn't look very close to, like it's not close to Bucharest. I think Bucharest is your capital.

oana (19: 00:01:58 20)
Yes, it is.

00:01:59 No. Yeah, it is the capital

00:02:00 and, she's the second largest city in Romania. It's great because we have so many students and that was my target to have, you know, the girls to the balaias and air touches.

The Hair Game (19: 00:02:01 35)
Okay, it is.

00:02:02 Okay. Got it.

00:02:03 Got it. Right on the border of Moldova, which is, and then just to the east of that for the listeners who don't know their geography very well. And by the way, that includes me because I didn't know that Moldova was right there. And I didn't know that Ukraine was just on the other side of Moldova because Moldova is not very large. So

oana (19: 00:02:04 58)
you

00:02:05 Yes.

00:02:06 Moldova used to be part of Romania. We lost it.

The Hair Game (20: 00:02:07 11)
Okay, there you

00:02:08 go. There you go. So that's kind of where we are. And ⁓ this is north of Turkey. Okay, so Romania is north of Bulgaria, which ⁓ borders Turkey. So that's kind of where we are in the world. All right, so you've done all these things from there through social media, I guess, huh?

oana (20: 00:02:09 38)
to social media and I think I grew up with this mindset. I always said you have to think globally and act locally. And I think this is such a good thing because even when I moved back home, everybody was like, you're crazy. You're moving home. You're not going to…

00:02:10 you know, succeed on social media, your career. But it's not true because I became a global ambassador from Rokinoy living here in this town close to Moldova. So it's not true. You have to just think globally and act locally. I always say that.

The Hair Game (21: 00:02:11 22)
Absolutely. Well social media is global. So that's a nice tool to use. So I'm not really sure where you are as long as people like what you're doing on social media and people are definitely liking what you're doing. I think when we first started talking on social media, I don't know. I don't remember how many followers you had or whatever, but.

oana (21: 00:02:12 26)
Exactly.

00:02:13 Probably 5k.

The Hair Game (21: 00:02:14 48)
Probably probably that's kind of what I remember but but not very clearly and so now you've created a brand you've created a product and ⁓ People like your brand so they're They want you to be part of it like Moroccan oil. Okay. So what are you doing with Moroccan oil? You are they flying you around and educating?

oana (21: 00:02:15 50)
Yeah.

00:02:16 Yes, so I am a global ambassador for Miracle Noil, which is an incredible achievement. Like, wow, I did work so hard for it. Well, I didn't really want to have a title, but this came and that gave me even more like power to do what I love even more, because sometimes it's very easy to be in a comfort zone, like, or to give up. So…

00:02:17 With Moroccan Oil I do travel a lot with the brand. We have classes, ⁓ product launches, hair shows, everything.

The Hair Game (22: 00:02:18 49)
Yeah. And so how often are you on the road?

oana (22: 00:02:19 53)
Well, depends almost every month. This month, I'm not going anywhere. But last month, I was in Barcelona. And I think after that was Istanbul, Czech Republic. I can't even remember. But we basically Europe, because I am based in Europe. It's me and Garrett Williams. He is an ambassador for Moroccanoil. is from the UK. So we kind of

00:02:20 around Europe.

The Hair Game (23: 00:02:21 25)
on it. Have you been to the States yet?

oana (23: 00:02:22 28)
Yes, I've been to the States. I think my first trip was to New York, of course, has to be New York. And I loved it. Like, it's beautiful. Like, I think for me, America, it's like, if I have to move from home, probably be America straight away. I don't even have to think about it. Well, I would have to think about where in the States, but you guys are so nice and so cool. And I love that. But yeah, I was… ⁓

The Hair Game (23: 00:02:23 35)
Sure.

00:02:24 Right, of course.

00:02:25 Thank you. Thank you.

oana (23: 00:02:26 58)
Wait American Idol event last this year for collective in Vegas, Texas. So yeah, for hair events basically.

The Hair Game (24: 00:02:27 03)
Okay.

00:02:28 Great. And so have you been to Los Angeles yet?

oana (24: 00:02:29 12)
Yes, Los Angeles, no Los Angeles, yes, no, no, no, no, no, no, I haven't, sorry, no I haven't.

