Edwin Candelaria: “At The Mark De Alwis Salon”

Once again I found myself at the famous Mark De Alwis Salon, where Mark is recognized for his celebrity hair designs and make-overs. Edwin Candelaria one of the most exclusive hair designers and known best for his extensions and color has become my own private addiction.

Loving the extensions he applied last time I came back for a color-refresh and a conversation with Edwin.

What are you most excited about lately?

Just everything when he comes to my career. I love what I do. I need to see growth in whatever I’m doing. I’m not just about working in a salon and making money on the side to have a steady income. There has got to be some type of exchange where I’m going to go from it. I am trying to get somewhere with my life and my career.

Do you feel that you get better each time you do something?

Yes. Definitely I’ve grown so much in my craft, not just them haircuts and colors but in extensions by just learning the pros and cons of every single thing that I do as a hairstylist. I love just learning new things. I learn from my mistakes.

Have you ever melted someone’s hair?

Yes of course in the beginning of my career. I think everybody has had that experience at least once. But you just learn from that. You have to go baby steps. I like to make it easier for someone to transition. You want people to feel it there he still feels the same and looks great. Especially when someone transitions from Doc care to blond. Some people just one platinum blonde and it’s very hard to go that way right away. Sometimes you just have to go baby steps.

I noticed that every time I see you you’re still teaching me how to care for my hair. Have you ever thought of teaching your craft?

A lot of people tell me I should teach. A lot of artists tell me not to tell my clients everything because they will go somewhere else. Or they’re going to want to do it themselves. My attitude is then let them go in one day they might come back. It tends to happen a lot that people will try to go somewhere cheaper or near it to their home but most of the time they come back. They tell me that nobody does it the way I do it. For me I want to educate my clients not just about here in general but about the hair on their own head.

Have you ever considered teaching other hairdressers?

I actually have. I have thought about it but I haven’t really processed it through. I am definitely interested in doing something with them eventually. It just hasn’t come across my table yet. Right now I think I’m so focused on everything else but when I think about it I think it might transition me to get somewhere much faster, where I’d like to go with my career. It might help me in the long run so I have been thinking about it a lot more recently.

Do you have an ultimate goal?

The goal in my career is definitely being an entrepreneur, having my own business, have my own hairline of not just hair products but hair extensions and custom wigs. That’s a lot of work and you need a lot of money but I’m not thinking of the negative. But I’ve decided I’m going to do, it’s going to happen it’s just that there’s a process and I have to be patient. I am like the turtle slow and steady and at the end to win the race. I write a quote on my board every week. And there was one that says “ don’t wait for the perfect moment, just take the moment to make it perfect.”

website https://www.markdealwis.com
facebook https://www.facebook.com/MarkDeAlwisSalon
Instagram @markdealwissalon