Photo: GettyOn-demandbeautyapp founder Megan O’Brien has had enough of South Carolina’s “sexist” laws againstcosmetologists— and she’s doing something about it.After struggling to secure a hair and makeup appointment while in Charleston for a work event, the 46-year-old couldn’t believe there wasn’t an alternative for styling to local salons. And it sparked her business idea.Once she returned back home to Los Angeles, she launched her company, on-demand beauty app and styling serviceRingMyBelle.She then relocated to South Carolina, but there was still one big problem —Beauty services on the goare against the law in South Carolina, so her app wasn’t allowed.“I had no idea what I was doing was illegal,” theRingMyBellecreator who’spetitioning the lawtells PEOPLE exclusively. “There are so many people in this city that do what I do but not on demand, because thewedding industryis so huge here.““I had some of these stylists say to me, that own these businesses, ‘Well, you can’t really advertise, and you can’t do anything because this is illegal in Charleston and actually all of South Carolina,'” O’Brien continues. “I’m like, ‘My website’s built, I’ve moved here. I can’t have an illegal business. What do you mean?'“Fadil BerishaUnder the ruling written in 1999, hair stylists and makeup artists, most of whom are women, are banned from working anywhere other than a registered brick-and-mortar salon. But barbers, the majority of whom are male, fought to have the law repelled in 2021 and won, allowing them to perform their services anywhere.When O’Brien, a beauty writer and publicist, heard of the sexist law, she was in disbelief at the consequences.“If a woman [worked remotely] she could lose her cosmetology license,” O’Brien, who’s in the process of launching her app in 10 cities, says. “In fact, in Texas they put two stylists in jail. It’s illegal also in North Carolina and we’re opening there, so I’m going to have to fight the law there too. It’s crazy. These laws are really outdated. I feel like they’re too polite here. You’ve got to make a little noise. They’re not going to help you because they’re nice people.“Similar rulings have been repealed in a number of other states, such as Tennessee and Oklahoma while Iowa and Mississipi lawmakers are working to overturn them. Louisiana, Idaho, Michigan, and North Carolina continue to uphold the same ruling as South Carolina as several cosmetologists O’Brien is trying to hire keep fighting to work freely.charles sanderNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I didn’t even realize it was a law until I was in school because I’d been doing it for so long,” esthetician Merit Sander, 40, ofFace Foundrie in South Carolinatells PEOPLE. “And if this law was removed, it takes a lot of the stress level out. Because every time that you’re going to do a job and being worried I could have a fine. Or there could be something [that] happen[s] to my license where I worked so hard for, that being taken away. I’m doing a job that is my passion and it’s what I’m fantastic at and I’m proud of the work that I’ve done. I am posting it everywhere. All my family has been posting it too.“Katrina Lawyer, 39, has been working in the industry for 20 years. As a single mom, Lawyer is begging lawmakers to let her work weekends servicing weddings in the area to make extra income while helping others who are unable to leave their home.“As a 1099 employee, I claim this on my taxes yet I can lose my license or possibly be fined for making others feel beautiful on their wedding day,” Lawyer, who works at Salon Couture in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, tells PEOPLE. “Leaving the salon on the weekdays and doing weddings on the weekends allowed me more time to be a mom to my daughter.“Mandie Roe"More people are working from home and simply do not want to leave the house. If you can order food to come to your door why can’t you get your hair done from home? My hope is that they will change this law so that I will be allowed to help others,” Lawyer says. “During the pandemic, I received so many calls from a lot of my elderly and vulnerable clients wanting my services. In the meantime, I won’t give up! I love my career! I truly have a passion for making people feel beautiful inside and out including the sick.“South Carolina based freelance make-up artist Dyana Aives hasn’t felt the effects of the law quite yet, though she fears if she’s not able to help put an end to it, she will.“It hasn’t affected my work yet, but it will have a horrible impact on my work since as a freelancer, most of it is traveling to bridal suites or homes or events,” Aives, 56, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “This will be a huge blow to my finances. My hope is that we will get the same respect and treatment that barbers get because they are not restricted. It seems almost sexist. I am passing around the petition and hoping that with enough signatures, this law will change.“courtesy Dayna AivesSome of congress has even stepped up to help O’Brien and the stylists fight against general bill S 0539.“We cannot allow discriminatory laws to hold back the careers of hardworking women in South Carolina,” Rep. Nancy Mace tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It’s time to repeal this law and empower all cosmetologists (not just barbers) to pursue their careers without fear of archaic restrictions holding them back.“O’Brien hopes her front line work along with several stylists she’s come in contact with will soon change the laws, as she admits her livelihood is on the line.“I got a bill on the Senate floor all just from calling and calling and emailing,” O’Brien says. “I wrote everything up. I worked on it every day because I couldn’t lose all of my money and my investor’s money on this app.““We started a petition and it has over a thousand signatures on it. They said they wouldn’t vote on the bill when they were like, ‘You could sit around for two years. They won’t vote unless there’s public pressure, so I need public pressure for them to vote on this.”
