Local Love Blog Series – Vermelho Hair

Welcome back to the Local Love Blog Series!

I’m so excited to be sharing the truly local story this week of Crystal Kamenka-Taylor, owner of Vermelho Hair! 

Inspired by her mother who also worked in the hair industry, Crystal learned so much from their time together working side-by-side. Even early on, she was always the go-to friend for hair styling advice in high school and university. She’s certainly come a long way from her very first haircut during a backpacking adventure in Melbourne, Australia. 

Vermelho Hair will celebrate its 16th anniversary this August! 

Over the years, they have drawn in a mixture of clients searching for adventure, wanderlust, community, and self-love. Crystal and her team offer everything from personalized cuts to barbering, editorial looks to dimensional colours, balayage to lived-in-colours, and so much more! 

The first is focusing on relationships with their clients. She loves learning about their lives and what makes them feel respected and beautiful so that they can tailor each person’s experience in the salon to them specifically. This has led to loyal clients who have shown Crystal and Vermelho Hair their continued support over the years. 

Secondly, Crystal makes sure to prioritize the growth of her stylists. She has incorporated seminars on ergonomics for body health and life coaching, planned fun weekends away, and lots of education sessions that further their growth as individual stylists and as a team. 

Crystal opened Vermelho Hair when she was only 22 years old. 

After being born and raised in Canmore and then spending some time away for school and travelling, she came back to her hometown to live out her dream of opening a salon. Her vision was to create a safe space where creatives and individuals would have a career that honoured work-life balance. She saw herself in a place that would allow her and her peers to continue to be curious about their creativity and professionalism. 

She loves that every day brings new growth, laughter, and interactions. She also loves having a business in Canmore that allows her team to create the life of their dreams in the Bow Valley. At the end of the day, the connections she makes with people every day are what keep her going. 

Of course, Crystal’s long history in Canmore leaves her with plenty of Local Love Shout Outs but here are a few she felt compelled to mention. 

Crystal’s amazing day home provider, Patti Dyment, doubles as a talented painter and you can see her work at the Fallen Leaf Art Gallery. Crystal also wanted to shout out the amazing team that helped bring her salon renovations to fruition, starting with Ashton Construction and Compass Design Co. She also wanted to mention Century 21 who helped her find the great location for Vermelho, and Cascade Mechanical for ensuring they always have perfectly warm water for their hair washing stations. 

Crystal also holds a special place in her heart for the work done at Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. 

Crystal has lived with Ulcerative Colitis for over 20 years and became an Ostomate in 2017. Although her journey hasn’t been easy, she has an amazing gift of looking at her situation in a positive light. She feels that she’s been regifted her life and loves to connect with others going through their own IBD journey. Of course, there have been challenges along the way, such as learning how to run a business and listening to her body when it needs rest. 

The last couple of years especially has given her time to reflect and learn. Her greatest lesson has been allowing herself more self-care time in the great outdoors. As things start to return to normal again, Crystal hopes to see more people be genuinely polite and positive. Think opening more doors for one another, saying good morning as we pass by on the street, and exchanging more smiles and laughter. 

So next time you’re looking for a spot to not only get a haircut but also to connect with some amazing people and feel a real sense of community, be sure to stop by Vermelho Hair and say hi to Crystal and her team! You can book or see a full list of their services online, and be sure to keep a close eye on their Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates! 

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