STRAIGHT TO THE TOP

RENEE UNEXPECTEDLY FOUND HER NICHE IN HAIR STRAIGHTENING

- Emma Levett

Renee Vallender describes her hair as being a cross between Hermione’s and Hagrid’s from Harry Potter. “It’s unruly and, even with product on it, would go boofy,” the 36-year-old tells WHO. As a teenager, she started having hair straightening treatments, which instantly made her feel better and more put together.

“When I was pregnant with my son, I couldn’t have them because of the harsh chemicals, so by the time he was born, I was a big, frizzy mess and it clicked that I couldn’t live without them. It made me think there must be other women who felt the same,” Vallender says.

This was in 2019, when she was facing returning to her job in finance or striking out alone. Vallender chose the latter and decided that a salon focusing purely on hair straightening was what she wanted to build.