Meet Sierra Billings, an Annapolis native, mom of 2 and co-owner & stylist at Blush Hair Salon. Over the last 2 years, Blush has quickly grown into a full service hair & bridal salon, earned Best of Annapolis in 2022 & 2023 and officially opened for business less than 1 month ago into a brand new storefront in Annapolis! Sierra shares her earbud #momhack to keep her sane, tips for your toddler’s first haircut and the one big thing people are surprised to know about her!
Tell us a little bit about you and your family! Where did you grow up? How long have you lived in Annapolis?
I’m definitely a local. I grew up in the Annapolis area and graduated from Broadneck in 2005. I’ve lived here my whole life, aside from the years I spent at West Virginia University. It’s funny, at our salon I’m the only true local out of the 9 stylists. I never realized how many transplants we have in the Annapolis area until we opened there. It’s so fun!
My husband, Tyler, and I have been together 12 years. We met on Match.com in 2011 despite having gone to Broadneck High School together. We have 2 girls thanks to Shady Grove Fertility, Camila 3.5 and Carmen 1. We bought a house only 4 blocks from the house I grew up in and that I used to ride my bike past to get to swim team every summer. Isn’t it funny how that works? When you’re 12 passing a house you used as a landmark with your friends, never knowing you will live there one day with your husband and children. Weird!
You’re Co-Owner and Stylist at Blush Hair Salon. How did you get to your career today?
Well after graduating from WVU, I was still completely lost as to what I wanted to do the rest of my life. So much so that I was about 1 month out from taking the Police Academy entrance exam when I decided ya know, maybe I’ll go to hair school instead. My father was thrilled. He just assumed that my Bachelors would be for nothing if I became a hairstylist. I got a job at a salon in the area to see if I would like it and sure enough I loved the people there and the salon atmosphere so I decided to go for it. I worked at the salon while going to school full time. Eventually, I made it to the hair floor of that salon. My book filled up very quickly given that I’ve lived here my whole life and knew a ton of people that trusted me to do their hair.
Fast forward to 2020 and circumstances changed dramatically. Everyone was forced to stay at home and take a long pause, during which I realized I was no longer in my forever work home. We opened Blush January of 2021 and again it exploded! Like I said above, we have gone from 3 stylists to 9, built a 3,000 sq foot salon, dealt with lawsuits, and successfully booked and completed 160 weddings in just the past 2.5 years. We have also won What’s Up? Magazine’s Best of Annapolis 2 years in a row. I don’t say these things to boast, but to empower anyone who might feel stuck or complacent in their current situation that this doesn’t have to be the end all, be all. I went through some awful, awful times after leaving my last salon but all of it was worth it to be able to empower others to make scary decisions because they could be the best you ever make.
Blush is FINALLY OPEN! Tell us everything! What services do you have to offer? What makes Blush and your team different from the rest?
Finally!! Blush is currently a full service hair & bridal salon. We specialize in a little bit of everything, lived-in blondes, balayage, gray coverage and fashion colors. Our Bridal team consists of hair and makeup, traveling to venues or hosting in-salon. Which is a lot more appealing now in the brand new, beautiful salon. We soon will also offer aesthetics so that our clients can have a waxing service after or during their hair appointment!
There are a few other salons out there that are just as talented as Blush, I think the difference between them and us is the Blush comfort experience. Sip on a freshly ground iced coffee in a modern boho living room while your color processes. Or enjoy a hot towel neck pillow while we apply a custom R&Co conditioning treatment to tame the summer frizz. And we can’t forget our signature Blush cocktail (or mocktail).
Blush is also a stickler for education. We will be a host salon to have educators from all over come and teach us new techniques or perfect the ones we are already using. We will also invite other salons to come and learn too! We are about lifting ALL stylists up, not just the Blush ones, and unifying the industry. We can all be better if we work together.
Can I bring my kids with me to get a haircut? Do you have any tips to make it a fun salon experience?
Lollipops. Just tell them there are lollipops. Just kidding.. Sort of. We want people of all ages to love coming to the salon. To form personal relationships with their stylist and feel a sense of calm in the chair. Our stylists are extremely chill which I think is contagious for the kiddos. As we know, the kids can smell fear lol. And like I mentioned above, mom can have cappuccino (or cocktail) while she waits! Another tip: I always let Camila watch first so that she knows it doesn’t hurt or anything. So schedule a mom and kid combo appointment. Mom gets a trim or blow out and then the kid goes because they have seen that moms alright!
