In a perfect beauty world, the price of products wouldn't dare exceed your ramen noodle budget. Your hair would never fall flat, even in the middle of a Florida summer. And salon owners and staff would create an environment where you always felt respected and celebrated. The harsh reality, however, is that things aren't always as they should be (as evidenced by that horrifying sign posted in a nail salon last week). Which is exactly why beauty entrepreneur Jamie Lopez is taking matters into her own hands.
"I started off as a makeup artist and was highly discriminated against for being a plus-size woman,” Lopez told Yahoo Beauty in an interview. Her solution? Open up her very own shop — a space where plus-sized women (who account for 67% of the U.S. population, but are only represented in 2% of media) could comfortably and confidently get extensions, haircuts, spray tans, manicures, and waxes without fear of discrimination. The full-service Las Vegas salon called Babydoll Beauty Couture will open its doors to the public next month. (Lopez owns another salon by the same name in Los Angeles.)
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In addition to a friendly, well-trained staff and welcoming space, Babydoll Beauty Couture has practical features that are sadly unavailable at many other salons, like waxing benches that can hold up to 600 pounds, and pedicure chairs that support up to 800 pounds and comfortably accommodate women with up to 85-inch hips, Yahoo Beauty reports.
"I was inspired by there being no place I could get my nails or hair done in Vegas that would accommodate my needs as a plus-size woman, and I decided it was time to make some changes for the plus-size women of the world," she said.
We hope that one day, everyone can walk into a beauty salon and feel included. But in the meantime, we'll gladly applaud the entrepreneurs who are paving the way for body positivity and inclusion in the service space. Everyone else: Take notes.