Luz Swan

Luz, the visionary co-founder of Davao Hair Studio and EXTENDED By Davao, has carved a unique path in the hair industry, emphasizing passion and resilience. In 2018, she pivoted her career to focus exclusively on hand-tied hair extensions, showcasing her unmatched skill and creativity. Beginning her journey with an apprenticeship at the age of 17, Luz bypassed traditional routes to establish herself as a specialist in blonde hair and hand-tied extensions, gaining recognition from clients across the country and acknowledgement for her work at New York Fashion Week. Her commitment to her craft and the creation of Davao alongside her best friend underlines her philosophy: a belief in personal gifts, the pursuit of dreams, and the creation of a space where both staff and clients feel cherished and inspired.

Luz is currently accepting qualifying NBR extension clients. >> APPLY HERE

@fixhairupper

PRICING

  • Accepting new qualifying extension clients.

We talk with Luz.

What year did you begin doing hair?
1999!

Tell us about your hair education!
My hair education is rooted in an apprenticeship, rather than traditional schooling, enriched by specialized training with Redken, Davines, Keratin, and balayage techniques. My expertise is further deepened by extensive training in Bumble and bumble cutting and styling, and a daily engagement with the School of YouTube, reflecting my commitment to continuous learning, including from my peers. Alongside becoming an Extension Specialist, in 2018, I completed an 18-month program with NBR Hair Extensions, leading to my role as a national trainer for them in 2020, marking a significant milestone in my professional development!

What is your best piece of advice?
Don’t let anyone crush your dreams. Believe in yourself, and embrace the gifts God gave you. He created you to thrive! Don’t believe the lies our broken world tells you! We were made to shine and give light to others. If you’re passionate about what you are doing, you can accomplish ANYTHING.

What is your favorite type of hair to do? All the extensions transformations! Mostly the ones where women have been struggling with some sort of medical condition and have no say in what happens to their hair.. I love to give them the hair they once had.
Luz

Where are you from?
I was born in Las Vegas, but spent my very early childhood in Colombia where my parents are from. Spanish was my 1st language, then moved back to Vegas for my elementary years. I would still say Vegas is my hometown.

What is your best hair tip/trick?
With extensions, I love curling my hair right after blowdrying… then to sleep, I just put it in braids and my style will last a week!

What is your most memorable learning experience from your career so far?
The most memorable experience in my career will always be shaving a clients head while she was going through chemo. Single mom, brought her boys in and I showed them how to shave their mom’s hair. She sat there with the strength of a warrior, preparing for war against this monster with her boys supporting her and prepping her. The shaving of the hair was such a clear representation of that prep for the fight to all who were witnessing the event in the salon. She wanted to break with each shred of those clippers, but she had to be strong for her boys. That day I learned that my ‘job’ is a privilege, a platform, a safe place, life changing sometimes. It’s not just “a hair stylist.” I have an incredible career and I cherish every moment with every client.

What is your “why” behind doing hair? I love to see the shift in confidence once the extension hair goes in. I can literally see the shift in their spirit and it never gets old!
Luz

Why Davao?
Ha! Since I started doing hair I said, “when I am 30 I will open a salon.” When I was 27 I opened Davao with my best friend. Against ALL the odds. Davao is our dream come true. We wanted to create a place where people loved to work, were inspired and where clients enjoyed coming and felt relaxed and taken care of. The biggest compliment I get is when we hear those “I love coming here, I feel so welcome and relaxed” from our guests and when our staff linger after they’ve been done with clients for a bit, because they are having fun and aren’t rushed out the door.

Outside of doing hair, what do you love?
I love worship…I will go to any worship night at any place any time. I’m OBSESSED with DIY projects of any kind, and watching criminal interrogations on YouTube…haha. 

What is your favorite Davines product and why?
All in One Milk. It’s the GOAT. You can use it alone or with other products and your hair is so shiny and it smells divine!

The Davao Team

Click the image below to learn more about the rest of the Davao team.