How has your job shifted your perspective of Motherhood?
I do believe you can have a successful career and a meaningful relationship with your children. I am not cut out to stay at home with children. The moms and dads who do this are actual superheroes. I applaud you and your patience and encourage you to come to Blush for some quiet time and relaxation stat lol. But seriously, I hope that my children see that I am learning everyday to balance work and home.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I have been sober for 4.5 years! I quit drinking before fertility treatments and never drank again! I’ve never been happier! I’m entirely too Irish to have a casual relationship with alcohol. I’m kidding, sort of. My sister has 14 months of sobriety as well and works at Club 164 in Annapolis, which is a safe, substance- free space for the local recovery community. I’m so happy to have someone extremely close to me on this journey. Very proud of us!
What’s something you love that’s just for you?
Awful television shows. The Circle, Love is Blind, Married at First Sight, etc. Anything that I can leave on, go do a load of laundry, come back and I’ve basically missed nothing.
Best mom hack that makes your life easier.
Sometimes when my kids are being particularly extra I will put one earbud in and listen to a podcast while I am in the kitchen or living room. I can still hear them and keep them safe and all that but one half of me is somewhere else.
Name something you hope your children look back and remember about their childhood and you as their mama.
I hope that they remember that on my days off of work we were always doing something fun as a family. For instance, at this moment I’m typing these answers on our way to the Smithsonian!
What’s your favorite family activity to do in the area?
My favorite family activity is to go to Podickory Point Yacht Club Pool, bring dinner, swim or walk on the beach with the girls. My 3.5 year old is really excelling at swimming this summer so it’s super fun to see her learn more and more each day.
What have you learned from your children?
I have learned unconditional love. Despite having my hair pulled, food thrown at me, being slapped “accidentally”, I do love my children more than anything in the world. It is so fun watching them grow, learn and be children.
Greatest gift about being a mom.
As my girls get older it’s rewarding to see them be nice to others. I love seeing that our efforts to create decent, kind and beautiful humans is working. So when I drop Camila off at a dance class and she immediately grabs the hand of a newer shy girl and includes her in activities it makes my heart so happy!
Best advice for mom guilt.
I work a ton. My Blush Salon partners and I have gone from 3 stylists to 9, built a 3,000 sq foot salon, dealt with lawsuits, successfully booked and completed 160 weddings in just the past 2.5 years. So I have a ton of mom guilt. But everything that I am doing right now is so that I can be more present in a few years. Eventually, things will settle a little and be operating without being at the helm so I’ll have more freedom than I would have had if I just stayed behind the salon chair. Just want to be at all the school events!
Who has most influenced you to be the mom you are today?
My mother and grandmother. Starting with my grandmother, who is 93 now, she was a single mom who put herself through nursing school while also taking care of her mother and she got it done! And then my mother, who is the VP of an engineering firm, has a very successful career, while also being at every event that we did as kids. Even now, if I call my mom to pick up Camila from dance camp, she will drop everything at work and go get her! THANK YOU MOM & GRANDMA!
Blush Hair Salon started in a small studio space in 2021 with 3 stylists and quickly expanded to a brand new storefront in Annapolis! In the first year of business, Blush Hair Salon was voted What’s Up Media Best of Annapolis 2022 AND again in 2023! Blush is currently a full service hair & bridal salon specializing in lived-in blondes, balayage, gray coverage and fashion colors. The Blush Bridal team consists of hair and make up, traveling to venues or hosting in their brand new, beautiful salon.
Want to be part of the Blush team? They’re currently hiring stylists, estheticians and support staff! Send resumes to [email protected]
The Blush team offers online scheduling right from your phone, making it easy to book an appointment 24/7. See a full list of products and services & book your appointment with Blush Hair Salon today!
2431 Solomons Island Road #102
Annapolis, MD 21401
We love to support local businesses! What are your favorite local places to:
Get coffee: Rise Up
Go on a date night: Primo (it’s in Edgewater but SO GOOD). Then on our way back we hit up Daily Scoop!
Go out for a girls night: Blackwall Hitch
Go out to dinner as a family: O’Loughlins
Shop for your kids: Honeysuckle
Get your nails done: Sun Spa on Housley
Have fun as a family: Kinder Farm
Photography by @life_moments_by_leah
