Vincent Wright snipped his first bang in his uncle’s barbershop in 1963, and that bit of creativity went on to became his lifelong passion. He later went on to study at the Vidal Sassoon Academy in London, perfecting his styling techniques so much that he was invited to join the faculty. Eventually, he returned to Maryland, where he opened Ascension Salon and Spa in 1988.

And his shears haven’t slowed down since. He and his team of stylists trim, style, and color hair, while their aesthetician allies cleanse skin with facials or paint nails in lacquer, Shellac, or tiny oil portraits of Renaissance beauties. On the spa side, massages knead away tension in 30- to 90-minute sessions.