Meet Nicolas Al Yacoub

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nicolas Al Yacoub. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nicolas , so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

Based in Lyon, France. I has always wanted to be a hairdresser. So it was only natural for me to take a vocational training course at Camille Albane after leaving high school.
Fascinated by the luxurious world of Dessange, with the desire to master the sweeps / highlights, I continued my studies at the Dessange School.
With a BP diploma (Professional Certificate in Hairdressing) in my pocket, I polished up my Resume by obtaining a CQP (Certificate of Professional Qualification in Hairdressing) more focused on management and business administration. At only 20 years old, I took over when my trainer-manager left the salon. I went to my boss and told him I felt capable. It was a challenge for me. A challenge I overcame with flying colors, as the numbers quickly soared. The handover went perfectly. I was among the top 3 Dessange hair colorists, facing people with 20 years of experience!
To improve my skills, I didn’t hesitate to take trainings constantly. In parallel, I also orchestrated Hair Bun courses at the Dessange School. I was also able to participate in shows in Lyon, to do hair for the Lumière Festival… ( big movie festival)
I managed the coloring part with 3 employees in the Dessange Croix-Rousse salon in Lyon.
I attracts a trendy clientele, who appreciate my attentiveness and my know-how. I worked a lot on the reverse sweep / highlight and the hair contouring effect that is a hit on Instagram. This trend, that I adapts it as well to blondes as to redheads or brunettes.”

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

from 2016 to 2022, I had the opportunity to work in the same salon where I was practicing and learning about hair. The prestigious and luxurious hair salons in France called DESSANGE.
During these 6 years, I worked with the L’Oréal Professional brand, I created the “Sunlight B” technique – a fabulous innovation in hair balayage designed to recreate that coveted post-vacation glow. With Sunlight B, your hair becomes a canvas where sunshine dances effortlessly, bringing highlights around your face and along the lengths, reminiscent of those sun-kissed moments spent on
sandy beaches. This technique expertly blends hues to mimic the natural play of light, ensuring a
seamless transition from roots to ends.
This technique has to be done after the haircut to bring light at some spots and draw a specific movement that needs to be seen more than other .. or at least on clean dry hair. This technique adapts well to blondes as to redheads or brunettes.
I also worked on stage twice a year to present the new Dessange hair collections for worldwide hairstylists.
My clients come from all over California to get their hair done with me in Beverly Hills at the José Eber salon.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

For me, the most impactful knowledge was the training that I had at the Dessange School . It was very strict and precise, and even sometimes hard.
But looking back today, I am very grateful for what this training has brought me. The three most important points that I would have to give for new people in the profession are perseverance, rigor and precision.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

The most impactful full thing that my parents did for me was to always trust me, push me to live my dream and believe in me .

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