Tag: Raquel. Does. Hair.

Raquel Torres of Raquel.Does.Hair. is an independent veteran hairstylist who gives her clients an exclusive salon suite experience in her own private room located in the Visionary Hair Company salon in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off of S.R. 56 (just east of I-75).

“You pay for my full attention,” says Raquel. She says she never double-books, so she won’t be attending to someone else’s haircut while you’re sitting under a dryer. “I control my own schedule, which is nice because I can set the appropriate appointment length to give each client the best experience possible.”

Raquel became licensed as a cosmetologist in Florida in 2003. She was dual enrolled in high school, where she thought cosmetology school would help her gain independence and an option for supporting herself while she attended college. Instead, she “fell in love and found I had a knack for hair.”

She did go on to receive her Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree from Pasco Hernando Community (now State) College in Brooksville in 2005. In addition to her cosmetology schooling and general education, she also recently went to barber school and became licensed as a barber last July.

Raquel says men, women and children come to her for, “everything in the color and cut family.” She says that includes hair cuts, razor cuts (which she says offer more texture versus a blunt cut using scissors), pixie cuts and short hair cuts for women, among other styles. She does color and highlights, and especially loves a technique she uses with many of her clients called “balayage highlighting,” where she hand-paints your highlights instead of using foils.

“It makes it so the outgrowth is more natural with no heavy horizontal lines,” Raquel says, “so people can carry their natural color much longer without needing any kind of touch-ups.”

Especially now that Raquel has her barber’s license, she says she offers men much more of an experience than any of those “quick places” men often go to for their haircuts. Her high-quality cuts include shampoo and a scalp massage, which she says men really enjoy.

“When a man comes to me for the first time, they often tell me no one had ever given them a scalp-massage before,” she says. “Now, they won’t let me skip it. They enjoy the relaxation of the experience.”

Raquel worked in salons in Brooksville, Gainesville, and Wesley Chapel for many years before she says she “took a leap of faith” and began working independently in 2012. She found the room for rent at Visionary Hair Company and felt that striking out on her own at that time in that location was meant to be. “My faith played a huge part in this,” Raquel says. “I really wanted this decision to come when I was sure it was what I was supposed to do.”

Raquel says that, to date, her business has grown primarily from word of mouth and referrals. She encourages clients to refer their friends to her when they’re looking for something new.

“Every client you refer to me means $10 off your next service, and your friend gets $10 off, too.” says Raquel.

“I hear from people all the time that it’s harder to find a new hairstylist than to find a new doctor,” she adds, “especially because, when you try someone new, you have to walk around ‘wearing’ that until your next experiment.”

So, Raquel wants to make the experience of giving her a try easy and pressure-free. She says she talks with each client for 5-10 minutes before she ever takes out her cutting tools. Because her room is private, she can close the door, so there’s no one else watching. She says she prides herself on being able to communicate with her clients.

“Anyone can say they are a hair stylist, but I really work to understand how my clients see themselves so that we can agree on a vision for their look,” says Raquel. “I take as much time as needed to be sure we find a style that complements them and their lifestyle.”

She also says the private room allows each client to have the experience that really fits their needs at that time. “A lot of moms come in and just want peace and quiet while they drink their coffee,” she says. Then she laughs, “Others want to talk, and I tell them they can talk as much as they want as long as they hold their head still.”

She says she also has clients who want to come in and have a good time, so she’ll put on some good music and maybe even sing and dance while she works. “If you’re looking for entertainment, I can do that, too,” she laughs.

Client Allen Williams says that Raquel’s warm, bubbly personality, and excellent work has kept him coming back to Raquel since the day he went to a salon and the person he wanted to see wasn’t there, so he ended up with her.

Allen says she cut his hair and his response was, “Wow! I like this.” Allen’s been going to her ever since, following her to her new location.

Allen’s wife Julie started going to Raquel a little over a year ago. “She’s always in a happy mood, and I feel super comfortable with her,” Julie says. “She really seems to know what’s going to look good on me.” Julie adds that she wanted to “go blonde” for the summer, but Raquel talked her out of it.

“She’ll do what you want,” Julie says, “but the times I’ve gone against her advice, I’ve regretted it.” Julie says Raquel suggested she tone the blonde way down so it goes with her complexion, and she loves the end result.

Allen and Julie’s son, who is a high school student, began getting his hair cut by Raquel, too. Raquel describes his style as “hipster chic” and says he’s “very particular” about his hair. His parents say people often ask him who cuts his hair, so they refer them to Raquel.

“I love her,” says Julie, “and everyone I’ve recommended her to loves her, too.” Allen concurs, “I refer everybody to her, because you can pretty much guarantee they’re going to be happy.”

That’s Raquel’s goal. “I don’t care how you looked when you came in,” she says, “I’m responsible for how you look and feel when you leave.”

Raquel.Does.Hair. is located at 2405 Creel Ln., Suite. 101, inside the Visionary Hair Company salon. Raquel is available by appointment Tuesdays-Saturdays beginning at 10 a.m. To make an appointment, call Raquel at (352) 442-1082. You can see before and after photos of her work, check her prices, and read client testimonials at StyleSeat.com/raqueldoeshair.