The Hair Game (24: 00:02:30 19)
Okay.

00:02:31 That's okay. So, but you've been to Vegas, maybe that's as, okay. That's as far west as you make, as you made it. ⁓ okay. And where would you, if you had to choose a place in America to live, where would you live?

oana (24: 00:02:32 23)
I've been to Vegas.

00:02:33 Yes.

00:02:34 ⁓ I don't want to say New York because I know how hard I have to work to live in New York. yeah, exactly. But New York is very iconic and it's like living in a movie, like it's a dream place. But probably I will choose somewhere like hot, I don't know, like LA or California. Like, I don't know, something. I didn't think that far because I don't want to put this seed in my head.

The Hair Game (24: 00:02:35 41)
It is expensive in New York.

00:02:36 Yeah.

oana (25: 00:02:37 03)
I don't want to move anymore, I think I'm done.

The Hair Game (25: 00:02:38 06)
Yeah, you're done. Are your parents back in your hometown? No, you said they're in Italy still. And your sister too.

oana (25: 00:02:39 10)
No, they're not. Yeah, still in Italy.

00:02:40 Yeah, and my sister. Yeah, no, just hired. Because I don't see my nephews that often and they're growing so fast. But when I have the chance, I do go to them and visit because we have ⁓ direct flights and it's very easy to travel in Europe.

The Hair Game (25: 00:02:41 20)
Yeah, I bet.

00:02:42 Right, that's the best part of Europe. mean, if you can jump on a plane or a train and you're there in couple hours, you're at three countries over, it's just so awesome. I have a friend in Hungary and he's always in a different countries, in Italy, he's in France, he's in the UK, know, ⁓ multiple places a week and it's so awesome. That's the best part of Europe, I think.

oana (25: 00:02:43 37)
Yes.

00:02:44 Yes. Yeah.

00:02:45 Yeah, it's yeah, actually it is special now with December you can go for Christmas markets like all like in Europe and they have like the best Christmas markets and it's nice I'm sorry

The Hair Game (26: 00:02:46 10)
so charming.

00:02:47 No,

00:02:48 was my I would say the Christmas that I enjoyed the most in terms of where I was was in Austria and It they had something that they did. I mean, it's the snow falling down It's all you know, you talk about a dream movie that that's like a dream movie for Christmas time With the lights the dim lights and just the amazing charm and all that stuff. Okay, so you don't want to anymore Okay, and

oana (26: 00:02:49 25)
Yeah.

00:02:50 Yes.

00:02:51 No, no, I think I'm

00:02:52 done. Only traveling.

The Hair Game (26: 00:02:53 46)
And so how do you split your time?

00:02:54 You can, yes, sure. And Moroccan oil is going to make sure that, you know, that you get the traveling in. So how are you splitting your time now? You say you're on the road about once a month and otherwise you're in your studio and you do, you have a normal clientele.

oana (27: 00:02:55 03)
Yeah, I do work, not that much. Now I kind of reduce a little bit my work because I do travel and I need some time before, time after to recover because those hair shows, they look amazing but they are exhausting because you have to do prep day, you have to look impeccable, you have to sleep for your skin to look like fresh. So you need kind of a week for an event.

00:02:56 Otherwise, am back in my city, three or four days a week. I do only like Balai Yajin AirTouch, only what I promote on Instagram. don't do anything else. No haircuts, no blood, no full colors, nothing. Just because I don't want to do them anymore. I feel like they're like…

00:02:57 I don't want to say too basic, but I want to have content for social media. And for content for social media, I need like color corrections, paliages, hair touches. So I take only one client a day. That's it. And yeah, off every weekend. That was my goal when I moved to Romania. I said I don't want to work any weekends anymore.

00:02:58 Just because when I was in Ireland, used to work like six days a week or like a lot. So, and I used to do everything from kids, men, haircuts, everything. So I said, no, I'm specialized and I want to keep that up. So, and I don't have much time to be honest with you. And I want to focus on my, you know, education, classes and yeah, traveling with Moroccan oil.

00:02:59 So not much time for it.

