Today we’d like to introduce you to Marin Gilabert.
Marin, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in North County the Daughter of an Alt-Country Musician and former Beauty Queen. I spent my childhood cutting my Barbie’s hair and coloring it with markers. Being a child of the 80s and 90s growing up watching an artist like Madonna and her ever-changing style completely fascinated me. Oddly enough, I found out that my late Grandfather a former Navel officer who died before I was born owned a salon in Downtown San Diego in the late 50s early 60’s. Back in the early 2000s, I was a makeup artist living in Los Angeles pretty happy but I always wanted to do hair. Hair was the missing piece of my career puzzle. The challenge was being able to get educated while working but I worked really hard and made that happen attending beauty school at night. Looking back I don’t know when I slept. Worked during the day, class from 5:30-10 and literally went out dancing or to go see bands every night. If I only had that energy now! After many years of doing hair in Los Angeles, I had started a family. I wanted to give my kids the kind of childhood I had growing up in S.D. So, nearly five years ago, I moved here. I had no friends or clients and found Salon Radiance II in La Mesa to build my clientele. After a couple of years there, I had enough business to strike out on my own. Luckily, some chance meetings lead me in the right direction to make that happen. At first, I was hesitant about opening out east but it has been amazing! The clients absolutely love the peacefulness that comes with a private studio and this location has easy parking which is so important these days.
Has it been a smooth road?
Starting from absolutely nothing when I first moved back to San Diego. At first, I was spending my weekends driving to L.A. to do clients but it was incredibly stressful.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I adore working with corse, curly, wavy, multi-ethnic and/or thick hair. I specialize in Smoothing Treatment, Brunettes, Dark Blonds and Redheads. I also still do some makeup on the side as well as facial waxing. I’m proud that I use the most Earth Friendly products out there. I’m proud that I cater to a group that isn’t focused on as much in San Diego. With all the Blonde Balyagé specialist, I love representing the rest of us because there are so many of us out here.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
San Diego is a tough market because it’s oversaturated with salons but if you find the specialty and do your absolute best you can succeed.
Pricing:
- Curly Haircuts Starting at $65
- Smoothing Treatments $230
- Color Starting at $90
- Facial Waxing Starting at $10
Contact Info:
- Address: 214A TownCenter Pkwy, Santee, CA 92071
- Website: https://maringilabert.wixsite.com/onepaintedpony
- Phone: (619)905-0699
- Email: onepaintedponymarin@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/onepaintedpony
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/onepaintedpony
- Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/one-painted-pony-san-diego
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