Ash + Oak Salon

Since opening four years ago, Amanda Hancock’s full-service Ash + Oak Salon has grown quickly—from five staffers to 20 today, as well as opening another location in Hampden, offering everything from hair cutting and coloring to smoothing treatments and extension services.

Now with 20 years’ experience, Amanda graduated with President’s Award Honors from the Graham Webb Academy and is also an American Board Certified Hair Colorist and Great Lengths Certified Extension Stylist.

Claiming the region’s highest number of American Board Certified Hair Colorists, the salon won a Revitalization Award from historic Catonsville’s chamber of commerce and was named best salon and best hair colorist by Baltimore magazine. The salon was also recognized this year by Davines North America as a “Social Media Rock Star” and has been reposted on social media feeds by T3, Davines North America, 901 Academy, Justin Anderson, and others.

The staff stays on top of the trends, too, getting training from 901 Salon in Los Angeles, Salt Society in Connecticut, and Vidal Sassoon of London. And they travel to these places in order to bring back to Baltimore what’s being done in the fashion meccas.

The “feel” of the two locations is very welcoming, as well. “We all chat and banter amongst each other,” says Amanda. “There is always great music playing, and everyone, somehow, is always in a great mood. And our spaces are also absolutely stunning.” But she wants her business to do more than hair: Supporting worthy causes and protecting the environment is important, too.

This year, she wanted to make a difference in regards to racial social injustice. So the salon organized a fundraising cut-a-thon in September and raised more than $10,000 for the ACLU of Maryland.

And knowing that the beauty industry is notoriously wasteful, the salon recycles as much of its waste as possible, uses reusable gloves, and has efficient, “eco head” water hoses.