The Hair Game (28: 00:03:00 58)
Okay.

00:03:01 Okay. So with Moroccanoil, I assume that you, you guys make a deal. You sign a contract of some kind and what kind of requirement do they ask of you for social media? I know, I mean, it's part of the deal, right? You've got to post certain number of times and stuff like that.

oana (29: 00:03:02 22)
Yes, ⁓ that's true, but it's in contract as well. Yeah, we do have a contract and yeah, social media posts, ⁓ traveling days, like events. So that's kind of the contract basically.

The Hair Game (29: 00:03:03 37)
so for those listeners who are like, would be so amazing to have a brand, to be the face of the brand, the ambassador for the brand. ⁓ And it would be so much fun to travel. You've already talked about how the travels can certainly be taxing, especially if

oana (29: 00:03:04 54)
Thank you.

The Hair Game (29: 00:03:05 58)
You know, you're leaving early in the morning and you land and you have to run to the show and all this stuff and you don't really get time. ⁓ but let's talk about just the general money part of it. Like are, would you make more money in the salon behind the chair or when you make a deal with a brand like this, as far as the pay.

oana (30: 00:03:06 24)
Well, it depends now because it depends. If you have like a big salon, if you have employees, I don't have that. So because I don't have that having contract with a brand.

00:03:07 helps me a lot and it's better this way and having a salon probably your income is bigger. I'm not sure like the size of a salon but let's say having like 10 employees probably they will bring you more money than my contract so it depends what you want if you want a beautiful salon or if you want to be the face of a brand. It's just how you choose the things. For me

The Hair Game (30: 00:03:08 55)
Yeah, sure.

oana (31: 00:03:09 07)
I had a salon and I think at the moment this works the best. We'll see in the future if I want a salon or I don't know, keep the studio or go on education more. So it's up to you what you want. didn't actually, my goal wasn't to be a global ambassador for any brands. I started working with Merkle Nile before COVID. ⁓

00:03:10 you know, trying the products. They didn't have even the colors at the time. So, and Moroccan oil was very like something very exclusive in that town in Ireland. having Moroccan oil kind of raid in my salon looked more posh and glamorous just because having that turquoise bottle treatment oil in the window. So I fall in love even like before working with Moroccan oil.

00:03:11 And being now an ambassador, it's amazing. But the thing is like my goal wasn't to be a global ambassador, it was just to have good work and share the best tips on social media and help the hairdressers to become a better version.

The Hair Game (32: 00:03:12 19)
And that makes sense and that makes you the fact that that's what your goal was Makes you a good global ambassador Right. Yeah, because that's what that's what a brand wants in a global and but somebody who's passionate about the quality of the work

oana (32: 00:03:13 28)
Yeah, thank you. Yeah, you.

00:03:14 Yeah, in my career, have to say money wasn't my first thing in my job. Of course we need money, we need to pay our bills. But I always wanted to have the best work or the best products, the best results. And of course with that, you get the money. But I never settle for money. It makes sense. So.

The Hair Game (33: 00:03:15 00)
yeah, yeah, of course it does.

00:03:16 Okay, let's talk about the, so the different countries that you have experience with, are the styles different? Do the clients want different things or is it largely the same?

oana (33: 00:03:17 16)
⁓ No, actually it was such a good question. ⁓ everywhere we travel, we can notice the style is a little bit different, even like clothes-wise or the way they want the event or ⁓ I don't know, they're like hairdressers when they come in and you see the public is like, you have like, for example, in Spain when I was last month, I think was about

00:03:18 I did count, was about 20 girls with curly hair, which is very unusual to wear your curls. I was like, wow, this is so nice. Let's say in Turkey we had like an event two months ago. In Turkey everybody wants to be blonde, ⁓ straight hair, as straight as possible, even they do those keratin treatments. So everywhere we travel it's very, like it's different.

The Hair Game (34: 00:03:19 12)
Very interesting. Okay, so when you're not doing hair, you're not working on your hair board, and you're not ⁓ educating, what are you doing? What do you do for fun?

oana (34: 00:03:20 22)
Exactly. Yeah.

