Louticia Grier; a native San Diegan, is much apart of the limelight than you think. As you sit mesmerized by celebrities on tv shows, award shows or the theater stage Louticia Grier makes your favorite celebrity look like a star. By day Louticia creates her magic for hair loss victims. Having built a small empire in Solana Beach, California, top expert in the hair replacement field has redefined hair fashion literally. As a world class custom wig maker and a hair loss expert; who said San Diego isn't well represented on the world's greatest stage--Show Business!SDMN: How important is beauty on the

stage?LG: In my opinion, it is very important. With all of our senses, sight can be very dangerous if it is not done right. Sight is the first connecting force we put to words and feelings. Beauty is one of those things that if not done right, it throws everything off. Because I started in the salon business I styled my clients to their personality and their most beautiful features. Beauty is a healer. My part on this world stage, is to allow my clients to play their roll in their lives and be the best they can be. People depend on looking and feeling their best.

SDMN: For an aspiring hairstylist, what should they focus on first?LG: You should be able to research a particular time periods. Know about more than the time period you grew up in. I live by perfection, that’s it for me, period. The very reason why in certain industries like fashion for instance, people start looking the same. That is because artist don't developed uniqueness. That is one thing I would say to focus on first. Be different so your work stands out in the crowd.

SDMN: What is the difference between theater, video or television where creativity is concern?LG: There is no difference for me, maybe more or less dramatic according to the roll, but I bring the same intensity to the stage or the set. I'm in a mode of perfection all of the time. It prepares me to be on the top of my game all the time. This is where most professionals fall short. I make sure I stand out with my work ethics.

SDMN: They say most hair specialist are always looking at people's hair, what does hair say about a person?LG: Well that's true. I'm always looking at hair. I have to be conscious of people's mistakes or when a person is looking really great. Just like music changes the vibe in a room, a beautiful person who has taken the extra time with her outfit or a man that has carefully chosen his fragrance or polished his shoes; it’s noticeable. Take for instance; a beautiful woman with thinning hair; it ages her. Fullness returns her youthfulness and vitality back to her as well as confidence. Sometimes it is the little things. Beauty really changes how a person interacts with you. So it is very very important that our First Lady looks beautiful; you don't have to be high profile or a celebrity; always look your best, go the extra mile for yourself.

SDMN: I'm very familiar with your work on the Storyville piece, how do you separate the creativity and how do you stay fresh? LG: I'm going to make this short and sweet...I love and enjoy what I do. That's what it takes.

SDMN: When did you know you were ready for the big jobs?LG: In my mind they were never a so-called " Big Jobs" or a such thing as the big time.

I made up my mind that I wanted to do something different than just be a salon owner. So I did the jobs like the Oscars, BET awards, music videos and CD covers. I wanted my work on the red carpet all across the nation. I knew I could take a famous person and re-brand them into a better version of themselves. I just made up

“I’m in perfection mode all the time, my work ethic makes me unique.”

my mind, and when I did, I chose show business. That's it. I knew that people needed me and my art so I gave it to them, I had to work hard, it was a lot of traveling but if you want something you have to be prepared to go all out to get it. Before you start KNOW you can do the things you want to do.

SDMN: Did owning your own salon down-town for years prepare you for Hollywood?LG: Everything prepared me, my fashion experience, my salon experience, not one thing is minute in my life. I pull from every moment of my life in my work. In order to be the best at what you do your skills must have a wide range. And just think I'm still learning.

SDMN: Because I know you can turn an actor or actress into any character you want, do you do makeovers?LG: Yes I do. I feel in my profession my work is for the everyday woman. That’s where I get the most satisfaction actually. It comes with the territory. Transformation is powerful. A hair cut or new lip color can drive a person to do anything they thought they couldn't do before. Feeling beautiful is the key.

SDMN: What would you like to see more here in San Diego?LG: I would like people to stop saying what's not here and create it. San Diego is my favorite town, it's my home. There is nothing like and when I did, I chose show business. That's it. I knew that people needed me and my art so I gave it to them, I had to work hard, it was a lot of traveling but if you want something you have to be prepared to go all out to get it. Before you start KNOW you can do the things you want to do.

SDMN: You mentioned to me many times that hair is about how you feel inside, how do you use hair replacement to raise a women's self-esteem?LG: Hair loss is devastating. Our culture is so youth driven, hair is one of those youth factors. I know that is very shallow but I like to take the inside of a person and design a hair system for them so they can recover not just on the outside but from within. Like I said before beauty is a healer. I really enjoy this part of my career, it's really fulfilling.

SDMN: Everyone said you left them when you left downtown to move up north, are you back home or are you still jet-setting around?

LG: I never left my client base, I just moved to another area. I really didn't know how important an African American woman owned business was to the Gaslamp district of San Diego until I look back on it now. It was really groundbreaking and brave of me. I had a great time and so many good memories. Now that I'm in Solana Beach my clients can enjoy the drive to north county; a place they never rarely travel to. It's good for me because it cuts my drive time to and from LA. You can enjoy highway 101 (Pacific Coast Highway) it's so beautiful and scenic. We really don't appreciate our pacific ocean enough. There’s great shopping along the highway, just driving up the coast is mentally healing. See there's that beauty healer saying again, I really and truly believe the ocean can make you more beautiful.

SDMN: What can we expect from you next?LG: A Multitude of projects. However, I'm pacing myself. There's a lot of things I have in the works. But I'm leaning more into my mantra of beauty as a healer and focusing on the wholeness of a person. You just have to wait and see. Until then you can always logon to www.adivashiddenhair.com or email me at louticia@adivashiddenhair.com