Owner & Stylist

Lauren has been working in the hair industry since 1999, beginning her apprenticeship at 15 years old in New Hope, Pennsylvania. What started as a career quickly became a lifelong fascination with creativity, self-expression, and helping people feel more confident in who they are. 

After years of working and training in salons throughout Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, New York City, and New Jersey, Lauren opened Defiant Hair in June 2023 with a vision of creating something different. More than just a salon, Defiant was built to be a welcoming, inclusive, creative space where individuality is celebrated, and both clients and stylists are encouraged to show up as their authentic selves.  

Education has always been a top priority in Lauren’s career. She has trained with Vidal Sassoon, Bumble and Bumble, the Redken Exchange, Arrojo Academy, and numerous independent educators. She believes that the best stylists never stop learning and are constantly seeking new techniques, inspiration, and ways to grow behind the chair.  

Lauren specializes in razor cutting, dimensional color, dreamy layers, shags, mullets, clipper work, and creating effortless, lived-in hair with personality. She loves collaborating with clients to create looks that feel authentic to them, whether that’s soft and natural, bold and unconventional, or somewhere in between.  

Outside of hair, Lauren draws inspiration from art, music, fashion, travel, and vintage culture. Her love of storytelling, self-expression, and aesthetics led her to create Lonely Girl Vintage, a curated vintage shop and creative project that exists alongside Defiant Hair. She spends many weekends traveling throughout the Northeast, bringing Lonely Girl Vintage to vintage markets and creative events, connecting with fellow collectors, artists, and vintage lovers along the way. Together, the two businesses reflect her belief that personal style extends far beyond the surface. It’s woven into the clothes you wear, the spaces you create, and the way you move through the world. 

Community, sustainability, and inclusivity are deeply important to Lauren. Defiant Hair is proud to be a member of the Dresscode Project Salon Alliance, the Strands for Trans network, and the New Jersey Sustainable Business Registry. Lauren is passionate about helping create a beauty industry that is safer, kinder, more sustainable, and welcoming to everyone. 

When she’s not behind the chair, you’ll usually find her sourcing vintage, working at flea markets and creative projects, planning community events, exploring new places, hanging with her daughter Angelique, or dreaming up her next big idea. 

At the heart of everything Lauren does is a simple belief: hair, fashion, art, and self-expression all have the power to help people feel more at home in themselves.