Unapologetically following her dreams, Jadie Herbst is fast becoming the queen of colour, highlighting and changing lives one hairstyle at a time.
If it were possible to embrace someone’s aura, it would have to be Jadie’s. Her welcoming spirit the minute you enter her salon is both warm and a breath of fresh air. Not only does she have a smile that lights up a room but a personality to match it too. Herbst is the founder of Jadie Professionals – an acclaimed hair salon in Westdene, Bloemfontein, and
a professional stylist. She has been in the industry since 2009. When she talks about her career in the hair industry, her eyes light up with passion and enthusiasm. “I’ve always known I want to be in the beauty industry, not necessarily hair, until I visited a hair salon for the first time when I was younger,” she tells Get It. Jadie was always the girl in high school who would style her friends’ hair and used to be closely watched by them to see how her own hair was styled. The earliest memories of her hair journey was when she was in primary school. She says, “I naturally had curly hair but was always self-conscious as I was
teased about it. In Grade 7 I visited a professional hair salon to have my hair flat ironed. Immediately I gained confidence.” She realised that hair has an immense power over one’s selfesteem and was determined to pursue a career in the hair industry.
The young entrepreneur started studying hairdressing and beauty technology at the Motheo College in Bloemfontein and thereafter worked at a local hair salon for five years, gaining the necessary skills and growing in knowledge. She decided she was ready to spread her wings and took her first step into the business world when she opened her first salon inside a small garage. Jadie explains she didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in her mouth and had to work hard to get to where she now is. Jadie is known for her 8-10 hour transformations where she performs an extensive change on a client’s hair. She believes in the power of collaboration and started working with brands at an early stage in her career. ‘‘I advise aspiring hair stylists to collaborate with photographers, modelling agencies pro bono to gain experience,” she adds. She’s also a Wella Colour Master Expert and a GHD
brand warrior. Jadie is interactive with her audience on Instagram and refers to them as her
JPro fam. She speaks enthusiastically about her fam and adds that having a social media presence has been vital to the success of her career. Her funny, goofy and personal posts are what has made her followers gravitate towards her. Jadie says, “Working in the
hair industry is gruesome and I have learned to accept that the mistakes made have been pivotal in my career. People shouldn’t be afraid to be vulnerable or make mistakes.”
The key lesson she has learned in her career is to draw a line between your personal and professional life. ”I’ve had to learn to be secure in myself and not be clouded by emotions.”
Her biggest highlight thus far is that she has been noticed by well-known brands for the work she does and for being a brand warrior for GHD and receiving a personal GHD straightener. Another highlight is working with Wella, where she taught a hairstyling
class with the hair care brand. She has also completed the Wella Master Colour Expert programme which is an intensive 10-month colour course in Johannesburg that is recognised globally. Jadie’s source of inspiration comes from YouTube videos. She follows
successful stylists on Instagram who inspire her. ”It’s nice to follow people who are successful and who face the same problems I am facing,” she shares. To Jadie sourcing inspiration from stylists is a form of education. “Educating yourself through those
platforms is important. One can never stop learning,” she adds. On the question of her future prospects, she nervously laughs and says, “I’m a bit scared of the future.” She has a strong passion for education and aspires to teach more stylists and mentor them. To reach this goal she’ll most probably have to expand her salon in the near future. Her advice
to any aspiring hair stylist is: “Soak in everything as much as you can. Observe, ask questions and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.”
Text: WANDILE JAMA Photos : WILLEM JANSE VAN VUUREN Make-up: LANÉ PANNELL STUDIO LUX
