From master to president of Intercoiffure: interview with Natasha Balabanova

We were able to talk with Natasha about her creative path and growth from a master to the president of Intercoiffure Ukraine.

Natasha, tell us how your passion for hairdressing began and why you decided to devote your life to it?

I think many will agree with me - it all starts from childhood. Before hairdressing, I was interested in many things. My inspiration began with my interest in photography. I had all the newest and oldest cameras. This was one of those areas in which I studied composition, learned to see the whole picture, build a perspective.

I remember the first time my mother took me to the hairdresser, and I still remember every swing of the clips, flying hair, and then it seemed like some kind of miracle. And after the haircut, the new me. After a haircut you always feel renewed.

I also really liked fashion design. My mother sewed clothes, and at that time I never bought clothes in stores. My hobbies were completely different as a child, and therefore a logical question arose: what should I become - a photographer, a clothing designer or a hairdresser? And I thought: the least I can do is cut hair, so I’ll go to the hairdressers.

Have your hobbies helped you learn to always see a complex image?

Yes. In addition, I love organizing large processes. Whenever some ideas came to mind, I always thought: I need to film this. To implement these ideas, I invited the best photographers, we made very expensive clothes from the designer Konstantin Kravets, and, in fact, all the money that I earned in the salon was spent on creativity.

All filming was always based on interest, what was then and what is now. It never left me. If we are truly passionate about something in our lives, then it stays with us forever. We are just developing and traveling. And our hobbies are constantly growing and expanding. You think more broadly, there are more possibilities, although the principle remains the same - think in images.

How did you learn hairdressing?

I graduated from school, and then it was not possible to go to a private school or go somewhere to study. Everything was not easy. In those days, there were government institutions where you had to come and say: I would like to be a hairdresser. After graduating from this institution, a place in a salon or hairdresser awaited you. It was great at the time. I studied at the Kharkov Vocational Technical School. I am incredibly grateful to every teacher. There I received an incredible amount of necessary knowledge in subjects such as hairdressing, artistic drawing, etiquette, political economy and even physical education.

I studied in a broad profile: I cut hair for both men and women. She knew color techniques, and we were even taught how to assemble tresses and wigs. My fascination with hairpieces and wigs began at the same time.

After studying, the salon was already waiting for me. There were 20 people on one shift, and also 20 on the second. There were different age categories of specialists, and this was great, because I was constantly learning from everyone. Even now I remember well the hairdresser who taught me how to do a cold wave. Thanks to her, I learned how to do all this and still use the acquired knowledge to this day.

Life is continuous work. In addition to the fact that every person is given talents, you need to constantly practice and improve what you can do. And no matter how many shows I have done in my life, I have room to grow.

Is learning the same now? Does a student need to go and get a haircut?

The advantage of the trends of those times was that there were hairstyles that were a necessity of cutting. These were short haircuts and curls. And as I remember from the habits of those around me, no one let their hair grow long, everyone had haircuts. This need for a haircut, as for hygiene, formed that flow of clients. All the masters' developments were quite approximate. Approximately trim, comb. You arrived at the salon at 7 am, and there was a line of several clients waiting for you. Back then it was so much and systematic that you simply couldn’t help but practice your skills.

Now the trend is for long hair, hair dyed using different techniques, or even natural hair that can be quickly styled into a ponytail or bun. It's convenient and mobile.

What was your path further after the first salon? Where did you end up after school?

My personality has always been rebellious. I remember that while working in that salon, something was always wrong. I was taught that the norm is clean towels, and not just dried in a common tank, which the masters swapped and used on all clients. And I collected such discontent little by little. Then I understood that customer service should have completely different aesthetic standards. And for myself, I always meant higher service than just economy class. I wanted to serve the client individually, and this is what I have always strived for.

She worked in that salon for several years. After leaving, I decided to start my own business. I rented a room, two work chairs, and worked there until we were flooded. It was impossible to be in the salon. Then my business failed before it even started. I returned to my mother and began to look for a way to work again.

Cutting hair at home was terrible. But I remembered that on the territory of the plant in the city where I lived there was a beautiful huge cultural center. I just knocked on the door of the director and said: “Hello, I want to open a salon with you.” So she actually opened a beauty salon there, which is still operating today. It is rented out and hairdressers work there.

But later in life it turns out that I get married, move to Kyiv, and that salon is no longer needed. And already in Kyiv a new story began again with new difficulties.

Be sure to watch the continuation of the interview on our IGTV :