Meet Emily Alcorta | Barber & Cosmetologist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Alcorta and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, why did you pursue a creative career?
When I was a teenager in high school, I used to trim my mom’s hair for her. She liked it perfectly straight across, and I made sure every single hair was even. I’ve also always loved makeup and hair. I did my friend’s makeup before prom or events in school. I had a lot of fun and really enjoyed doing hair and makeup. It turned into a hobby for me and I practiced on myself every day. Then after I graduated, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
After a few years of working and trying out community college, I decided to go to cosmetology school and see if this hobby could turn into a career. Once I graduated cosmetology school, I worked at Great Clips as my first job. I learned more on how to do men’s haircuts and then moved on to more men’s grooming salons. I really loved men’s cuts and shaves so I decided to further my career and go to barber school.
I am now a dual licensed cosmetologist and barber and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have gotten to where I am today with hard work, long hours, and dedication. In cosmetology/barber school, if there was a topic that was briefly touched on and I wanted to learn more, I sought it out myself. I spent hours watching YouTube videos, watching my peers cut hair, and teaching myself barbering techniques on all hair textures.
It’s definitely not been easy, the last 5 years that I’ve been in this field has been hard but very rewarding. Being a female barber in a predominately male dominated space can be difficult. I’ve had people leave the shop because there isn’t a male barber on site. I always felt like I had to work that much harder to prove myself. So I did just that. I learned everything I could about barbering and how to master it.
The biggest lesson I’ve had to learn is that not everyone will take you seriously and that YOU are the one who has to. You are your biggest fan, mentor, and friend.
My goal has always been that anyone from any walk of life can sit in my chair and be comfortable knowing that I can take care of them. I’ve spent years perfecting my craft and I will continue to do so. Never stop learning, this is an industry that is always growing and so should you.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I will say I’m a homebody when I’m not working but there are a few things I like to do and go see.
I love nature, going on walks and finding trails. I live in Carrollton, and Arbor Hills Nature Preserve is close by. My husband and I like to go there when the weather is nice and walk. There’s miles of trails and you could honestly spend all day there.
I enjoy comedy shows, I’ve been to a few with friends at the Majestic in downtown Dallas. It’s a beautiful building and I love a good laugh.
Museums, aquariums, and zoos are also a fun and interesting thing to do as well. My husband and I went to the Dallas World Aquarium for our 1 year wedding anniversary this past September and we had a great time. The Perot Museum in downtown Dallas is also a really cool place to go, there’s real dinosaur fossils and plenty of nature things to observe. The Ft. Worth Zoo is in my opinion, the best zoo in DFW.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give credit to my husband and my parents. Without their love and support of my dreams, none of this would be possible. They pushed me to be the best that I can be and for that I will forever be grateful. My dad always says, “Keep moving forward”, and I have kept that close to me.

Website: https://emilyscissorhandss.glossgenius.com/

Instagram: emily.scissorhandss