ABOUT THE OWNER
Narin Arefi
What pushed you to pursue a career in cosmetology?
Growing up in Virginia, I had a very different idea of what my life would look like as someone in her late 20s, to be honest. The expectation was to graduate, go to a four-year school and stay close to home. Very small town. Very that. Deep down that never resonated with me and I always felt out of place as a result but didn’t know how to navigate through that entirely. So, I enrolled in some courses at the local community college thinking I wanted to be a child psychologist and ended up working part-time at a hair salon...and the rest is history. I was so fascinated by the stylists I was surrounded by and really loved the environment of surrounded by creatives. It felt like I finally had found a rhythm that I could keep up with and knew one way or another, I’d find a way to make it happen.
How long have you been doing hair?
I’ve been a licensed hairstylist since 2017.
What’s your favorite thing about doing hair?
My favorite part of being a hairstylist means I have the opportunity to connect with people on a personal level. Not only do I love creating looks that represent personal style, but I get to customize these looks around their individual lifestyles. I always strive to create a unique experience for each client that can also follow them when they are outside of the salon as well.
How many people work in your salon?
It’s just me! One chair, one sink, no extra foot traffic. Ensuring Covid safety was essential to me in opening Cobra, so owning a space that was better suited for safety and sanitation has been something I’ve become incredibly grateful for.
Do you have a service you specialize in?
Lightening (blonding) services, including but not limited to balayage and foiling, curly cuts, and razor cuts are the services that bring me the most joy when I am working behind the chair.