We’re back in Louisville today to meet Ari Venturella, the owner of Maeda salon to chat all things hair, beauty, and fashion in Kentucky and beyond.

We cover sustainability in the hair and beauty industry, why it’s important to support your local community, and a lot of love for David Bowie, Zendaya, and Lady Gaga.

Enjoy!

Ari, tell us more about yourself

My name is Arielle Venturella, but go by Ari. I am the owner of Maeda Salon and I began exploring hair in 2005 at 14 years old.

Through the support of my parents & friends, my creative outlet turned into a lifelong career. While assisting at a salon throughout high school I also attended a local beauty school part-time. After graduating I went on to attend The Aveda Institute of Chicago.

Once completed, I trained in all things hair cutting from my mentor Sanjoy Ghosh for three years & finished out my mentorship at the Arrojo Studios in New York City in 2012.

After returning to Chicago I began working & training in textured & curly hair at the amazing Penny Lane Hair Studios. After 4 years, I moved to London in 2016 & attended The London School of Barbering.

All things haircutting & razor work are my areas of expertise. I believe in clean & sustainable beauty & providing services to clients that they can maintain at home. My passions are teaching & providing a space where Maeda’s clients can be their truest & most authentic selves.

What will clients experience at MAEDA Salon Louisville?

Maeda Salon is located in the amazing Shelby Park Neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky.

We are a conscious collective of artists with shared values and specialize in all things haircutting with a huge focus on textured and curly hair. Maeda also provides color, extension, and wedding services.

We are very mindful of the products we choose to use on our clients and only partner with companies that operate in a sustainable way. Our vibes are laid back and relaxed and we aim to provide a space where everyone feels welcomed and cared for.

What specialties does MAEDA Salon offer?

Maeda is committed to having as little of an impact on the environment as possible. We partner with sustainable brands and as a hair and beauty salon, operate in a sustainable way. We specialize in clean beauty experiences and services.

Our ability to service every type of person who walks into our doors is what sets us apart. Our stylists definitely have their specialties, but we will not turn anybody away for lack of education on our part.

We are committed to providing a space for everyone!

What is your number one tip for a happy, healthy hair and beauty routine?

At Maeda, we believe in giving you the hair and services that make you feel like your most authentic self. We do not believe in telling you what we think you need to be wearing. We want to provide the services that allow you to feel the most authentic and true to your own identity.

What Louisville hair, beauty, and fashion trends are you seeing right now?

Lived-in, effortless hair is really making its way around. People want to wake up and go and feel amazing. They want their color to grow out easily and not spend as much time in the salon as they used to.

What hair and beauty products do you think should be in everyone’s day-to-day routine?

We use Innersense Organic Beauty, Davines, R+Co, Hui Hui Essentials, and Hairstory.

All of these brands are ethically sourced and they sustainably source their ingredients. I think being mindful about the products you put on your scalp and body is essential. Ingredients in beauty products really have a giant effect on our overall health.

Beyond MAEDA Salon, who else would you like to give some love to?

The Space Salon in Ft. Wayne. Olive is the most incredible human and business owner. I also love love love Hardtimes Collective. Chaella is an artistic genius.

Who is your all-time hair, beauty, and style hero?

David Bowie, because he wore whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. He broke gender norms, and only presented himself how he wanted to without care of what others thought he should be doing.

Which current celebrity or public figure is getting it so right with their hair, beauty, and styling?

Zendaya and Lady Gaga.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our SalonOtter readers?

Clean beauty is so so important. Being mindful of the ingredients I come into contact with has organically led the way in which I operate my business and I live my personal life. It is my choice to work with low-tox products truly for my own health.

I’m here for the long term, and I have to be realistic about the effects ingredients and products can have on my skin, my overall health, and the world around me. Because of this, I choose to work with clean businesses because I care about the planet.

I worry about how sourcing ingredients can negatively impact our environment and I know I can’t save the world, but I can try to be intentional and help where I can. This means I choose to partner with brands that take good care of their workers because I value people and choose to take care of my community.

I can’t help all of Louisville, but maybe I can give back where I can, and I know I can offer space to someone trying to show their art and grow their own business at my Maeda Salon.

Where can people find MAEDA Salon, Louisville, Kentucky?

We’re at 1155 S Shelby St, Louisville, KY 40203

Check out our website to make a booking and we’re also on Insta

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Thanks so much Ari, we can’t wait to visit you and the Maeda salon team again soon!