Rica Mendes

Owner, stylist, educator

Bachelor's Degree from Oberlin College in English Literature. Operatically trained Soprano. Corporate Project Manager in Digital Media. Web Marketing Director. LIVESTRONG Leader. Cyclist. Educator. Jewelry designer. Mary Kay Consultant. Mother. Cat Lover.

All rolled up into one ball of fiery energy with a fierce eye for color, composition, and a heart big enough to serve all of her clients 10 times over.

Jessica Xhuti

Stylist

Jess came into Rica's life when she assisted on a wedding in 2017, after multiple recommendations from professionals including Special FX makeup artist & Face Off contender, Tyler Green. A year later, Jess assisted Rica on another wedding and needed a change. Rica brought Jess on board as she dazzled Rica with her haircutting and color skills! Also a makeup artist and stylist, Jess is a welcome addition to the team.

What's in a name?

The word "Yaffa," יפה, means "Beautiful," or "Beauty" in Hebrew. So, "Yaffa Beauty" is, literally, "Beauty Beauty."

So you get double the beauty experience here - on the inside and on the outside.

And, if you are a Duran Duran fan, like Rica, the wordplay is a fun homage to her favorite band of all time.

and what's with all those unicorns?

Our fearless leader, aka @RicaTheArtist, is a bona fide, fully fledged member of The Unicorn Tribe. As such, is officially a color INNOVATOR and a DISRUPTER.

"The artists that encompass this group have strengths where others are weaker and vice versa, some can speak from experience as others have not yet walked that path, insight from EVERY TRIBE MEMBER is heard and respected! As a tribe we aim to break down the walls the current industry has set in place for the Artist. We live in a world where ART has fallen into the deepest cracks of existence, funding stripped from our schools, laughed at by big business and frowned upon in salons all over the world! WE are NOT your 30 min applications, WE are NOT your pick a color from the swatch book colorists, WE ARE ARTISTS and WE NEED SPACE! That SPACE in the industry and in salons all over the world is what WE AS A TRIBE are bringing forward into existence! Join us down the rabbit hole! THE AGE OF THE ARTIST IS HERE!!! Peace!!"

In other words, Rica has been recognized nationally as a color disruptor, an artist, and a VISIONARY. You're not only in good hands, you're in EXCEPTIONAL hands, with a colorist who is REINVENTING THE INDUSTRY.