00:03:21 So what I do for fun, for example, this summer I did start playing tennis, I took lessons, but unfortunately, my hands give up on me and she said, no, you're not playing tennis anymore. So I had to stop because I had a really bad pain on my right arm. So I had to… Yeah.

The Hair Game (34: 00:03:22 46)
That's very common in tennis. I mean, that's why I

00:03:23 don't play tennis. It's not like I ever played competitive tennis, but going out with the kids and my wife and stuff, and my arm would hurt for a week.

oana (34: 00:03:24 59)
Yeah, well, I did start… I have to be honest now, guys, with you. So I started tennis just because of the outfits. I love the skirts, like all the sets. I was like, ⁓ this is so cute. I want to play tennis. So, yeah, that's how I started. I don't know much about it. I don't know much about it. didn't watch many tennis matches or anything, but just the outfits.

The Hair Game (35: 00:03:25 09)
Yes.

00:03:26 That's really funny.

00:03:27 Yeah.

00:03:28 Well, you can wear the outfits without playing tennis. Just like, yes.

oana (35: 00:03:29 28)
So tennis.

00:03:30 Yeah, that's what my doctor, my doctor

00:03:31 said that. I said, okay, you're not playing tennis anymore, but you can wear the outfits. No problem. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah, actually this year in winter, I started skiing. So I do lots of sports. Yeah. I love going to the gym. Now I'm planning to start Pilates just because I need to stretch a bit more.

The Hair Game (35: 00:03:32 41)
There you go. Okay, what else?

oana (36: 00:03:33 01)
For all the guys out there, for the younger generation, ⁓ being a hairdresser is great, but we do have to stand a lot in our fit. So yeah, sometimes you get back pain, that kind of stuff. So you have to choose your sports according to your job. So next is going to be Pilates. And yeah, I don't know, not much. If I have the chance, I will probably go out, have…

The Hair Game (36: 00:03:34 22)
Absolutely.

oana (36: 00:03:35 30)
I do enjoy going for a meal, going to the cinema, like, you know, usual stuff. I don't want to sound boring, but…

The Hair Game (36: 00:03:36 40)
No, those are pretty normal things. So I'm looking up the weather in your town and Tomorrow is a high of 39 degrees.

oana (36: 00:03:37 50)
Yes, cold. We don't have snow yet.

The Hair Game (36: 00:03:38 53)
Today is warm, it's 49 degrees, high of 49 degrees. It's currently 41 degrees, and I'm guessing that it's, is it nighttime?

oana (36: 00:03:39 56)
Yes.

00:03:40 Yeah, it is 8 p.m., like almost 9 p.m.

The Hair Game (37: 00:03:41 09)
And it's 10 45 a.m. in California. yes, yes, good evening. Buona sera. I know a little Italian.

oana (37: 00:03:42 14)
Good morning.

00:03:43 You're gonna say, yeah, how do you know that?

00:03:44 But you see, in our language we say buona sera, which is very similar to Italian. So for us, Romanian language is the Latin language. So for us, it's very easy to learn Italian. I don't understand probably 80%. I don't speak, but I can say buona sera. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. the way you said it was a little bit towards Romanian accent.

The Hair Game (37: 00:03:45 30)
really?

00:03:46 That's a lot.

00:03:47 Wow, I didn't know that.

00:03:48 well, that makes sense.

00:03:49 Well, that's why I did it. I gave it a little Romanian accent on purpose. I'm just kidding. No, no, that was my best Italian right there. And the fact that it sounds Romanian is not surprising. ⁓ thank you. All right. Any plans for the holidays?

oana (37: 00:03:50 59)
Accent. Okay.

00:03:51 That was very good.

00:03:52 Nothing. So tonight actually we do celebrate, you don't have this in the States, but we do celebrate Saint Nicholas, which Saint Nicholas brings in your shoes. So you have to get your shoes clean, polished, you leave it at the door. And Saint Nicholas brings you like sweet fruits and you know, that kind of stuff. So tomorrow we'll see what gonna happen, what I'm gonna find in my shoes.

The Hair Game (38: 00:03:53 40)
Okay.

