Crecer Dallas, a new salon that combines plants and hair

Sisters-in-law Natalie Medina and Cynthia Michelle Jasso believe there is a symbiotic relationship between cutting and styling hair and growing and nurturing plants. So it seemed only natural that the duo would open a combined hair salon and plant store in the Bishop Arts District. Medina's father was from Mexico and Jasso's grandmother immigrated from Cuba, so the women wanted to incorporate some form of their culture and roots into their new business. Crecer means “growth” in Spanish, and that's exactly what customers got to do when the doors to her Crecer Dallas opened in 2021.

This salon is unafraid to be a younger, alternative version of the salons I grew up with. Latin kids come here for trendy shaggy cuts. A grateful customer whose hair was chronically misunderstood by a former hairdresser eventually achieves a hair color so far from natural that it requires a second look. The cool and relaxed atmosphere of the salon makes you feel like you're hanging out at your grandma's house with your cool cousins.

In 2011, right after graduating from high school, Medina enrolled at the now-closed Oak Cliff Barber College and received her barber license a year later. “As a female barber, I faced many toxic work environments,” she says. Her experiences shaped her vision for her own salon, a unisex and inclusive space.

I got it: “I faced many toxic work environments.”

The trial and error of cutting and coloring the typical Latina hair can be a source of frustration for many in the community, but Medina and her team have worked with people ranging from corporate types to goths. I personally empathize with the hair goals of my clients across the globe. “We're all used to thick, dark, curly hair,” she says.

The inside of the store is like a greenhouse, with makeup mirrors and rotating chairs set up among the plants. Jasso, who used to work in Gemma and Brion's kitchen, has a green thumb. She has a generational love for all plants, as she inherited them from her grandmother. One of Jasso's areas of expertise is terrariums. Moss, stones, soil and various plants are all carefully placed in glass jars to create a charming little fairy world with small stone steps and grassy terrain.

Add in plant-based drinks and plant-rich hair products, and the end result is a place that's equal parts eco-friendly and friendly, where clients can walk out with a modern-day mullet and matching succulents.