Written By: Krystal Harris
We caught up with the fabulous Janel Sealey Smith before she headed to the UNICA Bridal Show in Yonkers, NY…where she brought the heat as a special guest panelist.
From the bridal aisle to the red carpet, Janel Sealey Smith has mastered the art of creating hairstyles that make people stop, stare, and remember. Known for her creative flair, technical skill, and beautiful personality, she’s a highly sought after celebrity hairstylist, educator, and industry trailblazer who’s determined to elevate the standards of the hair industry.
Janel’s styling process begins with vision. She reads a client’s face, energy, and personal style, then considers trends, timeless shapes, and how to showcase her skill in a way that feels fresh yet classic. “I think about the facial structure, what I want people to see, and how I want them to see my skills,” she explains. “The wheels start turning immediately.”
– ADVERTISEMENT –
Her style philosophy also honors the cycle of beauty trends. Janel thrives at reinvention and blending nostalgic techniques like finger waves with modern textures and finishes. We have seen her recently slay classic finger waves on celebrities like Letoya Luckett and Khadeen Ellis.
Despite her popularity and large following, Janel remains humble. She admits she’s a “serial next-up thinker”…always chasing the next goal, but never loses gratitude for the present. Sustained by her unwavering faith, she credits it for every opportunity she’s received. With a résumé that could justify a diva attitude, she rejects that mindset: “I’m chill because it can go away so quickly. I just want to be grateful.” For her, success is an assignment from God, one that she approaches with humility and joy.
Janel’s career path hasn’t been perfectly straight. Early on, she considered focusing on TV and film hairstyling, even securing an opportunity on The Wonder Years. But when a family health crisis hit which resulted in the passing of her father, she knew that the film industry’s long hours and lower flexibility weren’t aligned with her financial needs and responsibilities.
Instead, she leaned into a diversified business model including, salon work, celebrity styling, editorial shoots, weddings, and education. “It’s a very unstructured structured business,” she laughs. “One minute photo shoots are booming, the next it’s a drought. That’s why I keep my hands in a lot of areas.” Janel exemplifies the importance of being a well rounded cosmetologist. She uses her technical skills and intuition to always create new opportunities.
Janel’s ambitions extend far beyond her own chair. She has launched an advanced training series in New York City called “Master Your Craft”. In the Master Your Craft series, Janel teaches high level techniques from some of her signature bridal and red carpet looks. She holds nothing back, each class is in-depth, and designed to spark new ways of thinking.
In an industry often marked by rivalry, Janel refuses to play the competition game. She sees herself on divine assignments, providing both beauty and truth. “If you need someone to tell you everything’s perfect when it’s not, I’m not your girl.”
She was very honest about the challenges of the current salon culture, particularly the rise of salon suites. While she believes they offer independence, she also feels they’ve fostered unnecessary division. “Why can’t we work together? Why can’t we grow under mentorship the way we used to?” Her ideal future includes training programs for stylists who are already licensed but still need real world skill refinement. “Coming out of school doesn’t mean you’re ready,”. Her vision includes a “charm school” approach to developing stylists not just technically, but personally. “I want to soul-search with them,” she says. “Why are you so mean to clients? Let’s work on that too.”Janel Sealy Smith is legacy in motion. Balancing being a wife, mother, business person, and artist isn’t easy, but Janel’s driven by a bigger mission: to leave the beauty industry better than she found it. Whether she’s shaping a bride’s updo, preparing a star for the red carpet, or teaching a new generation of stylists, she’s guided by faith, passion, and a deep respect for the craft. “I’m not competing,” she says firmly. “I’m just flowing with the spirit, and God keeps putting me in the right place at the right time.”
– ADVERTISEMENT –
