Alicia Holliday

Alicia Holliday is a young entrepreneur. She’s a makeup artist, hair designer, and inventor of Endless Touch, which is a natural skin care product line. She’s a woman who is into making people happy when they are at their worst. She lives in Maryland but travels all around the U.S. enhancing beauty inside and out.

SKII: You live in Maryland and yet you traveled to New York for the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Why were you there?

Alicia: “I get asked to come to Fashion Weeks…I participated in the Brooklyn Fashion Week this weekend (October 4, 2014). Sometimes I am able make it a weekend getaway too.  In September 2014 I was a hair stylist and makeup artist for Isabella Donolla and Peta Chen. It was a multi-designer show and Peta Chen was the main designer. On Monday, I worked with Isabella Donolla and Tuesday I had the pleasure of working with Peta Chen. I must say, that Fashion show was a little more creative and edgier. They also had a dog show. A designer showing off a dogs’ clothing line was in the show. The clothes for the dogs were awesome. The clothes ranged from the littlest dog to the huge dogs. It was inventive. It was cool.”

SKII: When did you realize that doing hair and makeup was your passion?

Alicia: “I knew what I wanted to do as a young child. I grew up in this industry because several of my aunts did hair and makeup. I worked for my aunts as an assistant at their businesses growing up.  When I was 11 or 12 years old, I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I wanted to own my own business as a hair stylist. At that age, I knew what I wanted and I just went full force with it.”

SKII:  Where were you born and raised?

Alicia:  “I was born and raised in Washington D.C.  At the age of 9, my family moved to Montgomery County MD which was like 20 minutes away from DC. Our motto is… “DMV” which means – DC, Maryland and Virginia. We say that because you can literally jump from one street to another and you are in that other city”, (Alicia laughs).   Once I went to high school, I went to cosmetology school. I got my license at the age of 17. After high school I went to college and got my degree in Business management and networking. I’m 29 now, I have several businesses under my belt and I’m sure there’s more to come.   I am still friends with a lot of people from the schools I attended since 1st grade through college. It’s amazing we’re all still friends. We all don’t walk the same as far as what we do for our careers and businesses but, we all support each other in whatever business they are in. To still have friends you can count on from 1st grade till now is a blessing”.

SKII: Name other places you’ve worked as a hair stylist and makeup artist.

Alicia: “I worked the New York Fashion Week in 2008. I’ve also worked in several D.C.’s fashion week, & Maryland’s fashion weeks thru the years. I’ve done several photo shoots for web magazines, videos, local designer shows, Baltimore’s fashion week, and various galas. You name it, I’ve done a lot. I have a lot of executives that I do hair and makeup for. I’ve done a lot and I am still working toward different venues. I’ve traveled to Miami for fashion shows also”.

“I am currently working for a company named IVY LOUNGE Salon and Spa. The company was founded by a doctor. He started the company in the fall of 2013; I came on board as the Salon Team Leader in January 2014”.

SKII:  What does the name – IVY Lounge means?

Alicia:  IVY LOUNGE Salon and Spa, the name means…Bringing the beauty from within out and taking care of yourself inside and out. Products there are made up of natural, organic and clean products. This spa is unisex, we have several stylist, a master barber and an esthetician – skin care person. She would bring your skin from dull to life. She really brings the beauty within you out to surface. She’s also an excellent makeup artist she’s amazing! We also have an excellent nail technician. People can literally come into my salon and spa and literally get everything done from their head to their toes. We provide excellent customer service.

That’s another thing about my personal brand. I’m about giving excellent customer service to everyone. You can go anywhere to get beauty services. You can “DIY – Do It Yourself with the internet”  but, Ivy Lounge Salon and Spa provides you with excellence. The moment you enter through our doors, you are presented with excellent customer care service and everything else just falls into place. It doesn’t matter who you are, everyone is given the same treatment from the moment you walk through our doors”.

I also have different events at the spa, pampered parties for moms/girlfriends.  I feel, as a woman, you sometimes lose yourself and forget to take care of yourself so I do small pampered parties so you as a mom/woman can sit back and relax. We have couples appointments too. We show you how to massage yourself or your partner. I have various products to help but, they all tie into each other”.

“If you decide to throw a party, I can be the host and provide various ideas.  We partner with the Neighborhood City Council and nonprofit organizations by doing makeovers for women and men, who may be starting over and need a new look for an interview”.

SKII:  You’ve mentioned, you have several businesses.  Can you elaborate:

Alicia:  I’ve started several businesses but, there is one in particular I wanted to talk about. It’s called “Endless Touch”. I started my product line in 2012 because both of my daughters suffer from eczema (very dry skin). So I started creating my own natural product for them because I tried everything from lotions to potions; nothing worked for their skin problems.  I started with formulated butters, oils, body wash, body shimmers and even deodorant. So please let people know to check out my natural product line Endless Touch “Make every touch count at ”endlesstouch2012.biz”.

“In 2010, I started a salon business with a partner, Lolita called FlawlessU. I have my hands in a couple of businesses and I am still going to do my thing creating others. I want to expand my brand. I want more notoriety. I would love to have multiple locations for my business. Like everyone I want to make more money. I want to market my brand.”

SKII:  Have you worked with people outside of the IVY Lounge Salon & Spa?

Alicia:   “I love my VIP people. VIP clients, especially need that extra pick me up. I have clients that are executives for major businesses. I go to their office and help them with their hair and makeup for an event. I have politicians I work with as well as designers and models. I thank GOD that I am doing something that I love and I actually started this at a young age”.

SKII:  What’s you aspirations in life? / Who inspires you the most?“

Alicia:  I want to travel more and of course spend more time with my two girls. I have 2 beautiful daughters 3 year old Jasmine and 6 year old Jordyn. They are truly my joy and my light. I started with my brand young and I want to finish young. I just want to be happy with my two daughters. I love what I’m doing; I just want to be happier doing it and I don’t want to worry too much about money. I want to be the best I can possibly be and I want my children to see what I am doing. My children know when mommy is happy or sad. They are always looking at me. They look up to me. I want them to look at me and say… Oh look at mommy, she’s happy. My daughters are my motivation to making things happens, they are my inspiration. They keep me moving. They keep me leveled. They make me want to go out and be the best I can possibly be. I can honestly say that my mom is my inspiration too. She plays a big part in my life. She is always pushing me to be the best I can be. I inspire myself. I think about what’s next to come?. What’s the next big thing in my life? What will Alicia do next?

Alicia is definitely on the rise. She knows what she wants and she know how to market it. I see her in the future definitely moving and shaking throughout the industry.