Portia's Hair Design, La Mesa

Shear Illusions Salon & Spa’s Portia Milner has parlayed her experience styling models for runway shows and her position as an artistic educator for Pravana Naturceuticals into a career at the welcoming beauty emporium. She snips and styles strands, accenting them with color and lengthening them with extensions or noodles. Instead of using foil for highlights, she uses plastic wrap in order to get as close to the scalp as possible, which helps the color last longer. Portia also tames frizzy hair with keratin straightening services.

Now working at Pure Expression, hairstylist Linda Knowlton tucks two decades of experience into her beauty belt, including earning an MBA in international business and working as a top seller for Matrix Haircolor. Linda’s styling strengths include precision cutting for all lengths of hair, though long hair is her specialty, as well as masterfully coloring locks to create natural hues or edgier styles.