Restyle your life

A visit to cosmetology services is like stepping outside for a brief moment in time

“When we look better, we feel better. And when we feel better, we do better.” Jamie Monroe, a Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) resident currently serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole stated these words after her stylist turned the mirror around following cut, style and color services. Monroe explained that after she saw the transformation, it made her feel like a human.

Cosmetology services are an important part of the normalization process, one of the pillars of the California Model. It is the goal of the California Model to help incarcerated individuals be better prepared to enter society fully rehabilitated and healed from trauma with a skill set that will enable them to make a livable wage.

And walking into the CCWF Cosmetology Salon is like stepping outside of prison for a brief moment in time. Popular music plays softly on the salon floor to complete the feeling that you have a little bit of freedom.

You are greeted by the hustle and bustle of the incarcerated student stylists lined up getting ready to serve their clients. They are dressed professionally, wearing their black smocks. Many are pushing small carts loaded with supplies and hair tools.

In summer of 2023, the cosmetology program began offering services to clients in the general population once COVID-19 social distancing protocols were lifted. The cosmetology certification process is lengthy and comprehensive, requiring 1,600 hours of practice.

Once certified, stylists are trained in color, cut, style and manicure techniques and become licensed to work in a salon or independently.

Today, there is a contemporary feel to the salon that didn’t exist five years ago. The upgrade came with the arrival of the new vocational instructor, Louis Espinoza, in 2019.

He previously worked as a hair stylist and instructor for the Paul Mitchell Salon on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, before accepting the position here and bringing a new normal into the salon.

Espinoza encourages a professional work environment that promotes success and builds up individuals so they are better future neighbors when they are released back into the community.

One of Espinoza’s veteran cosmetology stylists is Lauren Patrick. She has 20-plus years of experience in the cosmetology field and used to be the sole proprietor of her own salon. She has participated in the CCWF cosmetology program for more than eight months.

Patrick said that her “favorite part of being a hair stylist is seeing the way people feel after I’m done doing their hair.” Her favorite skills are braiding and coloring hair. Patrick likes to see their reaction when she turns around their chair.

“One of my clients cried because she felt like she was a whole new person,” she remembered. “It makes me feel connected to give back to others.”

She plans to continue working in the industry when she paroles and plans to set up her own shop.

Eileen Huber agreed that having access to cosmetology services is essential for building the self-esteem and confidence of an individual. Huber has been incarcerated for more than 35 years and recently had her hair dyed as a reward for graduating the Fresno State bachelor’s program.

“Self-care is very important and I neglected that for so many years. I felt like a princess. I was walking on air when I walked out,” she said.

When Huber’s stylist turned her chair to reveal her new look she started crying.

“I looked like a totally different person staring back in the mirror,” she said. “It makes me feel more prepared to take on other life challenges.”

The cosmetology program also provides services to the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) residents, recognizing that the positive benefits of confidence and self-esteem are universal regardless of an individual’s medical or physical limitations.

Elizabeth Brown, an SNF resident, enjoyed having her hair cut, colored and styled and the overall experience. “It made me feel special, like I was being treated like a lady,” she said.

Brooke Hollins found purpose and future possibilities in the cosmetology program. Since joining the program in August of 2024, she describes herself as a self-trained visual learner who has added to her natural skills.

Prior to enrolling in the cosmetology program, Hollins had years of experience cutting and braiding hair. Since her enrollment she has become skilled with coloring.

“The best part is seeing how happy and excited the clients are about how their hair turns out. When a client walks out feeling really good, that is the best part of the day,” she said.

Not that the days are without challenge. Hollins explained that client consultations can be difficult and are the most important part of the process.

“It can be challenging to consult with the client to determine what their specific needs and wants are,” she said.

But in the end, she said, “I can see myself pursuing this as a career in the future because I realize I am good at this.”