From Dogtown to Dreamtown
Kelly Farris of Flawless Beauty Salon and Flawless Beauty Supply is living her dream in the cosmetology business.
Words by Terrell Manasco | Image by Ryan McGill
Ever since she was a young girl, Kelly Farris has dreamed of working in cosmetology.
After graduating from Trinity Christian Academy in 1997, Kelly decided to pursue a career in the medical field instead. Although it didn’t work out, it opened the door for her to do what she’d dreamed of growing up in Carbon Hill.
“I just wanted to play in hair,” she laughs.
When she was a student at Bevill State Community College in the late 1990s, Kelly applied for a training program at Carraway Hospital but wasn’t accepted. Although she was disappointed, it gave her an opportunity to rethink her career plans.
Her high school best friend was working in cosmetology then, which inspired Kelly to pursue her childhood dream. While training at Jasper Beauty Academy, she worked at Smart Style and JCPenney salon. During a 12-year stint at La Ti Da salon in Jasper, she was delighted when her mentor from JCPenney, Vicki Johnson, joined the team.
In 2019, Opportunity came knocking with Inspiration in tow. Kelly was working at Nikki's Salon when she heard Esquire Beauty Supply had closed.
“Nobody opened another one,” she says of the beauty supply business, “so I decided to.”
Flawless Beauty Supply/Flawless Beauty Salon opened on Highway 78 in Jasper in January 2020.
But just as Kelly’s dream was getting off the ground, the business suffered a setback. “Eight weeks after we opened, Covid hit,” she recalls. “We were shut down for six weeks; we had a lot of rules when we came back.”
Kelly admits she’s naturally a shy person but says that Flawless has forced her to overcome it. After 22 years, she says she still loves it.
“You grow your customers. You do your first haircut, then start doing haircuts for proms and weddings,” she says. “I like the fashion side of it—the color, change of styles and techniques, going to classes and hair shows.”
Flawless Beauty Supply carries shampoos, conditioners, styling products, hairsprays, and other professional products to help clients maintain the look they want, with brand names like Olaplex, Amika, Matrix, and Duke Cannon hair products for men.
Kelly says the cosmetology business is generally viewed in a positive light, but that wasn’t always the case. “It was kind of looked down on before because you didn’t have a college degree. I don’t think it’s that way as much now,” she says. “You can make great money, but you have to put the work into it.”
Her work has taken her to different parts of the country, on adventures of which she’d never dreamed. Kelly worked hair shows in Nashville and once applied for Magic City Fashion Week in Birmingham. She didn’t make that list, but her disappointment faded when she was accepted for Sacramento Fashion Week.
“That was awesome,” Kelly grins. “Here I am, just a Dogtown girl and I'm out in California.”
Not bad for someone who’s just playing in hair. 78