By Francine Black, Staff Reporter
Kerry Spencer, owner and operator of Salon Innovation in New Kingston applies permanent make-up to one of her customer's eyebrows. - FRANCINE BLACK PHOTO
KERRY SPENCER, OWNER and operator of Salon Innovation in New Kingston has proven that an interest can be turned into a successful career.
Spencer, who is the seventh child in a family of professionals has been operating Salon Innovation for more than 14 years. As its name suggests, it continues to make its mark in the beauty industry, providing cutting edge, up-to-date and innovative beauty options for males and females.
Spencer, who was born and grew up in Kingston,started out wanting to follow in her family's foot steps. But, her focus soon shifted to where her real interest lied. "I grew up in a family where you had doctors, pilots, basically professionals and my father wanted me to do business administration so I went to UTECH (University of Technology) where I did business administration," she said.
However, her attempts to live up to the family's dreams ended abruptly when her father died in her second year of study. Spencer did not wish to continue pursuing business administration and dropped out of UTECH to study cosmetology at Leon's Beauty School on Lady Musgrave Road.
When she completed Leon's, Spencer went overseas to continue studying. "After Leon's, my sister wanted me to come to New York and I agreed to go, only if she would pay for me to go to beauty school," Spencer said.
BEAUTY TREATMENTS
Her sister agreed and so she went to Wilfred School Academy in New York where she did a diploma in Beauty Technology. She then started to work with Motions International as the Caribbean Technologist.
However, she wanted to return home to Jamaica and did so in 1990. Her need to start something of her own lead her to establish Salon Innovation which started in Constant Spring with a second branch being opened later in New Kingston. Both were later merged to create the present location.
The salon which started with two persons assisting Spencer and offering hair care and nail care services only, has grown to a staff of ten, seven women and three men, offering hair care, nail care, make-up, tattoos, body piercing and facials for males and females and several other beauty treatments. She says her clientele now ranges from 80 to 110 customers each week.
Spencer goes overseas every year where she does continuous studies in different areas. She has studied in Italy, Atlanta, New York and several other places across the world. Her most recent training being from a Japanese artist in applying permanent make-up. This new technology basically targets persons with little or no eyebrows, moustache, or persons who are tired of applying certain pieces of make-up such as eye-liner and lipstick everyday. Instead, persons can have these permanently drawn on the skin using new technology.
Spencer believes strongly in good customer service and having high professional standards in the workplace. This is evident in her code of ethics and conduct which govern hers and employees operations at the business place.
Her abilities and standards have won her several awards and certificates. Her skills in her field have not gone unnoticed as she recently worked as stylist for the models used in the advertisements for Sedal hair product line that were aired in Jamaica.
She is also working with the Evolution product line and goes to beauty schools to educate other beauty students about the products.
She is licensed by the Florida Council of Cosmetology National Beauty Culturists' League.
Despite her string of successes, Spencer says she must thank God as she believes he has guided her achievements and path in life.
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