Looks That Kill: Houston’s Own Horror-Themed Salon
Interview ★ Annsley Jennings ★ @annsleymedia ★ 4 Minutes
Note from the editor: recently our head of photography, Annsley Jennings, sat down with Claudia Ramirez: the owner of Looks That Kill, a horror themed salon in the Houston area. Below is the full-length exclusive interview. 
Tell me about your salon. How did it start? Who works there, what are their roles?
I started the salon in my house where I had a salon chair and mirror right next to our dining room. I always knew I wanted a themed salon and we had a room in our house with all of my dad’s horror collectibles where we would sit and plan to combine the two when I got my own place. I quit my job at Great Clips after 3 years and officially started Looks That Kill salon in March, 2024.
I own the salon, I work as a hairstylist full time, and I train the stylists. The first person I hired was Alex, who works as a full time hairstylist. My second stylist is Bri who also sees clients full time. Lastly, we have our salon assistant Alissa who helps us with shampooing, styling, and cleaning. She is also currently training to become a full time stylist. All of us are content creators as well since we get most of our clientele from social media.
What made you want to start your own salon?
My dream of owning a salon started when I was 16 years old in cosmotology school and I would do my friend’s hair during our band class. I’m very passionate about art and I view hair as one of my mediums. I wanted to create a space where people appreciate the artistry that goes into doing hair. I wanted a salon that is judgement free and safe for people be who they are.
How did you come up with the name?
I wanted the name to be vague but also go with the vibe I was trying to create. I wanted the salon name to be a name that sounds like anyone would be able to get their hair done there. I eventually want the salon to be more than just a hair salon and I knew I needed a name to encompass a lot of things. The name comes from the band Mötley Crüe’s song Looks That Kill, as I am a huge fan of them and I just feel like it really fits well with the theme.
What is your favorite memory with the salon?
It’s very hard for me to pick just one memory because I have so many good ones, but probably one of my favorites was taking our team photos back at the beginning of this year. It was so fun to get dressed and pose with our Ghostface mannequin and laugh while we took silly photos. It was also the first time that I had a team to take photos with and it wasn’t just me anymore. I’m really looking forward to doing that again.
What are your goals for this year?
One of my goals for this year is to learn as much as I can. I believe continuing education is very important in the beauty industry as trends and techniques always change. Another goal is to be able to take my team to either a class or a hair show somewhere cool, my top places are either New Orleans or New York City. Lastly, I have a goal of starting our own brand of hair products this year and I’m very excited about that!
What is included in the services the salon provides?
Our services are pretty custom depending on what the client is wanting and due to the fact that we do mostly personalized hairstyles. Almost all of our services come with a shampoo and we do like to style the hair if we have the time to do so. When you book for a haircut or color you can book a style as well, that is always recommended so that we can have the time to do that. But if you want an alternative hairstyle or not, you will still leave looking awesome!
What do you like to do outside of the salon?
Outside of the salon I like to take my team on outings about once a month. Our favorite thing to do together is go to concerts! On my own time, I like to spend time with my family and my 3 dogs. I also like to draw, paint, and read. I am even in the process of writing my own book that I’m hoping to be able to publish by the end of this year.
What advice would you give someone who wants to start their own salon?
If you want to have your own salon it is very important that you save money and use it wisely. Owning a business can definitely get expensive but good hair products and tools are always worth the money. It is also super important to market your business. I was very scared to put myself and my business out there when I first started but it has been worth it. Social media has helped me get my salon to where it is now.
Most importantly, my biggest piece of advice to any aspiring salon owners or people in the industry in general is to never give up. I’ve had ups and downs in my career, but I feel very blessed to get to do this everyday.
Who are some of your biggest role models?
My biggest role models are my parents. I’ve seen them both work incredibly hard my whole life and it is very inspiring. I wouldn’t be who I am without them, they’ve always allowed me to express myself.
My dad would show me movies like The Lost Boys, The Crow, and Pet Sematary when I was younger, which started my love for horror. My mom took me to get my first emo haircut when I was 13 and always let me have my hair the way I wanted it.
My dad has worked in business for many years and my mom has years of experience in HR, so thankfully they’re always able to help with the business side of the salon. They have made many sacrifices to be able to provide opportunities for me and they continue to support me in so many ways.
