Meet Taylor Downs | Master Hair Stylist and Owner of The Legacy Salon in Raleigh, NC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Taylor Downs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taylor, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Being a hair stylist has been my lifelong passion, instilled in me from a young age as I grew up immersed in a salon environment. With both my mother and grandmother being hair professionals, it almost feels like my path was predetermined. While I like to believe it was my own choice, I can’t deny a certain predisposition towards becoming a hair stylist – a calling I am deeply grateful to have answered!

After graduating from Paul Mitchell hair school in Raleigh, I initially planned to start out as a booth rental stylist at my grandmother, Judi Troutman’s salon Troutman Beauty Affaire. Here I honed my craft and tirelessly pursued education and became the youngest American Board of Certified Haircolorists (now called Board of Certified Haircolorists) in the nation.

I decided to purchase Troutman Beauty Affaire and renamed it The Legacy Salon in honor of the legacy my grandmother Judi Troutman created in North Carolina’s cosmetology industry and also because I am her legacy as well.

Transitioning my salon from the former Troutman Beauty Affaire to The Legacy Salon required tremendous hard work and determination, but looking back, it has been a immensely rewarding journey. I’ve come to deeply appreciate the importance of ongoing education in this industry, and now make it a priority to share my knowledge with those eager to learn and grow alongside me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I firmly believe that how you look affects how you feel and vice versa. While appearances aren’t everything, they often make the first impression and play a significant role. When clients leave my chair feeling like superstars and ready to take on the world it brings me immense joy! Seeing the beautiful hair I’ve helped create fills me with pride and satisfaction. Personally, I find that I’m a happier, more confident version of myself when my hair looks good. Like I always say, “When you look good, you feel good!”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Definitely would have to grab a coffee at Sola, lunch at Gonza Tacos y Tequila and dinner at Vinnie’s Steak House. I would love to go the Neuse River Trail, Falls Lake, ride ATVs or dirt bikes and maybe go out for the night to Boxcar or to Legends.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Without any hesitation my grandmother, Judi Troutman! A North Carolina native whom has devoted her life to the hair industry. She entered the field in one of fashion’s most iconic decades – the 1970s – when she owned and operated Troutman’s College of Hair Styling. Throughout her career, she has been passionate about combining industry practices with cutting-edge techniques. She has competed and won in many international hair shows, served as Vice Chairperson on the National Cosmetology Association of North Carolina board, and been honored as Educator Of The Year several times. In 1999, Troutman was inducted into the National Cosmetology Association Hall of Fame.

In 2003, she opened her own salon, Troutman Beauty Affaire, with the goal of becoming the best hair salon in Raleigh. In March 2007, she earned the title of American Board of Certified Haircolorists, becoming the first person in North Carolina and the 1,151st in the nation to do so.

Without her encouragement to study and work hard to also become an American Board of Certified Haircolorists, I could not be the stylist that I am today.

Website: https://www.thelegacysalonraleigh.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelegacysalonraleigh

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troutmanbeautyaffairethelegacysalon

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-legacy-salon-raleigh