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‘More than just doing hair’: Ocala resident offers haircuts in mobile hair salon

Milagros Alvarez struggled as a child with being overweight and maintaining her self-esteem. Now, not only has she learned to recognize her own beauty, but the Ocala resident also works to ensure that others feel beautiful, too, regardless of their means.

A cosmetologist since 2021, Alvarez, 34, specializes in serving clients who cannot visit traditional salons or who need a judgment-free space to care for themselves. She cuts hair across north central Florida in “Rose Gold Beauty,” a mobile salon that was once the family food truck.

Alvarez and her husband, Duoreski Jaramillo, had planned to turn their food truck into a Cuban pizza business with his grandfather and her mother. However, the grandfather died before he could travel from Cuba to Miami. The food truck was sitting unused in their backyard when one day, while getting her car serviced, Alvarez spotted a mobile hair salon passing by. She called her husband to let him know that her dream salon had been in their backyard all along.

This Q&A has been edited for clarity.

Q: Who is your main clientele?

A: Most of my clients are moms. It’s just hard for them to make it to a salon. Sometimes they take years, months without doing anything to their hair, because they don’t have time for themselves. I always tell them, “You can bring your kids in because there’s no one here. There’s no danger here.” The mom can enjoy her hairdo, but still have her kid next to her. I have two of my own, so crying and screaming, that doesn’t bother me.

Q: Do any clients stand out more than others?

A: I had this one client who has cancer. She called me one day and said, “I would like to do a cut before I go bald. I just want to have fun with my hair.” I went to her, and I did a cut for her – it was a pixie. She really enjoyed it. When she was getting ready to get her surgery, she called me and told me, “I want you to be the one to shave me.” Some people just don't want everyone to feel pity for them, so this was a way for her to get what she wanted and not have people around her feeling bad for her – because that’s not what she needed at the moment.

Q: How do you set your pricing given your mission?

A: I don’t mind charging less in order to make someone happy. I’ve had clients that just cannot afford the price, and we just try to make adjustments. A good example is if a client wants highlights in their hair. I might charge $300 for a full highlight, but if they say that they cannot afford it, I’m like, “Let’s just do a partial.” With the partial, the way that I do it, you’re getting what you want, and you’re getting it for half of the price.

Milagros Alvarez cuts hair in a small, intimate truck designed to foster a safe and judgment-free environment for her clients. “This service is so personalized, and you don’t have to worry about other people,” said Maria Mora, of Ocala.
(Nicole Borman/WUFT News)
Milagros Alvarez cuts hair in a small, intimate truck designed to foster a safe and judgment-free environment for her clients. “This service is so personalized, and you don’t have to worry about other people,” said Maria Mora, of Ocala.

Q: What got you into the beauty industry?

A: When I was little, I always had a lot of interest in beauty. Every time I would go to a salon, I would say, “Hey, do you think I could stand next to you? I want to see what you’re doing.”

Q: What’s your advice for girls struggling with self-image who also want to feel beautiful?

A: Don't let anyone discourage you. You are your own limit. If you don't believe in yourself, no one will. You just have to believe in yourself and once you do, you'll just shine.

Nicole is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.