Salon Builds A Community Of Strong, Confident Women

DENVER (CBS4) - In today's social media age it can be easy for people to get down on their looks, especially young women. A local hair salon is hoping to change that.

When a woman needs a little pick-me-up, many head to the hair salon.

"When you come to get your hair done," Emily Phanhdone said, "you feel instantly better about yourself."

Yet when clients sit in the chair, hairstylists often hear women list all the things they don't like about themselves.

"Can you do anything about my jawline? My cheeks? My nose?" Toby Adams, owner of Do the Bang Thing Salon in Denver, told CBS4. "You get that lack of confidence on a daily basis from your clients."

It's something Adams has listened to since she started doing hair 17 years ago. One of her youngest clients, 15-year-old Makaila, said she struggles with feeling like she's good enough.

"It's really hard for me just to have that confidence," she told CBS4.

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"It is very heartbreaking when you hear an adorable and very intelligent teenager say she doesn't think she's good enough," Adams said.
So, Adams is taking action. She is donating a portion of every service at her salon to Girls, Inc., a nonprofit that inspires young women to be confident, successful community leaders.

"It's really cool because people are excited about it," she said.

Adams also launched an online video for her confidence-boosting mission.

She said it is encouraging more clients -- like mothers and daughters -- to visit her salon and join the cause.

"I think building confidence, especially in girls, with the influence of social media, is so important," Dru Hancock said, mother of an 8-year-old girl featured in the video, told CBS4. "I want to make sure [my daughter] feels who she is is good enough, especially in this society that we've created where image is everything. We want her to know it's not all about image."

With every cut, blow dry and style, clients at Do the Bang Thing Salon aren't just getting a new look, they're building a community of strong, confident women.

"It's such a big help and confidence boost," Makaila said with a smile.

For more information, visit Do the Bang Thing Salon's website.