Hormones—the drama queens of the body—are crashing the hair party, and host Laura Bell is here to break it down. From puberty to postpartum, thyroid shifts to perimenopause, this episode of Mane Talk unpacks how your internal world affects the hair on your head (and sometimes your chin). Laura shares laugh-out-loud stories from behind the chair (including the time a surprise pregnancy was revealed by a box of foils) and delivers practical, supportive advice for navigating hormone-related hair changes. If your texture’s gone rogue, your color’s not holding, or your strands seem to be staging a rebellion, this one’s for you.

Timestamps:

0:00 — Introduction & Welcome

0:38 — Recap of Last Episode & Today’s Topic: Hormones

0:59 — How Hormones Affect Hair

1:21 — Hormonal Shifts: Puberty

1:51 — Puberty’s Impact on Hair

2:15 — Early Hair Experiments & Advice for Teens

2:40 — Thyroid Imbalances & Hair

3:04 — Stress, Birth Control, and Hair Changes

3:28 — Postpartum Hair Loss

4:20 — Pregnancy, Color Changes, and Real Client Stories

5:00 — Stress & Hair Loss

5:23 — PCOS, Perimenopause, Menopause & Hair

7:32 — What You Can Do: Tips & Advice

8:21 — Final Thoughts: Be Kind to Yourself & Your Hair

9:08 — Outro & Where to Find More

Notable Quotes:

• “Hormones: they show up uninvited, ruin your plans, and then pretend they did nothing wrong.”
• “Your MD should handle the hormones—I’ll handle the hairline.”
• “Your hair’s not mad—it’s just hormonal, confused, and in desperate need of a snack and a nap.”
• “We’re part stylist, part therapist, part magician, and we’ve got eyes sharper than your tweezers.”
• “Don’t stress. That doesn’t mean it’s ruined—it just means you’re human.”

Key Takeaways & Resources:

• Puberty can bring oily roots, texture changes, and scalp issues. Be patient and go gentle.
• Thyroid imbalances can cause thinning and dryness—if you’re seeing changes, talk to your doctor.
• Birth control changes often lead to oiliness, hair loss at the temples, or texture shifts.
• Postpartum hair loss (aka telogen effluvium) usually peaks around 4 months and normalizes by 1 year.
• Pregnancy hormones can alter how hair color lifts—sometimes drastically.
• Stress raises cortisol, which disrupts growth cycles. Effects often show up 12 weeks after the event.
• PCOS, Perimenopause, and Menopause can cause both excess hair and thinning due to hormonal imbalances.

🔹 Laura’s Pro Tips:

• Track your timeline and note any lifestyle or health shifts.
• Avoid tight hairstyles, over-brushing, or harsh treatments.
• Try scalp serums, gentle massage, and consult a pro for personalized care.
• Talk to your stylist! Hair is personal, and they’re here to help, not judge.

🔗 Follow Salon 21 for More:

🌐 Website: salon21.ca

📸 Instagram: @‌salon21hairandesthetics

📘 Facebook: Salon 21 by Laura Mills

Warning: This episode may cause laughter-induced snorting, second-hand embarrassment, and serious stylist sympathy. Laura Bell is joined by Halloween-obsessed master stylist Natasha for a spooky-fun ride through some of the most unforgettable salon horror stories. From accidental baby bangs and mystery root meltdowns to vintage perm machines that could pass for torture devices, no story is too cringey to share.

You'll hear real client submissions and candid confessions of behind-the-chair bloopers—and walk away with surprising lessons every stylist (and client) should know. Whether you’re a new hairdresser wondering if you’re the only one messing up (you’re not) or a client who’s survived a style gone sideways, this one’s for you.

Time Stamps:

00:00 – Welcome to Mane Talk, meet your host Laura Bell

00:28 – Grab your coffee or wine, let’s get into it

00:37 – Warning: Unforgettable salon horror stories ahead

01:03 – Natasha joins the show, meet the master stylist

01:40 – Natasha’s background and Halloween obsession

02:05 – The best time to visit the salon: Halloween week

02:21 – Natasha’s hobbies and love for horror stories

02:42 – Laura’s first unforgettable horror story: the scissor mix-up

03:03 – What are thinning shears?

