For the Love of Hair with Jenna Perry
Jenna Perry, a New York-based hair colorist and founder of Jenna Perry Studio, shares how her love for hair grew from childhood memories into a career centered on creativity, confidence, and connection.
What's the reason you fell in love with hair?
I fell in love with hair because I loved the energy of the hair salon. Growing up, I was surrounded by really special women in my life and they all took their beauty routines very seriously in their busy day-to-day lives. My grandma would get her hair done every week in the salon, and my aunt would always be really adventurous with her hair color. And then my mom was more into the wellness side of things, like Ayurvedic oil hair treatments. So I would spend lots of time at the hair salon and with my aunt and my grandmother and my mom. The environment really inspired me.
Do you feel you connect to your personal identity through your hair?
Yeah, definitely. I think being a redhead growing up has always kind of set me apart.
And what's your relationship like with your hair now?
I feel like I've built the confidence to embrace my natural hair color and hair texture. That's kind of how I've built a career, based off encouraging women to do the same.
What are 3-4 words that come to mind when you think about hair and your relationship and connection to it?
Self expression. Style. Creativity. And fun!
How does hair spark joy for you?
I believe that hair should be fun. It's not that serious. It’s self-expression and if you're having a good hair day, you're having a great day.
Hair care rituals can be a way for us to perform self care & love, do you have any specific rituals?
I really love brushing my hair and I also love oil treatments. I think that the relaxation of all of that really is calming to me.
Tell us about your career and your journey with the hair industry.
I really always kind of knew, luckily, what I wanted to do. So after high school, I went straight to hair school and I came straight to New York. I always wanted to be in New York. I would come to New York as a kid to take dance classes so I just fell in love with the heartbeat of the city and I needed to get here. That's how my hair career started. I worked as an assistant, I was in fashion shoots, I did everything. I even learned how to barber. I fell in love with hair color 10 minutes into my career because of my niece and that's kind of how I developed my technique.
And why do you love working with hair?
I love working with hair because I love making people feel really special and good about themselves. The connection between the client and the hairdresser is really special and intimate and can be very emotional at times.
Do you remember the first time you coloured someones’s hair?
Yes. I think we were 11. It was with my two best friends. I lived in downtown Newport, Rhode Island, and we walked to the beauty supply store. I just put bleach on their hair and it was a success. I wouldn't do that now though!
Do you feel a connection to people when you work with their hair?
Yes. I'm actually touching someone, so there's a very intimate and big energy transfer that happens. It's a big emotional connection.