Photo: Getty
On-demandbeautyapp founder Megan O’Brien has had enough of South Carolina’s “sexist” laws againstcosmetologists— and she’s doing something about it.After struggling to secure a hair and makeup appointment while in Charleston for a work event, the 46-year-old couldn’t believe there wasn’t an alternative for styling to local salons. And it sparked her business idea.Once she returned back home to Los Angeles, she launched her company, on-demand beauty app and styling serviceRingMyBelle.She then relocated to South Carolina, but there was still one big problem —Beauty services on the goare against the law in South Carolina, so her app wasn’t allowed.“I had no idea what I was doing was illegal,” theRingMyBellecreator who’spetitioning the lawtells PEOPLE exclusively. “There are so many people in this city that do what I do but not on demand, because thewedding industryis so huge here.““I had some of these stylists say to me, that own these businesses, ‘Well, you can’t really advertise, and you can’t do anything because this is illegal in Charleston and actually all of South Carolina,'” O’Brien continues. “I’m like, ‘My website’s built, I’ve moved here. I can’t have an illegal business. What do you mean?'“Fadil BerishaUnder the ruling written in 1999, hair stylists and makeup artists, most of whom are women, are banned from working anywhere other than a registered brick-and-mortar salon. But barbers, the majority of whom are male, fought to have the law repelled in 2021 and won, allowing them to perform their services anywhere.When O’Brien, a beauty writer and publicist, heard of the sexist law, she was in disbelief at the consequences.“If a woman [worked remotely] she could lose her cosmetology license,” O’Brien, who’s in the process of launching her app in 10 cities, says. “In fact, in Texas they put two stylists in jail. It’s illegal also in North Carolina and we’re opening there, so I’m going to have to fight the law there too. It’s crazy. These laws are really outdated. I feel like they’re too polite here. You’ve got to make a little noise. They’re not going to help you because they’re nice people.“Similar rulings have been repealed in a number of other states, such as Tennessee and Oklahoma while Iowa and Mississipi lawmakers are working to overturn them. Louisiana, Idaho, Michigan, and North Carolina continue to uphold the same ruling as South Carolina as several cosmetologists O’Brien is trying to hire keep fighting to work freely.charles sanderNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I didn’t even realize it was a law until I was in school because I’d been doing it for so long,” esthetician Merit Sander, 40, ofFace Foundrie in South Carolinatells PEOPLE. “And if this law was removed, it takes a lot of the stress level out. Because every time that you’re going to do a job and being worried I could have a fine. Or there could be something [that] happen[s] to my license where I worked so hard for, that being taken away. I’m doing a job that is my passion and it’s what I’m fantastic at and I’m proud of the work that I’ve done. I am posting it everywhere. All my family has been posting it too.“Katrina Lawyer, 39, has been working in the industry for 20 years. As a single mom, Lawyer is begging lawmakers to let her work weekends servicing weddings in the area to make extra income while helping others who are unable to leave their home.“As a 1099 employee, I claim this on my taxes yet I can lose my license or possibly be fined for making others feel beautiful on their wedding day,” Lawyer, who works at Salon Couture in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, tells PEOPLE. “Leaving the salon on the weekdays and doing weddings on the weekends allowed me more time to be a mom to my daughter.“Mandie Roe"More people are working from home and simply do not want to leave the house. If you can order food to come to your door why can’t you get your hair done from home? My hope is that they will change this law so that I will be allowed to help others,” Lawyer says. “During the pandemic, I received so many calls from a lot of my elderly and vulnerable clients wanting my services. In the meantime, I won’t give up! I love my career! I truly have a passion for making people feel beautiful inside and out including the sick.“South Carolina based freelance make-up artist Dyana Aives hasn’t felt the effects of the law quite yet, though she fears if she’s not able to help put an end to it, she will.“It hasn’t affected my work yet, but it will have a horrible impact on my work since as a freelancer, most of it is traveling to bridal suites or homes or events,” Aives, 56, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “This will be a huge blow to my finances. My hope is that we will get the same respect and treatment that barbers get because they are not restricted. It seems almost sexist. I am passing around the petition and hoping that with enough signatures, this law will change.“courtesy Dayna AivesSome of congress has even stepped up to help O’Brien and the stylists fight against general bill S 0539.“We cannot allow discriminatory laws to hold back the careers of hardworking women in South Carolina,” Rep. Nancy Mace tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It’s time to repeal this law and empower all cosmetologists (not just barbers) to pursue their careers without fear of archaic restrictions holding them back.“O’Brien hopes her front line work along with several stylists she’s come in contact with will soon change the laws, as she admits her livelihood is on the line.“I got a bill on the Senate floor all just from calling and calling and emailing,” O’Brien says. “I wrote everything up. I worked on it every day because I couldn’t lose all of my money and my investor’s money on this app.““We started a petition and it has over a thousand signatures on it. They said they wouldn’t vote on the bill when they were like, ‘You could sit around for two years. They won’t vote unless there’s public pressure, so I need public pressure for them to vote on this.”