03:29 – The “whoops” moment and lesson learned

03:54 – Natasha’s crazy story: first day at a new salon

04:58 – The curly bangs disaster

05:49 – Trying to fix the mistake and the aftermath

06:28 – The client returns, unaware of the stylist’s identity

07:27 – Client horror stories: Balayage gone wrong

08:21 – What balayage should look like

09:01 – Fixing the color and building client trust

09:37 – The evolution and trend of balayage

09:51 – Learning from mistakes and improving

10:09 – More client stories: The red roots incident

10:44 – Dealing with “fire roots” and fixing color

11:23 – The three-appointment rule for new clients

12:23 – Another horror story: Red peekaboo gone wrong

13:16 – The electric perm machine story

14:04 – Don’t burn your clients!

14:47 – Perms through the decades

15:51 – The earring and skin tag fears

16:15 – Cutting a client’s eyebrow by accident

17:02 – Building trust and fixing mistakes

17:41 – The black roots color correction

18:26 – The importance of client-stylist communication

19:01 – The “army haircut” mix-up

20:31 – Consultations: The most important part of the service

21:25 – Wrapping up: Thanks to Natasha and the clients

21:56 – Final thoughts and how to connect with the show

22:44 – Outro: Keep it fun, keep it real, keep creating beauty your way

Notable Quotes:

• “You care so much—or you should—about the work you’re putting out there. When something goes wrong, it hurts.”
• “Every great hair journey has a plot twist or two.”
• “It’s not your haircut, but it’s a damn good haircut.”
• “Give us the three-appointment rule: the first visit, we learn; the second, we refine; the third—we nail it.”
• “Perms have come a long way… and no, your hair isn’t still curly from that perm you got at age three.”

Key Takeaways & Resources:

• Lessons in Mistakes: Even seasoned stylists mess up—what matters is how you handle it. Own it, fix it, and learn from it.
• The 3-Visit Rule: Set expectations with new clients by explaining that consistency and perfect results often come after a few visits.
• Consultation Is Queen: Miscommunication causes most hair horror stories. Never skip a detailed consult—photos help!
• Client Comfort: Creating a safe space encourages clients to speak up about what they love (or...

Episode Summary:

In this raw and relatable solo episode, host Laura Bell takes us back to her beauty school beginnings—from sky-high poofs and Bump-Its to her first butthole wax (yes, really). With her signature humour and honesty, Laura shares what no textbook ever covered: learning to build a beauty career one foil, facial, and emotional breakdown at a time. She opens up about the moment she realized hairstyling wasn’t just about hair—it was about heart. A powerful story about a client discovering she had alopecia reminds us that behind every great style is a stylist who truly cares. Tune in for beauty myths busted, salon truths dropped, and a reminder that we’re all learning as we glow.

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome to Mane Talk: unfiltered beauty biz realness

00:45 – Laura's beauty school flashback: poofs, feathers & girl squad nerves

02:00 – Braids for days & butthole waxing: a stylist’s early skill set

03:00 – When she realized: "This isn’t my backup plan, this is the plan"

04:00 – What beauty school doesn’t teach you: marketing, meltdown management & emergency toners

04:45 – Emotional story: Helping a client through unexpected alopecia

06:00 – The truth about hats and baldness (myth busted!)

06:40 – A message to stylists, clients & everyone in between

07:10 – Sneak peek: Next episode brings Halloween horror stories with Natasha

💬 Notable Quotes:

“They don’t teach you what to do when a client cries in your chair.”

“Wearing hats does not cause baldness. Your dad’s hairline might be more to blame.”

🔗 Follow Salon 21 for More:

🌐 Website: salon21.ca

📸 Instagram: @salon21hairandesthetics

📘 Facebook: Salon 21 by Laura Mills