St. Albert graduate Alann Sluser has recently been named Alberta Hairstylist of the Year in back to back competitions.
Sluser moved to St. Albert just before she started Grade 11 at Bellerose High School, where she was first introduced to cosmetology.
“I always liked hair, so I might as well take it. I always played with my Barbie’s hair,” tells Sluser of choosing to take cosmetology, which was a choice she didn’t realize at the time would turn into the successful career she now leads.
Shortly after graduating, Sluser attended Marvel College where she was taught all angles of hair styling, yet discovered her niche was in hair colouring.
It was this ability that has lead her to recognition in the esthetics world through two of the most recognized competitions, the Mirror and Contessa awards, hosted by Canadian Hair Dresser Magazine and Salon Magazine.
In 2012 and 2013, Sluser won Canadian Colorist and Texture Stylist of the year, which was a national ranking. Now in 2014, Sluser has won Alberta Hairstylist of the Year in back to back competitions.
“It’s so cool to be recognized for what I do for a living,” says Sluser about being named tops in Alberta this year.
The competitions are intense, and require a lot of time dedicated from hairstylists. The competitors are required to style a photo shoot consisting of several models and elaborate hairstyles to be entered into the competition. It is from these collections of photos that winners are chosen.
“Honestly, it’s awesome to be able to express yourself in a different way that you can’t on a guest that comes into the salon,” explains Sluser.
For Sluser and her husband, Roshan Arul, success doesn’t come without giving back to the community. When Sluser and Arul opened their business, KoKo the Salon, they decided to get involved with charity work in the community. The salon works with St. Albert Community Village, which is an umbrella organization that assists in the delivery of services to disadvantaged residents.
“We really wanted to give back,” explains Arul, “so it feels like the right fit to work with St. Albert.”
The couple explained that for many people who have to use the service of the St. Albert Community Village, attending KoKo the Salon for a hair treatment brings some normalcy back to their day. The salon has one day a month which their business plays host to individuals who use the St. Albert Community Village, to come in for hair treatments.
“I think that people have this misconception that all of St. Albert is really wealthy,” says Arul.
“Anyone can write a cheque, but it’s special to be able to provide a service and give your time.”
Sluser and Arul say that these experiences are eye opening.
“Everyone has a story, everyone opens up in the same manner,” says Arul, who explains that many clients, no matter what walk of life they come from, tend to open up when in the salon.
“Never stop learning,” says Sluser of her salon career in which she meets new people all the time – an experience she gives credit to constantly learning new things.
“Never, ever think you know everything, because once you think you know everything you should not be in the industry anymore.”
Sluser is currently featured in the Canadian Hairdresser Magazine, and her work can be seen with the other winners at http://www.canhair.com/mirrorawards/.
