After watching her mother’s battle against cancer, a recent graduate is pursuing cosmetology with intentions to go into making wigs for cancer patients. Bear Facts caught up with Vanessa Remblake, a winter 2014 graduate, to talk about her inspiration, experiences, and plans for her future as a beauty school student at Empire Beauty School in Arlington Heights.
Q: What inspired you to want to go into cosmetology?
A: Honestly, I would be lying if I said I always wanted to go to beauty school. I have family members that are in the industry, but it never dawned on me until a few years ago. Crazy enough, I wanted to be a tattoo artist before. But my mom is the one who inspired me [to pursue cosmetology]. My mom is also my inspiration to work with wigs for cancer patients. I basically grew up with family members having cancer, my mom being one of them. She was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was in second grade. Seeing your mom that sick is hard in itself. She lost all of her hair, although I never saw what it looked like. She always wore wigs. Even though she was going through such a horrible time, she always had a smile on her face when she had a wig on. It seemed simple that something so simple, hair, made her feel beautiful and whole again, even if it was just for a few hours. Seeing the difference wigs had in my mom’s life made me want to give that ability to other people. Many people don’t think hair is that important, but that is the last thing cancer patients hold on to.
Plus, I love helping people. Hair dressers are way more than what they seem to be. I know the lady who does my hair knows more about me than anyone else. I would love to be someone who people look up to and go to for advice.
Q: What is your favorite part of cosmetology school?
A: I honestly love every part of it. I only have eight girls in my class right now, which is cool because we all became really close with each other. Our teacher can help us more individually. It’s such a comforting environment. Everyone is there because they want to be, not because they have to.
Q: What are the steps you are taking and have taken to get to where you want to be?
A: Cosmetology school was the first step. There, you learn the basics of hair, skin, and nails at beauty school. You learn everything from hair color, wigs, haircuts, facials, waxing, and manicures. Once you graduate you can decide what you want to specialize in. You are certified in all areas, which is pretty cool; you aren’t tied down to having to be a hair stylist. Also, I just raised money for St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which fundraises for cancer research, so, I am in the process of getting involved. I have reached out to a few stores and boutiques that actually fit wigs. I just sent a mass e-mail out to a bunch of people describing what St. Baldrick’s is, and I talked about the girl my work was sponsoring. From that, people just donated money. I have also contacted Look Good Feel Better, which is an organization for wigs that is run through hospitals nationwide.
