I Style Dead People
Sunday, January 20th, 2008
Jennifer Russo, 27, owner of Spazzo salon, in Clinton, CT, hasn’t received many complaints in the seven years she has been styling hair. But with her side gig—as hairdresser to the deceased—it’s not even on the menu. Finding herself recently divorced with a new business, and lifestyle, to keep (Harley, anyone?), she ended up at Swan Funeral Home next to her shop, where she is now on the payroll. “It’s a motorcycle payment,” she says. “And I love it.” Her other side gig, singing old standards, found its way into her work as well.
How did you get this job?
I just went over and asked. I befriended one of the morticians and I gave him my number and information. He stopped over one day and told me he had two bodies to do for my first job.
Why did you want to do this?
Just the extra money, the convenience–it’s right next door.
What was it like, your first time?
The mortician was hysterical. He didn’t want to leave me alone for my first job. He wheeled them into the showroom area to make it easier for me, but he didn’t want to leave me alone. But it was really comfortable after I asked what their names were. When he left, I introduced myself to them and just familiarized myself with them so I didn’t feel like I was intruding.
How is it different to style a dead person?
It doesn’t take as long because you only have to do the sides and the front. But since they’re lying down it’s challenging because you have to get it to look like when they’re standing up. They usually give you a picture to match.
Also, I’m used to people talking at me all day, bitching about their lives, gossiping. So it’s a nice way to end the day—making someone beautiful who can’t talk to you.
What do you do while you’re styling them?
I sing to them. My forties tunes, old standards. Because you never know if they’re watching. I don’t know what I believe, but if they are watching, I want it to be nice for them.
I don’t get scared or freaked out. I’ll say, “If I’m doing something you don’t like, just let me know.” Then I’m a little scared they’re going to let me know.
Is it totally creepy?
There is a sense of calmness to it. They just look so at peace. They just seem like they’re in a better place. I want to make them look good for their families because usually at the end of their lives they’ve been sick. I want them to look like everybody remembers them looking. That’s what’s rewarding for me. It’s ironic. I’m scared of everything at night. I have nighttime paranoia, for god’s sake. But this doesn’t bother me.
How many people have you done so far?
Seven.
Has anyone ever commented on your work?
The funeral director has commented that the families have gone out of their way to say the hair looked great. I am so meticulous. I want to make sure every hair looks perfect.
How much do you get paid?
Fifty dollars a head.
How much do you charge in your shop, for the living?
Forty dollars. But the dead people are only paying once.
hey, i really want to get into doing “dead heads” i am a hairdresser and sure could use the extra cash, iw as affraid of doing one for my first time but after reading your “blog” i feel a bit better i just hope i can get into a funeral home doing this. i just have a question, do you just go when they need you? i love doing hair but sometimes to escape for the hussle and bussle it would be great!!! thanks
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I just want to say that I’ve been styling the dead for about 2 months now. I’ve done about 10 heads and I must say that I agree with you. It’s very peaceful and it leaves me with a warm feeling because I’m helping the family to end this portion of their lives. That way they’ll remember how good their loved ones look the last time they saw them ever. I’m usually scared of everything but, I must say, I’m pretty comfortable with it. Sometimes I’m in a room with like (at the most) 6 people and when I walk in its kind of overwhelming but then I relax. I talk to them and the only difficulty is trying to view looking down to make sure everything is right. I do the hair and eyebrows and I’m a perfectionist so its extra hard but in the end, its very nice and all are happy and satisfied. Keep up the good work because its truly a blessing in disguise.
oh yeah…I only get paid $35 per head…maybe I should push for $50. lol
Hello,
My name is Diandra Bias Im living in Augusta GA. I went to school for cosmeetology. I havent passed my state board. I really want to do dead people hair. I called around to different funeral home in my area. Came u tell me what more I need to do .
Thanks
Thanks so much for your story. I have a dear young friend, who is also a client, who recently died. The family asked if I would do the hair and eyebrows for her. Of course I said yes immediatly, then realized I had never done this before. So I was glad to know that its not that different and now I am wondering if I, too, would like this as a side job. See that friend of mine, Cara, still bringing me goodness and direction even in her death….
Hi im a 20yr old and my aunt asked that i perform services on her hair when she passed. She died last summer and i did indeed do her hair. I actually was creeped out because the funeral home just left me downstairs with other dead bodies and i was just trying to talk to my aunt and pretend like she was just asleep. It turned out pretty good and i thought she looked more like her self once i finished. She was young but she was sick. I couldnt do my grandma’s hair though. I went to cosmetology school but i dont have a liscense. i want to pursue this but HOW?
I have been styling the deceased for about a year now and have styled probably about 10 ladies. I started it because I own my own salon and was asked by my living clients that when they die they want me to style there hair. It takes getting used to, but like the other gals have said, you are doing them a favor by making them look presentable one last time for their friends and families. I too get paid $35 just to stlye i have colored and that of course was more.
Usually, in the Funeral business, you are required by state law, to have an embalming license along with a 2-year degree from college, to even touch a corpse; this is a really ‘different’ story. Hopefully neither of you get caught, because a license is required, unless there is some rule in another state in which I am not aware, but in California: No license = hefty fine. Oh, a Cosmetology license won’t suffice to be a mortician, you must attend Mortuary school. Don’t violate state laws, folks
IM A STYLIST SEEKNG A NEW JOB CERRER, IM INTRESTED WORING ON DESECED BEINGS. I WANT TO DO HAIR, OR MAKE UP, I NED HLP GETTING STARTED!!:) I HAVE A LIL QUSTIONS. IS A FUNRAL DIRCTOR CONSIDERD THE SAME THING?
