Holly Hodgdon

Co-owner and salon director of L'essence Day Spa Salon and Tangerine Aveda Salon and Spa

Friendly, successful, talented – Holly is all those things, and she’s also a hair and style expert who is always on the learning path – staying current, learning new style trends, and bringing those back to her clients at L’essence.

Over the years Holly has created beautiful hair on many people, including Hillary Clinton. Holly was chosen to style candidate Hillary Clinton’s hair before a television news conference in 2007 while Mrs. Clinton was in Reno campaigning for President of the United States. As you may recall, the future Secretary of State was beautifully coiffed during her northern Nevada visit! Holly did that.

With Holly at its helm, L'essence was the salon of choice for Channel 4 News, the Eldorado Hotel Casino, Sienna Hotel Casino and the Fitzgerald’s Casino throughout the early 90’s.

Holly’s Journey to Reno, Hairstyle and L’essence

Holly began her career in 1981, graduating with 2,000 hours of cosmetology training from C&C Beauty School in Kalispell, Mont. There she learned the basics of hair care, skin care, and nail care. After a few years of refining her skills as a hairstylist in Montana, she moved to the Reno area in 1984.

Holly very quickly built a strong following in Reno, with some of those early clients still remaining loyal some 25+ years later!

Learning New Hair Styles and Skills, Staying at her Peak

Always wanting to learn and grow her skills, Holly tried out, was accepted, and became a Paul Mitchell Associate. As an associate, she taught in-salon education and did platform work at hair shows, even working on stage with the late Paul Mitchell in San Francisco at the West Coast Beauty Show.

In 1991, she became co-owner of L’essence Day Spa and Salon – the first full-service salon and day spa to open in Reno with a complete menu of hair services, facial and body treatments, balneotherapy, hydrotherapy, and nail services.

Holly traveled to London in 2001 to train with the Aveda London Academy’s creative director, David Adams, and haircutting educator, Ian Black. There she learned new techniques of haircutting and color placement. Of course, she brought these new techniques back to Reno, adding new dimensions to L’essence clients’ hairstyles.

Taking Success to New Levels

With the successful history of L’essence as an Aveda Concept Salon, Aveda corporate contacted Holly and her business partner, Ja-Non Barber, and partnered with them to open northern Nevada’s only flagship Aveda Lifestyle salon – Tangerine Aveda Salon and Spa, which opened for business in 2006 at the Summit Sierra Lifestyle Center.