James Cornwell, celebrity hairstylist and makeup artist, talks summer beauty essentials and details on his new family-owned salon, Iva Bella, in Warrenton.
Success can sometimes change people. After traveling the world working with celebrity clients on television, photo shoots and runway shows for the past 13 years, one might expect James Cornwell to have an air, but instead he greets every person with a warmth that is rare in this business. Understanding the need for clients to have access to a luxury salon with approachability, Cornwell returned to his hometown of Warrenton to oversee the creative direction of the highly anticipated Iva Bella Salon.
“Iva Bella Salon is a family venture. I am the artistic side, and my brother [Lanny Cornwell] and sister-in-law [Mary Lieb] are the business and brains side [as co-owners],” Cornwell says. Together, they have collaborated on everything from the layout to the design and color scheme of the salon for a finished product that will be “chic, rock and roll, with a feeling of comfort.”
The team has plans to expand the Iva Bella brand from lipsticks and liners to hair and skin products and more, with an emphasis on manufacturing as locally as possible. “If I’m making products, I want [to have] my hands in it to feel and really know how it is, so it’s important to do it locally,” says Cornwell. With the support of neighboring Old Bust Head Brewery and special wedding packages with the Inn at Vint Hill, Iva Bella Salon aims to build a network of local businesses across the community. –Angela Bobo
*Grand opening event is scheduled this Thursday May 7 from 6-9 p.m. Guests can enjoy a photo booth, beer tasting, light bites and consultations. For more information, visit the website here.
1. “The mirror is a custom-made mirror specifically for Iva Bella. It’s made by the owner’s brother Patrick Lieb. We really wanted to bring family into creating the salon, and his woodwork is something special. Every station will have special mirrors.”
2. “Wella Luxe Oil is an amazing oil for any type of hair. I have been using Wella and Sebastian for a long time, and [the oil] has literally changed the way that I do hair because it helps with the blowouts and also helps with adding shine, conditions hair and protects it during a blowout. It can even act as a finish—as long as you don’t use too much.”
3. “The Iva Bella lipsticks are packed with vitamins, vitamin E and coconut oils, and they wear extremely well. Right now we have 21 colors that we created for the salon, and they come in a matte finish, a shine finish and a crème that is super hydrating.”
4. “The Sebastian Reshaper is a very workable hairspray. It’s used everywhere from session work at fashion weeks and photo shoots to inside of salons. It’s one of those products that I can give to clients to take home and they are going to be able to use it—for setting hair, with curling irons and as a finisher.”
5. “The Sebastian Shine Crafter can be used for men or women. It’s designed for shorter hair styles; it adds a lot of shine and hold without making the hair greasy. It’s fantastic for long hair to smooth down any frizz. It’s one of those finishing products that you can really play with.”
(May 2015)