Getting your hair done professionally is an experience that not only renews your confidence in your physical appearance – it makes you feel better about yourself all around! That’s the philosophy that Providence hair salon owner Lauren Dennehy has built her brand on. After many years of nurturing her talent and finding her place in the hair industry, Lauren opened the doors of Soulistic Boho Salon in April of 2021, and has turned her chair into a place where women can come to feel empowered, heard, and appreciated.
Soulistic Boho Salon is located in Cranston and attracts clients from all over the greater Providence area, as well as Massachusetts. While of course it was super exciting for Lauren to finally have her own space, and create the experience she had always wanted to give her clients, her journey wasn’t quite so glamorous. “Before social media took off, it was really hard to build,” she explained. “I went to a salon on Newbury Street in Boston, and worked as an assistant there for a while. I basically just did cleaning work. But, it taught me a lot about work ethic, and I learned by helping other stylists. I would go in one day a week to practice on models. The commute was long and I was definitely burnt out.
From there, I went to a Supercuts-type salon to pay the bills. Then I finally landed a job at a spa. I worked there for about 9 years, but it turned out to be toxic.”
Then, things finally started to look a little brighter for Lauren. She moved to a salon on the East Side of Providence, which turned out to be a much healthier, more inspiring environment. “I had great support there,” she told me. “I started to figure out my place in the hair industry, and the women there really empowered me.”
Lauren was also able to build a stronger support network through social media. “It’s been super helpful,” she shared. “It’s such a great way to find like-minded people.”
But when COVID hit in March of 2020, the uncertainty of the industry drew Lauren further toward the idea of branching out on her own.
“The opportunity [to rent my own space] literally sat in my chair,” she told me. “A client came in to get her hair done for headshots, and she told me about the Suites in Chapel View. I knew it was going to be a lot of work, but I also knew this was my chance to level up.”
Lauren admits that the transition from working in an hourly salon to working in her own rental salon wasn’t easy. But things really transformed for her once she was the one in control.
“I really try to redirect conversations and improve people’s days. I try to make the appointment about them, and about how they can empower themselves day-to-day. For me, it’s about really listening to clients and building friendships with them, making her salon a safe space for them.
My favorite thing about my job is getting the chance to turn a client’s day around,” she went on. “I know what it’s like to have to fight to get out of bed. I want to make people feel empowered to show up for themselves and love themselves.”
Lauren primarily does this through her creative color work. “I love being able to give people colorful looks that really complement their personalities,” she told me. “My dream project would be psychedelic rainbow hair, almost a 3D kind of look.” (Um, how cool would that be?!)
She fully acknowledges the power of that a bold new hair color can have in transforming someone’s confidence—especially one that’s super unique. Her incredible color skills, along with her holistic approach to beauty, are quickly making Soulistic Boho Salon the Providence hair salon to visit if you want to feel empowered.