00:03:54 You're gonna put your shoes outside the front door?

oana (38: 00:03:55 46)
Well, people do if they live in the house, yes, but if you live like in an apartment or something like that in the house basically. But it's a tradition, yeah.

The Hair Game (38: 00:03:56 54)
Interesting. And,

00:03:57 that's neat. Okay. And then St. Nicholas was supposed to go around and put dried fruits in there.

oana (39: 00:03:58 01)
Yeah, yeah and

00:03:59 if you like been a bold child let's say brings you how do you call it I don't know in English ⁓

00:04:00 a branch tree. to… Yeah, like a branch, basically. If you're not a… If you've been like bald or like not a good like kid. Just like… Yes, exactly. Yeah, exactly.

The Hair Game (39: 00:04:01 14)
Okay, like a twig or a branch or a… like a… Okay.

00:04:02 Got it. Yeah. You got a tree branch. A twig.

00:04:03 Got it. So here you get coal. know, the, the, the bad kids are told that if they don't behave, they get coal instead of a present under the tree. Yeah. Yeah. I never got any coal. I was good enough.

oana (39: 00:04:04 36)
⁓ okay.

00:04:05 Oh really? Oh wow, that's interesting, I didn't know that. Yeah,

00:04:06 oh, well done.

The Hair Game (39: 00:04:07 52)
Thank you.

00:04:08 you have any

00:04:09 horror stories?

00:04:10 Yeah, you must have screwed up something royally in the past.

oana (40: 00:04:11 03)
in the past.

The Hair Game (40: 00:04:12 05)
or maybe yesterday. Maybe you had a horror story from yesterday.

oana (40: 00:04:13 08)
Wait, yeah.

00:04:14 What do think about the situation?

00:04:15 Yeah, it doesn't make anybody like purple or green in purpose.

The Hair Game (40: 00:04:16 42)
That's funny. What about any of your co-workers in Ireland? Did they screw anything up?

oana (40: 00:04:17 48)
Well, yeah, that's why I said purple. remember one girl came ⁓ in, she had like a full head of highlights. was the time, like, you the T bars, half heads, full heads of highlights. So that was a time ago. So she came in and my colleague did a full head of highlights. And at the end, she opened the foils and was green. Was like almost neon green. And we looked at each other and we didn't know what.

00:04:18 what's going on and we tried to fix it and fix it and fix it. And that actually was a point in my career when I said, okay, I need to go and take more classes because going with Prolightner in top of Prolightner, I don't think is going to help this case. So ⁓ of course we didn't fix it. We just tried to go.

00:04:19 with more lightener on top of it and that wasn't a successful result because that green was even not more green but was paler, like, but was still green. I think it was, if I'm thinking now, something from the pool or something, a hair mask that she used at home, but I might more inclined to say was a hair mask with some pigments in and that's…

00:04:20 kind of interact with the polite nor but from that day I said I needs to go to classes and I need to invest more in my education. yeah. Well.

The Hair Game (42: 00:04:21 25)
Well, there you go. And look where that went. You know, what

00:04:22 a great result from a bad situation.

00:04:23 Well, tell us now that you've had this great success in this industry that your dad didn't want you to get into. What does he think now?

oana (42: 00:04:24 44)
Yeah, he's very proud, think. And I have to say, I always thank him for where I am today, just because I work so hard to prove him I'm not a regular hairdresser. Well, I don't want to say a regular hairdresser. I don't want, I didn't pick the easier job in life, where being a hairdresser is not something, ⁓ you use, you choose the easy way in life.

00:04:25 So that's.

00:04:26 helped me a lot to kind of get to get the power and work hard for where I am and for my journey. Ambition exactly that was the ambition.

The Hair Game (43: 00:04:27 27)
Yes, ambition. It gave you the ambition to,

00:04:28 yeah, to try new things, which you, you you described pretty well when you're in Ireland, you know, you're trying to bring in new products and learn new things. And maybe everybody in the little town wasn't doing so much. I've, when I've, the Irish hairdressers that I know, I've had some on the podcast and I know some off the podcast.

oana (43: 00:04:29 37)
Exactly.

