It’s been an entire year since I had won Redken’s NBT (Next Big Thing) 2017 hair color contest along with five other winners and spent an entire fun filled week together in Los Angeles. We have managed to watch each others successes through social media and stay in contact through group chats.

I've stayed in close contact with last years winners and have watched their growth in the last year on social and group chats. We had really bonded and really wanted to spend time together. It was a reunion and amazing two days spent with fellow Redken artists, Kyle Pinneo, Nikki Diedrich, Aundreya Shae Rich, Woodward Bartlett and Cheryl Bakke.

I arrived in sunny, Los Angeles Wednesday evening and was hosted in downtown at the Intercontinental Hotel. The interncontinental is the second tallest in LA at a grand total 70 stories high in the sky. That evening I met the 2018 winners on the rooftop bar for a cocktail.

The next morning I awoke to ready for Venice Beach with my buddies. After a 45 minute Uber ride we found a restaurant on Venice Beach for brunch and bloody marys at Candle Cafe & Grill.

Afterwards we layed out for three hours enjoying the sun and surf. lots of people watching and really reconnecting after a busy year. We took lots of photos and enjoy the ocean’s monstrous waves. Ate mango and watermelon from a beach vendor while lastly walking the strip and checking out the local businesses.

selfie with Kyle who is also a 2018 winner!

Afterwards we got boarded back into Uber and headed back to the hotel for a two hour rest and to ready for the big rooftop party in Beverly Hills.

with Bangstyle’s Ashlee Levitch and Lori Balsamian

We arrived in style from Uber at SIXTY Beverly Hills and entered the elevators to the private rooftop Redken/NYX party. We arrived to see our work on the walls along with video projection of everyone that attended projected on the screen above the pool. We had an exclusive cocktail menu and were served light appetizers.

this years NBT winners Karla Valenzuela & Bri-Anna Burkley

my work model: Alexis Gibson make up: Isidro valenica Photography/styling: Genna Yussman Greene

The appetizers were not enough and we were starving so afterwards we went to Quarters for Korean BBQ.

I am so thankful to Redken and to all the artist involved and to all the cool people I got to meet. This was an amazing experience I hope to experience in the future again. Stay humble my friends.