Santa Monica Salon

Illanka brings to Ouidad, over 25 years of experience. Hailing from Sri Lanka, Illanka grew up in the salon industry. As a Vidal Sassoon trained stylist, her work has carried her to London, Germany and throughout the United States.
Illanka is passionate about color and has taught others the art of Balayage. You can be sure Illanka will take the time to show you how to recreate the salon look at home, as she too had to learn after years of straightening her own naturally curly hair. We are so excited to bring Illanka to Santa Monica to care for your curls.

Chester’s passion for curls started in his backyard. After completing his cosmetology licensing at Paul Mitchell in 2015 and moving on to a full service salon, he continued to notice a similar trend of textured hair clients being left by the wayside. Curls were always ironed and erased and embracing them was a foreign concept. Chester wanted to make a change so clients have their natural texture spark joy and also have the knowledge to protect and care for their hair, however they decide to wear it. Seeing a need for stylists who were passionate to guide their clients on their curl journey, he knew he found his calling.
Living through and being a part of the natural hair movement, has been an exciting opportunity to show people the inner beauty of their hair and Chester looks forward to joining the Ouidad team to continue that journey of expanding the standard of beauty!

Madison’s passion for beautification started by watching her mother build her own salon from the ground up, so it was only natural for her to follow in those footsteps. In 2018, after watching her older sister struggle for years with her naturally curly texture, her decision was made - Madison would work to help women embrace the beauty of their natural curls. As she started her career at Ulta and finally found her home at Ouidad, her expertise was firmly locked into bold color, product knowledge, and creating unique and personalized regiments for each of her client’s individual needs.

As a Los Angeles native, Ryan has always had a passion for beautiful landscapes, beautiful weather, and beautiful hair. Ryan’s hair journey began in 2015 when they enrolled at the Vidal Sassoon Academy in Santa Monica and trained in precision cut and color. After graduating in 2016, Ryan began their career at Saulino Smith Salon where they continued to hone their craft, primarily focusing on how to create the classic California blonde and blow out. However, once Ryan began embracing their own natural curl they no longer wanted to “tame” their clients natural texture, they wanted to embrace it. In 2018 after 2 years at their previous salon, Ryan left and found their home at Ouidad in Santa Monica. Ryan completely started over and began their Ouidad education; learning everything there is to know about cutting, creating, and maintaining gorgeous natural curls. Ryan takes an empathetic and warm approach, making sure to create space for their guests concerns and hair goals. Using Ouidad’s signature techniques for curly hair Ryan aims to create a complimentary style that suits your lifestyle and aesthetic, creating a look that is uniquely you.

Josh comes to Ouidad with over 15 years of experience. He started his career in San Diego, working alongside tenured stylists. He learned all foundational behind-the-chair skills, with a focus on textured hair and blonding techniques. Josh’s leadership skills as a mentor, along with his hard work and impeccable talents, quickly earned him the role of Assistant Manager. Josh opened his own salon and successfully operated for 4 years before making his way to LA. Josh used the move to focus on other paths within the hair industry. Honing his skills in clipper fades and short haircuts only added to his talents. Josh started at Ouidad as Salon Manager of our flagship salon in Santa Monica. Seeing the joy that Ouidad products and cutting techniques brought to our clients, Josh felt it was time to be behind the chair again. Helping you fall in love with your curls is Josh’s main goal. He firmly believes beauty differs from person to person and strives to create a look that will bring out his client’s natural beauty.