The Hair Game (43: 00:04:30 56)
And I hear, I always hear that the people, the culture is such there that everybody just kind of tries to stay between the lines. Nobody really wants to get too far outside because they might get ridiculed for it.

oana (44: 00:04:31 07)
It

00:04:32 true, because I remember when I started and I want to start on social media, there ⁓ weren't many courses in Ireland. So what I had to do, I had to fly to the UK. The UK had more artists or more hair events. So I saved money, I went.

00:04:33 I was lucky because the flight was like 40 minutes, very close. But I did invest a lot because yeah, in Ireland was like the basic hair shows, nothing, I don't want to say nothing to learn from that, but nothing compare with the state because my followers and the artists I looked up were from the states. So when I was comparing.

00:04:34 I was like, okay, we don't have this in Ireland. So that's I was flying to the UK most of the time for the classes and education. yeah, it was hard. It was hard because it was hard to change the mindset. You know, people were like so used to it, that kind of idea of, ⁓ I want full head, I want a T-bar, I want half heads. So coming with something new.

00:04:35 and coming with, of course, different prices because you add treatments, you want to a new product, you want to add a new technique that might take you a little bit longer. That came with different costs and because of that, didn't really want to pay for it. So it was hard.

The Hair Game (45: 00:04:36 46)
Yeah, right. Well, look, it's the, it seems like you've been able to take some adversity and turn it into positive things. And in the case of your dad, you know, not advising that you get into this industry, you've turned it into a positive thing. It's become your kind of driving force and your ambition to do, you know, good things in this industry. And here you are. It's been fun for me to watch.

oana (46: 00:04:37 10)
Thank you.

The Hair Game (46: 00:04:38 13)
over the last five, six years for you to become successful in doing the neat things that you're doing.

00:04:39 So it's been a lot of fun and thank you so much for having this podcast with me.

oana (46: 00:04:40 25)
Thank you so much. Yeah, it is amazing to share the story and this is my first podcast and I think I'm gonna get better I hope and if I forgot something I will… If I forget something I'm sure I will… Yeah, but I need to come…

The Hair Game (46: 00:04:41 36)
No, you're great. I loved it.

00:04:42 Let me know and we'll add it on. No, but your story is very inspirational.

oana (46: 00:04:43 47)
Thank you so much. Thank you so much. It means a lot. And yeah, I hope I can help more artists and the new generation to work hard and be passionate and stay consistent because those days is very easy to get, I don't want to say disappointed, but discouraged not to put the word because we look up those big Instagram pages and be like, I want to be there, but how I can get there. But don't look…

00:04:44 there. Just get it as an inspirational page for you, but put the work and come with something new. Put your signature and of course your time is gonna come, but you have to be consistent and don't stay in the comfort zones because that's gonna kill you. So yeah.

The Hair Game (47: 00:04:45 33)
Absolutely.

00:04:46 That is, I would say you just summarize the theme of this podcast for the last eight years. Yeah, beautiful. Yeah. Well, thank you so much, Iwana. It was great seeing you.

oana (47: 00:04:47 41)
Thank you. Thank you so much.

00:04:48 Thank you so much. And by the way, I love your hair, your curls, because seven years ago it wasn't curly. It's good.

The Hair Game (47: 00:04:49 51)
thank you.

00:04:50 No, wasn't. it was more

00:04:51 of a pompadour time back then, but now it's…

oana (48: 00:04:52 04)
No,

00:04:53 yeah, keep up the curtains. That's good. That's so good.

The Hair Game (48: 00:04:54 07)
Yeah,

00:04:55 I've gone natural-ish. I mean, I'm gray, you can tell, but then, you the ends are lightened.

oana (48: 00:04:56 10)
That's nice. No, you can't.

00:04:57 You can't. Beautiful color. What color is it?

The Hair Game (48: 00:04:58 19)
Yeah, I mean, it's just, you know, the bleach turned it a little bit blonde on the ends, but now it's a little

00:04:59 bit gray and a little bit blonde.

oana (48: 00:05:00 28)
No, it's lovely. lovely. Yeah, thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you for everything.

The Hair Game (48: 00:05:01 30)
Thank you, thank you, thank you so much, this is awesome.