Conscious Beauty And Beautiful Minds: Interview w/ Ericka Chancellor
Ericka Chancellor is a licensed professional hair care business owner of 20 years. She is an expert in public health and safety. Her journey officially began in Inglewood California after receiving her state board license from Contempo Beauty.
Ericka has participated in several Hair Shows and has been featured in professional hair magazines. Her specialties include but are not limited to: weaves, styling, coloring, hair growth and repair, alopecia and hair consultations. After years of mastering her profession, she was recruited by State Board Of Cosmetology as an Expert Examiner, NACCAS Beauty Evaluator, National Interstate Council Subject Matter Expert and El Camino College Board advisor.
Currently Ericka is organizing her Beyond The Chairs (BTC); an organization that registers and certify thousands of stylists in over 28 states in hopes to help them focus their businesses on health and safety. BTC provides business consulting, appealing fines from inspection and redeveloping beauty industry legislative footprints.
What was the first beauty routine you adopted as a child or teenager? Which emotions do you connect with this memory?
The first beauty routine I remember is getting my hair pressed and curled. Press and curling is a thermal styling technique that straitens curly hair. Having this hair style performed on me as a child and teenager made me feel highly esteemed. I remember it could be a painful sometimes if I got a burn, but the end result make your hair feel nice and silky. I was always happy about the compliments I received and it made my hair manageable for daily grooming. The perfect style.
CONSCIOUS BEAUTY — What meaning do you give this term?
Conscious Beauty means recognizing that beauty comes in a many ways. It means Creating a beauty industry that reflects that. Developing curriculum, legislation and Protection for all nationalities diversely
Which aspects of sustainability in beauty are especially important to you?
The aspects of sustainability in the beauty industry that are important to me are the continual redevelopment of the scope and needs of the industry. With an ever growing industry we need to be able to review and remove the bias antiquated laws, curriculum, services and structure. I believe that being able to sustain a business you need to recreate often.
When do you consciously feel beautiful?
I feel consciously beautiful when I feel healthy. I believe that beauty is closely connected to your mental health. It has been found that when people get into depression they tend to forget about grooming and caring for themselves. So to feel consciously beautiful you have to have balanced mental health. Mental health is one aspect but also physically healthy when a person is in the hospital they aren’t concerned about their physical appearance. After a while and feeling better they tend to ask someone to groom them by shaving their beards or styling their hair. These are some of the signs that someone is feeling better according to hospital staff. Even during the covid pandemic I noticed that people would still come to get their hair done so that they wouldn’t slip into depression because of being quarantined. It’s very crucial in redevelopment the beauty industry where licensee are taught the value they hold, in doing their jobs. How they have a big impact on people’s physical and mental health.
Did your approach to beauty change within the last 1–2 years?
Yes I do feel as though my approach to beauty changed in the last 1–2 years. Because of having to wear a mask I haven’t been able to wear much makeup, now I have become more comfortable without wearing it. My hair I have worn in protective styles that require very little maintenance.
How would you like to see the image of beauty change within the next 5 years?
I would like to see the image of beauty change by adding diversity in looks that are portrayed in mainstream. I would like to see a National license that’s not restrictive to licensees. I would like to see cosmetology redevelop on a university level.
What or who inspires your beauty routine?
My beauty routines are inspired by the convenience of it. I like low maintenance beauty.
What is your best beauty advice to others?
My best beauty advice to others is beauty is not just in how you look but how you feel, how you treat others and yourself. You can have the best hair and be the best dressed but frowning and being angry will age your face faster than smoking and drinking. It will also cause your health to decline. It’s hard to be beautiful and unhealthy.
Is there anything you would like to share that we have not asked you here?
Thank you for this concept of Conscious Beauty. It’s a special Unicorn for the industry.
THANK YOU!
Follow Beyond The Chairs on Instagram.
Demee Koch about the MEDIUM interview series on CONSCIOUS BEAUTY:
Hello! I am a serial entrepreneur with more than 2 decades of experience in the health & beauty industry. This interview series is intended to create awareness about the movement of Conscious Beauty.
We are in a beautiful time of Conscious Beauty — you may have heard of this term, but what does Conscious Beauty mean, and why does it matter?
For us, beauty is a way to love — it is about self-care, art, nutrition, exercise, life, self-love. I invite you to become part of a movement that re-defines beauty. Let’s empower beautiful minds.
Thank you for being the change. I’m looking forward to learn from you. Reach out to me via LinkedIn.
Demee ❤︎
