Salon offers fusion of Nepali, Western cultures

Freestyle Beauty Salon owner Laxmi Dhakal felt inspired to open her own salon after working at a typical American salon.

She found that at the American salon that she was working at, she was experiencing a language barrier between her and her clients. But at the same time, she gathered a large number of returning Nepali clients. 

She had gone into the cosmetology field with the intention of opening her own business eventually, but this realization only encouraged her more.

The interior of her salon looks different from a typical salon in America, as it incorporates many elements of Nepali culture. At the entrance, a variety of Nepali jewelry and beauty products are presented.

When she was younger, Dhakal did not want to study cosmetology, and she used to question why people would go into this field. 

Now, however, she loves working in this field because it helps people who are feeling down a bit to be more confident. She said it even helps people who are going through breakups or those who want to improve their self-esteem.

 “It helps people love themselves, which is why I love this work. I realized how much my small service can help and impact people,” she said.

While most of her customers are Nepali, she wants her clientele to be more diverse. 

“I have always wanted to have a wider range of customer demographics and I am definitely making progress in this regard.”