Meet Tamara | Advanced Master Hairstylist/CEO Luxe Hair Salon

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

Hi Tamara, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I have been behind the chair for 34 years. I started working full time to build my book when I was very young. This is very important in the beginning of your career. Your building relationships and your brand. I had the desire to work hard and grow. As my dad would say “learn the hustle”.
My career has been a blessing. I am a mother of five, wife, and salon owner. When my children were young this career was very flexible. I was able to work part time and maintain clients. In 2014 I opened Luxe Hair Salon in Pittsburgh PA. At this time I increased my hours as my children were older and in school. It was a great time to start a salon and it gave me freedom to launch my mobile bridal business.
Current date we launched Luxe Brides in Colorado. One of my stylists Oakleigh Fettis moved there and is leading the Colorado Luxe team. To maintain balance I mainly travel on weekends now instead of being behind the chair on Saturday’s at the salon. I absolutely love styling weddings, fashion shows, celebrity events, NYFW, pageants, print work and more.
We are so excited networking in Colorado with other small bridal businesses. This summer we have weddings in Colorado Springs, Aspen, and Vail to name a few.
To sum it up this profession has been flexible and it’s a great way to maintain a balanced life.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Luxe isn’t just about beauty it’s about the experience.

What sets Luxe apart is the experience we provide. We’re not just doing hair and makeup we’re creating a calm, elevated, luxury atmosphere for one of the most important days in someone’s life. Our team stays educated, we specialize in natural, wearable beauty that photographs beautifully, and we truly care about every detail. It’s a high-end, personalized experience from start to finish.

I would say I am most proud of the education. We invest in our stylists and make up artists. We travel to New York multiple times a year to stay on top of the current trends. I also train and lead the team. In 2020 I decided to hire more make up artists and hairstylists to start forming our Luxe Collaborative Team. There was a need for growth and we are still growing. Currently we are holding interest meetings to hire in Colorado. I love training, teaching, and setting up artists for growth.

There are a lot more challenges with serving clients post 2020. We have noticed communication with clients has been more challenging. Also since the launch of AI clients have unrealistic expectations. So to help better serve our clients we offer trail runs. This is so we can have a play date. Get to know the client. We love critique and the clients input. This helps us tremendously. We believe that communication with the client in the beginning is key to success.
We are always learning and adapting to make things better for our customers.

Well let’s talk about bringing our business West.
We launched our luxury hair and make up on location services earlier this year in Colorado.
Luxe stylist Oakleigh was moving there in December and said Tamara I love working with Luxe can we bring the brand West?
I told her let me pray about it and do some research. At that time I have never been there before. I did a ton of research and quickly realized there was a need for our services. We bring something special to Colorado. Our training and experience with styling weddings and special events.
I had a vision, did the research and now developing a team.

I hope my legacy is one of purpose, passion, and people. I started Luxe from a small dream and built it with a lot of heart always focused on creating something meaningful, not just beautiful. For me, it was never just about hair. It was about making women feel seen, confident, and cared for, especially on some of the most important days of their lives. I poured everything into this business from staying educated to mentoring my team and I hope I’m remembered as someone who led with integrity, created beauty with intention, and left something behind that truly made a difference.

We started with small beginnings and grew through passion, hard work, and deep care for every person who sat in our chair. Our story is written in the trust of our brides, the loyalty of our clients, and the bond of our team. Luxe became a name known not just for beautiful hair and makeup but for creating moments, calm energy, and confidence that lasted far beyond the wedding day.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Let’s start with Subjective Coffee for a great cup of coffee and cool area to hang out with creatives. Then Westy’s Cafe for the best breakfast burritos. Then off to Crossroads to thrift shop and grab a Vietnamese coffee after at Ti Cafe.
An amazing mountain look out is Mount Falcon. I also love how Denver is so close to so many cool areas to shop. I really enjoy Pearl St in Boulder, and Littleton. The shops, bridal boutiques, and small businesses make it so unique.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to give the SBDC at Duquesne University a shoutout. When I first decided to open my own business their students helped me write a business plan. We met every week until it was ready to present. They also showed you how to get funding if needed. Something fun that I remember four graduating students chose my business plan for their senior project. I got an invitation to see them present it to the class. This administration was such a blessing for giving me a great start.

Website: https://Www.luxehairsalonpgh.com

Instagram: #luxehairsalonpgh #luxebridespgh

Linkedin: Tamara Artnak

Other: https://www.rockymountainbride.com/vendors/luxe-hair-salon/

Image Credits
Carlie Antonio
Diana Weidner
Salin Simsek
Steven Dalton
Megan Mcgreevy
Michael Will
Rachel Kunzen
Wild Native Photo
All things kind
Valley Brooke Photo
Paige Kline photo
Meg Lee photos
Saige Design
Linden Kate photo
Kristi Telnov