Belinda Mills
Bel Mills is a renowned colourist, stylist, educator, influencer, salon owner and content creator, with a career spanning over 25 years.
Opening her first salon at the young age of 21, Bel is a hair lover with a mission to create the best environment possible for her salon team and her clients. Pipsqueek in Saigon is an Adelaide-based set of two salons, that were born from an idea to create a new age way for the hair industry. Welcoming individuality, inclusivity, creativity, and wellness. Bel knows how to make a statement in the salon and creating mesmerising colours is without a doubt her forte. She has worked on Australian and New York fashion weeks and has also worked with models and influencers nationally and internationally. Bel’s work has had editorial success and her colour work and styling sets an industry benchmark.
Bel is a finalist in the Hairbrained Awards in the Branded Video of the Year, Dry Cutting Video of the Year, Blow Dry and Iron Work Video of the Year Categories!
Give us your life story in 3 sentences.
I joined the hair industry for my love of art and human connection. I've spent a lot of my time outside of work traveling the world. My goal in life has been to enjoy everyday and be grateful for all my experiences, big and small.
What originally drew you to the hair industry, and when did you realize it was your passion?
As above, I was drawn to it for the art aspect and to surround myself with like minded people. I feel like I love my career more now than I ever have. I literally can say it became my absolute obsession 17 years in. Social media has a lot to do with that.
What does artistic success mean to you? Has that definition changed over time?
Being proud of your work and pushing boundaries. Understanding the fundamentals and playing. That's artistic success to me.
That's what I've always believed, filling your cup and being true to yourself.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice as an artist, what would it be?
Take more time to master the fundamentals, learn from as many people as you can. Hard work pays off. You can achieve anything you set your mind to.
How do you see social media and digital platforms shaping the careers of contemporary hairdressers and artists?
Social media definitely has the power to create income revenues, where it be gaining clientele or working for brands. It's an incredible tool to showcase your talent. In saying that if we work behind the chair, we need to also be in the real world which is in the salon. It's important to stay connected to your community. Use social media to enhance your journey, but stay real. Our clients are the ones that help put food on the table and will always be our biggest fans.
How has being part of the Hairbrained community inspired you to push the boundaries of your craft?
Hairbrained was one of the first accounts that noticed my work and generously shared my posts. This helped me grow in the social media space, that's now become a massive part of my job. Having accounts like hairbrained share my work, gave me confidence and encouraged me to go harder and do better.
What’s Next?
I've got a couple of overseas tours this year with EVO. They are always so fun. I absolutely love meeting people from all over the globe that are passionate about hair.
I have a pretty exciting project in the pipelines that I'll be sharing with the world in the next few months. Stay tuned.