Podcast
Ask The Color Expert
Hosted by Elaine Travis · EN
The podcast where Elaine Travis talks about all things hair color - Perfect for the seasoned stylist, or the recent beauty school grad! Be sure to write in with any questions, we'll be sure to feature them on one of my episodes...
24episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Authenticity, Education & Building a Salon Life That Actually Works with Lauren Herzog
2w ago00:33:15Tap to summarizeWhat happens when you stop trying to fit into the “perfect stylist” mold and finally show up as yourself?In this honest, hilarious, and heartfelt episode, Elaine chats with Lauren Herzog (@thehillbillyhairpainter) about building a salon career rooted in authenticity, boundaries, education, and real life balance.From crying in her first salon suite… to becoming a salon owner and independent educator, Lauren shares the raw truth behind betting on yourself in the beauty industry.🎙️ What you’ll learn: ✨ Why authenticity attracts the right clients and opportunities 💡 The reality of salon suite life (and why it’s not always glamorous) 🎨 How Lauren built confidence stepping into independent education 👀 Why follower count doesn’t determine your value as an educator 💬 The importance of mentorship, community, and finding “your people” ⚡ How today’s stylists are redefining work-life balance in the salon industry 📈 Why planning your long-term career exit strategy matters now—not laterThis episode is packed with humor, honesty, and real conversations every stylist needs to hear.👉 Visit expertcolorsolutions.com for more 📲 Follow Elaine on Instagram @expertcolorsolutions ⭐ Love the podcast? Leave a review & share your favorite takeaway!
Transcribe →Beauty at the Beach: Why In-Person Education Still Matters in 2026
May 700:21:49Tap to summarizeAre stylists craving more than just another online class? In this heartfelt and passionate episode, Elaine shares the behind-the-scenes magic of her annual Beauty at the Beach retreat—and why genuine connection, community, and hands-on education matter now more than ever.🎙️ What you’ll learn: ✨ Why small-group, in-person education creates deeper transformation 💡 The power of community inside the beauty industry 🎨 How real corrective color challenges sharpen your skills faster 👀 Why today’s beauty school system is failing modern stylists 📉 The hidden burnout many hairdressers are silently carrying 🎯 Why Elaine believes the future of education must evolveThis episode is part gratitude, part industry wake-up call, and completely full of passion for helping stylists succeed behind the chair.👉 Visit expertcolorsolutions.com for more 📲 Follow Elaine on Instagram @expertcolorsolutions ⭐ Love the pod? Leave a review & share your favorite takeaway!
Transcribe →The Truth About Hair Color: Science, Gray Coverage & Smarter Formulation with Dennis Gebhart
Apr 100:51:56Tap to summarizeAre stylists relying too much on formulas—and not enough on fundamentals?In this honest, no-fluff episode, Elaine sits down with color educator and chemist Dennis Gebhart for a powerful conversation about what’s really missing in hair color education today. From beauty school gaps to gray coverage myths, they unpack why so many stylists struggle with formulation—and how understanding the why changes everything.🎙️ What you’ll learn: ✨ Why hair is still 50% of every color result 💡 Why “just give me the formula” keeps stylists stuck 👀 What most beauty schools still aren’t teaching about color 🎯 Why gray coverage problems are often user error—not product failure 📉 How better science and simpler understanding can transform your results 🧪 What Dennis’s new innovation, Spektralift, is designed to do behind the chairThis is a must-listen if you want to simplify formulation, strengthen your color confidence, and stop chasing recipes that ignore what’s actually happening on the hair.👉 Visit expertcolorsolutions.com for more 📲 Follow Elaine on Instagram @expertcolorsolutions ⭐ Love the pod? Leave a review and share your favorite takeaway!
Transcribe →Scalp, Science & Smarter Color: What Every Stylist Should Know with Erica Billingsley
Mar 2400:42:16Tap to summarizeAre your clients dealing with thinning, scalp issues, mineral buildup—or color that just won’t cooperate?In this honest, science-backed episode, Elaine sits down with certified trichologist, American Board Certified Haircolorist, and Malibu C national educator Erica Billingsley to talk about the connection between scalp health, hair loss, corrective color, and what stylists need to understand behind the chair.🎙️ What you’ll learn: ✨ Why scalp health plays a bigger role in hair growth than most stylists realize 💡 The real difference between Malibu C treatments—and why stylists often misuse them 👀 What’s actually happening when vivids shift, stain, or seem impossible to remove 🧪 Why mineral buildup, oxidative stress, and inflammation can sabotage your color results 📉 How better scalp care and smarter prep can improve services, protect hair, and create better long-term results for clientsThis is a must-listen if you want to better support clients dealing with hair loss, menopause-related thinning, scalp concerns, or stubborn color correction.👉 Visit expertcolorsolutions.com for more 📲 Follow Elaine on Instagram @expertcolorsolutions ⭐ Love the pod? Leave a review & share your favorite takeaway!
Transcribe →ChatGPT Isn’t Your Business Coach (But This Might Be)
Feb 1900:37:47Tap to summarizeAre you using AI… or letting AI use you? 🤖💬 In this episode Elaine sits down with Chrystal Graves, founder + CEO of LiQUiD to talk about what AI can do for stylists (and what it absolutely shouldn’t).Crystal breaks down how Liquid is built to be a salon assistant that pays for itself—helping you price correctly, prep smarter, increase average ticket, and stop giving away your time for free.🎹 What you’ll learn: ✨ Why “raising your prices” isn’t always the answer 💡 How to increase your average ticket without feeling salesy 👀 The real reason stylists keep doing glosses + blowouts for free 📉 Why comparing prices to the salon next door is a trap 🧠 How Liquid helps with consultation prep, scripts, and decision fatigue ⚠️ Why ChatGPT tells you what you want to hear—and why that’s riskyThis is a must-listen if you’re wearing 99 hats, feeling stuck financially, or curious (and a little nervous) about AI in our industry.👉 Visit expertcolorsolutions.com for more 📲 Follow Elaine on Instagram @expertcolorsolutions ⭐ Love the pod? Leave a review & share your favorite takeaway!
