From Mariah to Maira: Stylist To the Stars Finds Home in Hoboken

Besides sharing a love for one another, this husband and wife duo share impressive resumes that include working high fashion runway shoots for the likes of DKNY, Michael Korrs, and Diane Von Furstenburg to name a few.

Chris also worked in several top NYC salons including Privé and Joseph Martin, and styled the locks of several A-list celebrities including Mariah Carey and Mariska Hargitay. He was also a stylist on Carey’s “Fantasy” video.

The Padulas opened the salon on June 12, 2007, and business has been booming ever since.

Always on the lookout for an interesting story to post on 1010wins.com, I decided to check out the Beauty Parlour to catch a glimpse of this power couple in action.

BR: Chris and Maira, why did you decide to open the salon in Hoboken and name it the Beauty Parlour?

Chris: We find the idea of calling our salon "The Beauty Parlour" just the slightest bit sarcastic, which, if you know us, sort of fits our sense of humor. But, Maira and I had bonded early over a shared interest in antiques (clothing, my record collection or the furniture in our house), and that's also how we chose the look of the salon.

Calling the place a seemingly antiquated name just fit.

But the biggest reason is that, although we've worked for some great people that named salons after themselves, we personally never wanted to ask anyone to work under our name -- just always seen it as somewhat masturbatory.

Why Hoboken? Because it’s a town full of intelligent, professional, fashion conscious young women and men obviously, who know what they want. We love this town!

BR: Alrighty. Moving on from masturbatory…Did you enjoy working the high fashion runway shows, and do you miss them?

Chris: Neither of us really ever saw ourselves focusing our careers on runway or editorial work, but I did enjoy getting out of the physical enviroment of the salon and working in "the trenches."

Changing your setting keeps you thinking differently and keeps you sharp. For that reason, we still like to work "on site" whenever an opportunity presents itself.

BR: As a follow up to the last question, any fashion show horror stories, or horror stories in general?

Chris: There was pretty much always a horror story: From models not showing up on time or at all, or with the same hair they had in their head shot, to blowing fuses and losing power at the worst possible moment, to the other hair stylists you’re working with vanishing. But, if there weren't horror stories, I probably wouldn't enjoy my job.

Maira: One time a client told me she wasn't sure what color she wanted but she liked several and wanted to have them all at once. There were way too many colors so we didn't do it -- but we compromised.

BR: Chris, do you still have any celebrity clients? And do you miss working in the high-profile salons of Manhattan?

Chris: No celebrity clients right now. Stars don't usually give you their contact info., so when you switch salons the relationship usually ends—which is fine. It's fun to be able to tell the stories, (like the time I refused to cut an actress's hair short since she very calmly and matter-of-factly told me she would sue me if she didn't like the cut – that stuff I don’t miss), but the truth is, I never would have stopped working in New York if that was the important part.

BR: Wow. I don’t blame you for refusing to do the cut! Speaking of short cuts, many people, including myself, want to change their look but are afraid of, well, change. What advice can you offer people who want a new look but are a bit skittish?

Chris: If someone is hesitant but wants to change their look, I try to figure out what they like best about the cut they already have. For example, if they love their choppy layers and are getting bored with the length, then I’ll offer them something that will help them keep what they already like.

Maira: I love, love when this happens because I feel that so many people feel this way but they're afraid of change. I’ll ask the client what color they have always dreamed of, and then, only if it works, I will give them a splash of that color to give them some time to see how they feel. If they like it, we’ll usually take that color to bolder level.

I think easing in to a different color is the best way for those scared of change. Therefore, the most important thing to me is for me to be honest and to not be at all pushy.

BR: Great. Thanks Maira. As a client, it’s nice to feel like you’re not being forced into anything. As a matter of fact, memories of a really, really tight perm are flooding my brain!

Speaking of, I noticed on your Web site that the Beauty Parlour has “a strict policy to perform absolutely no perms or relaxers without booking a consultation first.”

Maira: Many clients have unrealistic expectations of chemical services, therefore, it’s very important for us to accurately (and gently) bring those expectations within more reasonable and functional parameters.

BR: Do you find that business has slowed down at all in these tough economic times?

Chris and Maira: There was a two week period back in September when all the bad news about the economy hit and we were really, really concerned. But everything got back to normal for us as we got closer to the holidays. That being said, we are still growing and are still getting new clients and like to think that maybe word is getting out that we are doing something right over here.

But if it’s just pure luck, we'll take that -- for now.

BR: Since business has been good, do you have any plans to expand?

Chris: We badly want to expand our staff and be open more days of the week, but for now, there are no immediate plans to expand. But maybe we'll open a second salon someday.

BR: What made each of you decide to get into hair styling, and who, if anyone, do you consider to be an inspiration?

Chris: My decision to do hair was abrupt and seemingly came from out of the blue. I always considered the 8 months I spent working around Mariah Carey my "trial by fire" period since she was a client at the very first salon I worked in.

FYI., this was during the height of her popularity so she was in the salon all the time. After a series of circumstances I wound up assisting the owner of the salon (far too quickly in my opinion), so I had to learn hair quickly (or at least Mariah’s hair) to keep my job.

My biggest inspiration has always been a great friend named Sean Guillory. I worked with him at my second salon and have never worked beside a more humble artist or bigger gentleman.

Maira: My first hair stylist from my teenage years was a great inspiration to me. Her extreme dedication, talent and happiness in this business stuck in my head and made me realize what I wanted when I got older.

BR: On to a more personal question: Where did the two of you meet?

Chris: Nothing too interesting: We met at a salon (go figure!) and went from meeting, to becoming friends, to dating. We married in 12 months and three weeks of meeting each other.

BR: So not love at first sight, but pretty close! What challenges do you face (if any), running a business and a home together?

Chris: The only challenge is Maira keeping her hands off of me and vice versa.

BR: Really…

Maira: There are no challenges here, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

BR: That’s sweet. Well, on a final note, since there seem to be as many hair salons as there are bars in Hoboken, what would you say to a potentially new client to get them to give you a try? What makes the Beauty Parlour different? (beside the free wine and beer you offer clients – a nice touch I might add!)

Chris: I’d like to think that the first difference is that most of us working here have the reputation and the resumes to back up our prices -- not all salons in town do.

The second difference is that you will get great service in an unpretentious, comfortable atmosphere. The good thing is that we take ourselves far less seriously than we take our careers.

BR: And speaking of careers, if you weren’t cutting and coloring hair, what would your dream gig(s) be?

Chris: I like my guitars, but I feel that saying my dream gig as professional rock star is kind of obvious. So I’d have to say husband, and one day, dad.

Maira: To be on "Dancing with the Stars!"
 
Judging by Maira's style and grace, I can totally see that happening someday.

The Beauty Parlour is located at 532 Monroe Street, and is open Tuesday through Thursday 12 p.m. to 10 p.m; Friday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For an appointment, call: 201-963-8800.

For more information, visit The Beauty Parlour online.