MEG MORAN

I am a business owner/hair artist/educator/coach. It is important to us that we help them recognize how beautiful their soul is while giving them a beautiful hair makeover. I specialize in dimensional bonding, which means all things balayage & foils to low lighting & melting! 

I feel as though every artist brings something different to the table, we all have that creative mindset. I have a handful of artists who I am coaching to become a better version of themselves. I created The Reversed Soul in order to help other stylists reach for their dreams in a specific way. I am their right-hand gal when it comes to goal setting and branding. It has been my calling to help more than just the people that I can reach in my chair. I am a hardcore giver and all I want to do is see other people succeed. 

My favorite thing about being a hairstylist is the connections and the conversations that spark up. The energy switches from when clients come in to when they leave because of the way I make them feel. 

Same goes with educating. To be able to inspire other artists makes me feel like I am making a difference and all I want to do with my career is make an impact on others. That is what keeps me going.

I have always had a passion for hair. It definitely started with my hairstylist, Sarah, who I saw as a teenager. She made me feel special even when I was an outcast. I tried every color in the book and she was always excited about it—I could tell! 

I thought to myself, “I would love to go to work and be happy all the time” because that’s what she made it seem like. She made me feel seen and that was what I needed at the time. I started experimenting on my own hair—everything from different styles and braiding, to coloring my friends’ hair and doing styles I found on YouTube. Back then I thought I was the bomb, haha!

Little did I know, I knew NOTHING. But…that feeling was there. I chased it, even though I felt like there were other paths for me along the way. I wanted to become a journalist because I loved writing so much. I just did not learn the way others did in school. I can’t retain information on paper at all. I am such a hands on learner, if you show me something, I can do it right back. 

So I knew that going to college was not going to work for me. Two weeks after I graduated high school, I started cosmetology school. My lightbulb moment in school was a story I heard from an artist who said he had a client come in and he felt so good after doing her hair. A week or two later he received a letter from her. It said she was going to take her own life that day and that's why she was getting her hair done. She decided not to because of the conversation and love she received from that stylist. That is what kept me motivated and inspired. It still does to this day. 

Authenticity means everything to me. It means that it is ok to be yourself. In a world filled with judgement and anxiety, it can be scary to let loose and just be yourself. I was scared of myself for a long time. I didn’t know who I was, nor did I want to figure it out. Masking became part of my life. I was a different person in different situations. I was awkward and quiet because I couldn’t stop worrying about how other people were going to judge me. I developed such bad social anxiety that I sat in silence because there was never a right thing to say. I stepped out of my comfort zone during hair school because I had to talk to everyone and make conversation. Still, even after working in many salons, I couldn’t find one where I could be authentically me, until I created it. 

I am no longer in fear of judgement, at least not as much. Being authentic is what really matters, it doesn’t matter when you discover yourself, it’s knowing that you will. We are all created different and that is the beauty in it. 

As an artist, we put our heart and soul into doing hair. It’s about the craft. My hands won’t move like others’ do and mine won’t move like theirs. My brain thinks totally differently than anyone else’s. That is what makes us unique. Authentic hair is a representation of who we are as artists. The time we put into perfecting our craft, the money we spent on education, the long hours we spend caring for others in our chair. 

We don’t just do hair, we change people’s lives. Think about it like this. Guests come in our chairs and we have no idea how their day went, or how the past few months have been for them. We don’t know if they have had anyone to talk to besides us. We create a safe space to not only give them beautiful hair but to allow them to be their most authentic self. Authentic hair is timeless because it’s not just about a hair technique. It is giving people a reason to look in the mirror not only at their hair, but at how beautiful they are as a human being.

I live with anxiety and it takes a toll on me. Sometimes there are triggers and sometimes it comes up for no reason. The best thing I have been doing for years is journaling and I carry a notebook with me everywhere I go. It is very important to pay attention to my feelings when I am going through things. If I feel a certain way I make sure to journal about it, so I can look back and reflect. Paying attention and slowing down when necessary is super important, I need to know why I am feeling the way I am, how to move past it, and what I will do to change my mindset. I love to live in the moment. I love creating gratitude lists to remind myself of the things I do have rather than the things I don’t. When I have ideas of things I want to do, or things I want to have, I start creating goal lists whether they’re big or small. Finally, having a clean house at night and when I wake up is probably my favorite thing because it allows me to go to bed and wake up in a good mood.

I love to hang out with my 5 year old daughter Lacey Mae. She is my life. I had her when I was 21 and did not have my life together one bit. She is my inspiration. I owe her my life because she gave me mine. We love doing crafts, she is very artsy! She loves to play music and sing, and of course makes me chime in and never judges my awful singing. 

I definitely have a shopping addiction, clothes are my weakness! A fresh new outfit brings me joy!

I would define my style as vintage meets modern. I love simplicity but I also love thrifted items. The simple joy of knowing a piece of furniture or clothing was a part of someone else’s journey is amazing. These things were a part of their life and have a story behind them. I love moody designs in photography. When I take pictures of my guests’ hair, I often have them put on one of my black jackets I keep at the salon. Something about a dark top in contrast with their hair is so beautiful. 

I am so excited to join Authentic Beauty Concept because of everything they stand for. Right when I saw the mantra “authentic beauty starts the moment you decide to be yourself. It’s about enhancing natural beauty,” I was sold. That in itself is more powerful than any other company out there. 

At the end of the day, a brand represents more than just what is in their products. Authentic Beauty Concept holds true to being authentic with what they put in their products too. I am a stickler when it comes to picking products, especially ones that I am giving to my guests or recommending to other stylists. 

I research ingredient lists, and I love the ingredients in these products. It’s so hard to say what my favorite products are because I truly love them all, but if I had to pick…I would say the hydrate line! When it comes to styling, I am a sucker for shaping cream and blow dry primer. I am very minimal with styling products, and most of my guests are too, and those two products are essential to an everyday wear! Can’t forget the dry shampoo too! They all are so amazing, I would recommend them all!