Transcribe →It’s Never Too Late to Start Over: From Healthcare Executive to Beauty School at 51
Feb 500:39:40Tap to summarizeWhat if starting over isn’t starting from scratch—but starting from experience?In this inspiring, real-talk episode of Ask the Color Expert, Elaine sits down with Kelly Oliver—a 51-year-old healthcare executive, fluent Japanese speaker, and beauty school student—to talk about what it really looks like to enter the beauty industry later in life.🎓 Kelly shares how decades of life experience, curiosity, and discipline are shaping his journey through cosmetology school—and why being “behind” might actually be his biggest advantage.🎹 What you’ll learn: ✨ Why starting hair school later in life can accelerate success 💡 The mindset shift that separates technicians from true professionals 🧠 Why understanding why matters more than formulas ✂️ How real education happens after beauty school 🌍 What language, culture, and discipline teach us about hair—and lifeThis episode is a must-listen if you’ve ever wondered “Is it too late?” or if you believe growth doesn’t come with an expiration date.👉 Visit expertcolorsolutions.com 📲 Follow Elaine on Instagram @expertcolorsolutions ⭐ Love the pod? Leave a review & share this episode with someone who needs the push
Transcribe →From Shark Bite to Full‑Life Living: Resilience, Gratitude & Redefining Fear
Jan 2700:32:38Tap to summarizeAre you letting fear hold you back—or ready to live more fully? In this heartfelt episode, Elaine sits down with Alealani Gian, a Hawaii‑based stylist whose life changed in an instant when she survived a shark attack. What followed was unexpected growth, self‑acceptance, and more courage than she ever knew she had.🎹 What you’ll learn: ✨ How one traumatic moment became a catalyst for deeper self‑love 💡 What real resilience looks like — in life and behind the chair 👣 How to move through fear without letting it define you 🧠 Why perspective changes everything ❤️ How gratitude enriches your everyday lifeThis one’s for anyone who’s ever thought, “I can’t”— and wants to know what happens when you choose “I can.”👉 Visit expertcolorsolutions.com for more 📲 Follow Elaine on Instagram @expertcolorsolutions ⭐ Love the pod? Leave a review & share your favorite takeaway!
Transcribe →Humor, Authenticity & Simplifying Hair Education with Morgan Thomas
Dec 1700:42:56Tap to summarizeAre you juggling humor, artistry, and authenticity in a world that wants you to choose one? In this honest and wildly entertaining episode, Elaine sits down with stylist, creator, and educator Morgan Thomas — the creative mind behind Jade Beauty Co. — to talk balancing humor with professionalism, navigating social media, mentorship, and the realities of life behind the chair.🎹 What you’ll learn: ✨ How humor connected you — and why it still matters 💡 Finding balance between authenticity and brand responsibility ✨ Why simplifying your craft is the key to longevity 💡 The role of mentorship in building a real career 🎯 How to work smarter (not harder) with application patterns and correction thinkingThis is a must-listen for stylists who are tired of complexity, craving connection, and ready for a career that feels like them. 👉 Visit expertcolorsolutions.com for more 📲 Follow Elaine on Instagram @expertcolorsolutions ⭐ Love the pod? Leave a review & share your favorite takeaway!
Transcribe →Why I’m Not Washing My Hair Anymore (Sort Of)
Dec 300:18:00Tap to summarizeIn this honest, no-fluff episode, Elaine shares why she’s skipping the shampoo (kind of) — and what it taught her about creativity, burnout, and the surprising power of stillness.🎹 What you'll learn: ✨ Why your best ideas hit when the water does (literally) 💡 The science behind “shower thoughts” — and how to use them 🧠 What stylists miss when there’s never quiet or pause 🚿 Why scalp stimulation and routine rhythms unlock real insight 🎯 How to create mental white space (without a full-blown vacation)This is a must-listen for any stylist who’s juggling 100 ideas, running on fumes, or craving clarity — without sacrificing their creativity or sanity.👉 Visit expertcolorsolutions.com for more 📲 Follow Elaine on Instagram @expertcolorsolutions ⭐ Love the pod? Leave a review & share your favorite takeaway!
Transcribe →Glaze Smarter, Not Harder: Why Recipes Can Backfire — and What to Do Instead
Nov 2600:13:34Tap to summarizeAre your stylists clinging to glaze and toner recipes without ever checking the hair first? In this honest, no-fluff episode, Elaine pulls back the curtain on why “recipe‑only” glazing is a dangerous illusion — and shares the mindset shift that’ll actually get you predictable, beautiful results.What you’ll learn:✨ Why you can’t choose a glaze until you see how the hair lifted 💡 Why improper lifting, not glazing recipes, causes most color issues 👀 How to assess mixed hair conditions (grays, old highlights, natural hair) before toning 🎯 Why centering glaze formulas on neutral brown can lead to muddy results — and when a touch of warmth is key 📉 How to create brighter, more wearable blondes without over‑toningThis is a must‑listen if you’re tired of glaze disasters and ready to truly color confidently.👉 Visit expertcolorsolutions.com for more 📲 Follow Elaine on Instagram @expertcolorsolutions ⭐ Love the pod? Leave a review & share your biggest takeaway!
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