Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Kelly.
Hi Dominique , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In my early teen years, I fell in love with makeup and often used makeup as my creative outlet. I vividly remember spending hours on my makeup before bed, coming up with all sorts of creative looks as well as trying out different makeup styles. As my senior year of high school was approaching, I remember my mom asking if I had ever thought about going to cosmetology school as I have always had an interest and passion for hair and makeup. I set up a tour of a local cosmetology school in STL, I immediately knew after touring that I was exactly where I needed to be and that this was the next step in my journey. I enrolled in cosmetology school shortly after graduating high school and obtained my cosmetology license in 2017. Throughout my career I have worked for corporate and independent salons. In 2025 I decided I wanted a change in pace and opened my salon The Cosmic Color Lab, a micro-salon located in Saint Peters Missouri at MySalonSuite. My vision for The Cosmic Color Lab was to create an inclusive judgement free space where dream hair is created and hair health is prioritized. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to create hair art everyday along with the meaningful connections that I have made over the years with my lovely clients.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the most challenging periods of my career was navigating a global pandemic, which brought the beauty industry and all other “non-essential” business to a standstill. Salons were forced to close for weeks, and at the time so much of the future felt uncertain. When restrictions finally began to lift and service providers were able to return to work, the industry looked very different. Trying to adjust to the new normal was difficult considering service providers had to follow strict safety and social distancing protocols to keep everyone safe.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a hairstylist that specializes in vivid hair transformations as well as lived-in dimensional hair color. I’m known for creating hair that brings my clients vision to life while complementing their lifestyle. One of the things I’m most proud of is the relationships I have built with my clients. There are so many talented hairstylists out there and I’m incredibly grateful that my clients have trusted me with their hair. My goal has always been to create a space and experience that people genuinely feel seen, heard and cared for. The hair itself is of course important but it’s also just as important that people feel valued.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
If I could give a little advice to anyone starting out, it would be to give yourself grace. Every stylist starts as a beginner and growth takes time. Find a salon home that inspires and motivates you every day, somewhere that makes you feel supported and excited to learn from everyone around you. The best way to improve your skills behind the chair is by taking the walk- in client, working on models, and maintaining a teachable spirit. Each service is a new chance to learn and grow. You can never learn too much.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Domistyles.square.site
- Instagram: Domistyles
