KARA RICHARD
Leaving her small town in Louisiana behind, Kara ventured out to Santa Barbara to pursue her career in the arts. Little did she know this journey would take her to a new creative world of hair color. Kara’s background in art and painting shows through her intentional and creative process of hand painted Balayage. Inspired by the sun and the way Mother Nature works her magic on natural hair, she creates completely unique looks that her clients say reminds them of the hair color they had when they were younger. Specializing in natural hair color, color corrections, and sunkissed looks, she has created a name for herself in the Santa Barbara community. Kara has a true passion for honoring and mimicking natural hair color through her signature technique she named SANTA BARBARA BALAYAGE.
In 2015, Kara took her knowledge and technique on the road with her independent education program, THE ART OF SUNKISSED HAIR. Her approach to natural beauty through intuition, and intention led her to create an all-inclusive yearly retreat for hair colorists on a beautiful rose farm in Santa Ynez, CA. Kara’s shared passion of wellness practices such as yoga, Reiki, and Ayurveda inspire her self care events and her love for helping hairstylists find their own confidence and empowerment to help them fulfill the career of their dreams.
Fast forward to 2017, Kara and her longtime friend and co-worker Jonathan Dawson found themselves with an opportunity to become owners of the beautiful salon they were currently working in. Summerland Salon & Spa was born, fully rebranded and redesigned. This relaxing, airy space has become a tranquil haven for women (and men!) who want to indulge in peaceful self care through hair & skin care, and wellness. Since then they have expanded their offerings by holding community events such as monthly Self Care Nights, yoga classes, wellness retreats, mini-concerts, and much more to come! Kara believes that there are no boundaries when it comes to creating a life that is full of joy and fulfillment. Every day is an important part of the journey, and she’s enjoying every step of the way.