On-demandbeautyapp founder Megan O’Brien has had enough of South Carolina’s “sexist” laws againstcosmetologists— and she’s doing something about it.
After struggling to secure a hair and makeup appointment while in Charleston for a work event, the 46-year-old couldn’t believe there wasn’t an alternative for styling to local salons. And it sparked her business idea.
Once she returned back home to Los Angeles, she launched her company, on-demand beauty app and styling serviceRingMyBelle.She then relocated to South Carolina, but there was still one big problem —Beauty services on the goare against the law in South Carolina, so her app wasn’t allowed.
“I had no idea what I was doing was illegal,” theRingMyBellecreator who’spetitioning the lawtells PEOPLE exclusively. “There are so many people in this city that do what I do but not on demand, because thewedding industryis so huge here.”
“I had some of these stylists say to me, that own these businesses, ‘Well, you can’t really advertise, and you can’t do anything because this is illegal in Charleston and actually all of South Carolina,'” O’Brien continues. “I’m like, ‘My website’s built, I’ve moved here. I can’t have an illegal business. What do you mean?'”
Fadil Berisha
Under the ruling written in 1999, hair stylists and makeup artists, most of whom are women, are banned from working anywhere other than a registered brick-and-mortar salon. But barbers, the majority of whom are male, fought to have the law repelled in 2021 and won, allowing them to perform their services anywhere.
When O’Brien, a beauty writer and publicist, heard of the sexist law, she was in disbelief at the consequences.
“If a woman [worked remotely] she could lose her cosmetology license,” O’Brien, who’s in the process of launching her app in 10 cities, says. “In fact, in Texas they put two stylists in jail. It’s illegal also in North Carolina and we’re opening there, so I’m going to have to fight the law there too. It’s crazy. These laws are really outdated. I feel like they’re too polite here. You’ve got to make a little noise. They’re not going to help you because they’re nice people.”
Similar rulings have been repealed in a number of other states, such as Tennessee and Oklahoma while Iowa and Mississipi lawmakers are working to overturn them. Louisiana, Idaho, Michigan, and North Carolina continue to uphold the same ruling as South Carolina as several cosmetologists O’Brien is trying to hire keep fighting to work freely.
charles sander
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I didn’t even realize it was a law until I was in school because I’d been doing it for so long,” esthetician Merit Sander, 40, ofFace Foundrie in South Carolinatells PEOPLE. “And if this law was removed, it takes a lot of the stress level out. Because every time that you’re going to do a job and being worried I could have a fine. Or there could be something [that] happen[s] to my license where I worked so hard for, that being taken away. I’m doing a job that is my passion and it’s what I’m fantastic at and I’m proud of the work that I’ve done. I am posting it everywhere. All my family has been posting it too.”
Katrina Lawyer, 39, has been working in the industry for 20 years. As a single mom, Lawyer is begging lawmakers to let her work weekends servicing weddings in the area to make extra income while helping others who are unable to leave their home.
“As a 1099 employee, I claim this on my taxes yet I can lose my license or possibly be fined for making others feel beautiful on their wedding day,” Lawyer, who works at Salon Couture in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, tells PEOPLE. “Leaving the salon on the weekdays and doing weddings on the weekends allowed me more time to be a mom to my daughter.”
Mandie Roe
“More people are working from home and simply do not want to leave the house. If you can order food to come to your door why can’t you get your hair done from home? My hope is that they will change this law so that I will be allowed to help others,” Lawyer says. “During the pandemic, I received so many calls from a lot of my elderly and vulnerable clients wanting my services. In the meantime, I won’t give up! I love my career! I truly have a passion for making people feel beautiful inside and out including the sick.”
South Carolina based freelance make-up artist Dyana Aives hasn’t felt the effects of the law quite yet, though she fears if she’s not able to help put an end to it, she will.
“It hasn’t affected my work yet, but it will have a horrible impact on my work since as a freelancer, most of it is traveling to bridal suites or homes or events,” Aives, 56, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “This will be a huge blow to my finances. My hope is that we will get the same respect and treatment that barbers get because they are not restricted. It seems almost sexist. I am passing around the petition and hoping that with enough signatures, this law will change.”
courtesy Dayna Aives
Some of congress has even stepped up to help O’Brien and the stylists fight against general bill S 0539.
“We cannot allow discriminatory laws to hold back the careers of hardworking women in South Carolina,” Rep. Nancy Mace tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It’s time to repeal this law and empower all cosmetologists (not just barbers) to pursue their careers without fear of archaic restrictions holding them back.”
O’Brien hopes her front line work along with several stylists she’s come in contact with will soon change the laws, as she admits her livelihood is on the line.
“I got a bill on the Senate floor all just from calling and calling and emailing,” O’Brien says. “I wrote everything up. I worked on it every day because I couldn’t lose all of my money and my investor’s money on this app.”
“We started a petition and it has over a thousand signatures on it. They said they wouldn’t vote on the bill when they were like, ‘You could sit around for two years. They won’t vote unless there’s public pressure, so I need public pressure for them to vote on this.”
source: people.com
