Amy Elaine Ho is a veteran of the hair industry. With nearly 20 years in the business, Ho knows the ins and outs of becoming a sharp stylist who can provide transformational haircuts to her clientele.
After moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, from Hawaii in 2003, Ho enrolled in hair school and discovered her passion for haircutting.
“Hawaii is a melting pot of cultures and is very diverse so being from there has helped me be able to connect with all different clients and have a deep appreciation for all hair types,” Ho said. “I also have the “Aloha spirit” instilled in me, which translates into my practice by creating a welcoming and relaxed environment for my clients, making them feel comfortable and valued.”
Regular cuts are pivotal to maintaining healthy hair because split ends have the potential to split up the hair shaft, causing breakage and thinning. People often avoid haircuts to preserve length, even when the hair is visibly damaged. However, Ho believes haircuts aren’t supposed to be scary if a proper consultation is done with the right stylist—they’re supposed to be a liberating experience to look forward to.
Students headed back to school and searching for inspiration for their back-to-school hairstyle should consider transforming their haircuts to let go of old energy and enter the school year with a new look.
Amy Elaine Ho spoke with NaturallyCurly about haircut transformations, back-to-school hair routines, and haircut mishaps. Here’s what she had to say:
How did you choose haircutting as your specialty?
I really connected with haircutting when I saw how transformational a haircut can make someone look and feel. I also loved the artistic approach to it. I became obsessed and started assisting at hair shows with a hair-cutting company called RUSK. At that time, their education was superior and mind-blowing.
I worked very hard to prove myself, and it was game over once I was finally invited to training. I started educating as a platform artist and traveling around the country. I was even fortunate enough to teach in London and New Zealand. Haircutting has been my passion ever since. I educated them for over ten years.
What is the connection between our hair and our energy?
In some cultures, hair is thought to hold energy or be a conduit for spiritual connection. I am Asian, so we always get a good haircut prior to the new year to bring in fresh energy and cut off dead energy. Even if some don’t connect with this, I think in the beauty industry, “energy” might refer to the vibe or aura that a person’s hairstyle projects.
Now that school is back in session, how should parents handle situations where their tween or teen is ready to cut their hair?
Image Source: @hairbyamyelaine
As a parent of a tween boy, I always try to convince him to cut his hair. He would love to wear it way longer than it should be. But for parents who have their tweens or teens asking for a haircut, I would say to find the right stylist and have their kid go through pictures to be clear on what they want. Hair grows, so if they want to cut their hair, let them express themselves!
What are some quick back-to-school hairstyle suggestions for tweens and teens?
Bobs are really in, and I love the ’90s looks that are back in—especially since that was my era! For teens with shorter hair, little braids are cute, or even soft crimped looks are in.
Can you advise people who have a haircut mishap right before school starts?
If there is ever a bad experience with getting a haircut mishap, especially before school starts, I’d recommend going back to the stylist to fix it. If that’s not possible, I would say to find a way to style your hair until it can grow out. I know it seems easy to say, but when you’re a teen and something like a bad haircut happens, it can feel devastating. But again, it’s all about finding the right person for you to connect with and communicate clearly.
How can we expand hair-cutting education to be more inclusive to people with curly and kinky hair?
Finding the right hair-cutting education is like finding the right stylist. I am a firm believer in focusing on your forte. If someone inquires about cutting their hair and mentions that they have extremely curly hair that they wear naturally, I may not be the right stylist for them only because I want them to have an amazing experience with someone who cuts curly hair on a regular basis.
When seeking education, I think going to a class by my friend Leysa Carrillo, whose main focus is education for curly hair, would be ideal. Seeking education curated to what you want to learn is vital, and with so much out there and social media, it’s easier to find.
How often should people get haircuts?
I normally have my shorter-haired clients come in every 4-6 weeks to maintain their shape. For my longer-haired clients, I recommend 6-8 weeks, depending on the hair’s health if their hair is pretty healthy and they like it long, sometimes even 12 weeks, but no longer than that.
How does a hair care routine change with shorter hair? Is shorter hair lower or higher maintenance?
Image Source: @hairbyamyelaine
Hair care routines are different for shorter and longer hair. Product usage, of course, is more with longer hair, but upkeep and maintenance with a short haircut are a bit more. For instance, I recently chopped 10 inches off my hair and went for a super cute bob shape, which I love! But having a bob and wanting to keep it in shape and cute means getting haircuts more often. Whereas when my hair was long, I could go quite a while without needing it.
How will your hairstylist journey and hair-cutting education change within the next few years?
I am currently working with my partner, Amrita Soli, on our haircutting education classes. It’s called A2 Haircutting Education – a simplified approach to hair cutting. We are doing classes at Square Salon (our home salon) and inviting other stylists to purchase tickets for a full education day. There are two demonstrations and a hands-on portion, which is so much fun. Haircutting shouldn’t be stressful.
We teach three techniques that can be used alone or together to create ANY shape/haircut. It takes the guesswork out of haircutting. So, the next year looks hopeful that we will be able to share what we know and help those who want to really hone in on their haircutting craft. Color has taken the forefront, especially in education. So many people are not comfortable cutting hair, and I see it all the time. So, having stylists who have attended our classes have those AHA moments, go back to the salon, and cut hair confidently is the best feeling ever.
What haircuts will you be exploring for your little one’s this season? Let us know in the comments!