MORTISHON?
Hey I can relate. My Grandfather owns a funeral home and I’ve done one lady’s hair. I promise you I’d never done anything like it. I was just wondering do we need to use any different products on their hair as do the living? let me know thanks.
I did not know that there were people who did this. I am trying to find someone who can do my grandma’s hair the way she did it before cancer took her strength. My grandma’s body and funeral is near Vancouver, Canada. Do any of you know someone around the area who can do her hair? She never went anywhere without looking her best. Please email me if you have any helpful information: susanalexis@hotmail.com
Hi I am a licensed cosmetologist who really wants to serve the deceased. I live in Annapolis,Md but I am willing to travel to different areas of MD and the Washington, D.C to work. Can u help me find a funeral home that is actually in need of a cosmetologist. I have looked into a couple but no one seems to be looking for a cosmetologist. PLEASE HELP! Also I would be more than eager to have you share with me any information I would need to know about pursuing this as a career. Thanks in advance Allison
hello susan,
i to am interested in doing i went knocking on 3 door’s so far i would like to to this for a living i which i lived close i would be more than happy to do your grand mother’s hair please let me know if you found some one ,
lena boston mass
I started doing deceased heads about 2 years ago..I work 1 full time job and now 2 part time jobs as well.I agree I also ask there name and talk to them thru it. I also ask if they like it.. I to am afraid they might let me know one day if the dont’ lol I have not done children and hope to never have to. But recentely did a very dear friend and I have to say I felt honored to have given her her last hair do. It made me and her family feel good that I spent the time with her. It is a great thing to do. Hey you know you need to be afraid of the live ones not the dead ones..
I wanted to say that these messages helped me alot a few days ago. A customer passed away and the family asked the funeral director to try to get me. Questions were going through my head like is this going to be hard?, what should i charge?, do i use my tools or the regular ladies?. I went over to the funeral home and the director stayed with me the whole time. I let him know that this was my first time. I also asked him about the laws governing the state of Pennsylvania. He assured me that I was okay. I tried to use the other womans tools that normally did the hair, but she had cheap curling irons that didn’t get very hot. I don’t know if she just did that beaause she knows something that I don’t or if she just uses the cheaper tools. It was easy after I figured out that dead hair is harder to work with. I think when she was in the hospital, they had her hair pushed back off her face. I had a little bit of a hard time getting her hair to lay right, back down on her forehead. When I was done I the funeral director asked me how much I wanted. I told him that I had never done that and I didn’t know how much to charge. He said well this is what I usually give the other woman, and handed me a check. It was worth doing. I would like to do this again.
I am a cosmetology student from Oklahoma and was interested in doing “Dead Heads” for extra money on the side but im kinda scared of the dead and thought this would be a good way to get over that or it could make it worse…..whats your opinion on this?
I wanted to go to school to be a mortishon and i not scared of the dead i just wanted t no if it is a good job for me and it would be nice to work this kinda thing
I was recently approched by a gentelman out side of my salon about working in his funeral home styling his customers. And the more i think about it, the more curious I am. And who couldn’t use extra cash? These blogs have given me a little insight. Maybe i will call him.
I’m a licensed cosmetologist who has been asked on 3 occassions to style a dead person’s hair. I agreed every time because a member of the deceased’s family or the funeral director was there with me the entire time. At first it is very eerie. However, within 15 or 20 minutes I relaxed and felt honored to prepare this person to leave this world.
Thank you for sharing your story.I’m a hairstylist of 17 years and I’m interested in getting into the business of servicing the deceased. I live in clinton,md and I’m willing to travel to other parts of md. How do I get started?
I am a hair stylist, who works at a glamour studio. I have been doing hair and makeup for a glamour studio for over 15 years, with no benefits and now we are so slow I only work two days a week. And I just simply can’t help take care of my family any more. I have three kids and two grandkids one month old and the other one is four months old. So basically, i need a new career. And I would love to start doing dead people’s hair in a funeral home. I just have no idea of how to start. Please direct me in the right direction. Thank you
Hi., I like doing hair. I did my aunt hair for my cousins for the funeral. I thought I was going to be very scared, even though I don’t have a problem kissing a dead person cheek. I will LOVE to do this on the side. Do I need Cosmetology license? What do I need to do step-by-step to get started? Do I make business cards or go to different Funeral homes to become an employee. What are Funeral homes paying the hair styles for each decease person hair? If your not styling the decease person hair for the Funeral home, how much do you charge the family? Do you have to have business Insurance.
PLEASE help me? THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH AND GOD BLESS YOU.
Hello,
I am very interested in doing dead peoples make up and hair, i don’t know what the exact name of this job is i think the mortician is the person who does the embalming, i don’t want to do that part. If you can email me back i am VERY interested in doing the hair and make up part and i have alot of questions
I just wanna add after reading a lot of these posts. I actually did an older womans hair at a funeral home today. It is NOT a hard thing to do, it takes about 30-45 minutes to do, and I received 40$ for the service. I think of it as giving someone the last gift they will ever receive. I believe it is all in the experience. Once you do it once, it’s nothing. It just makes you feel good to do it.
I also wanted to add, that state laws are different in EVERY state. In PA anyone can do the hair of the deceased, but the makeup we cannot do. You must go to mortuary school to do so etc.
A good way to get your name out there if you are interested, is send out a resume to all the funeral homes in your city. Just put your cell phone on the bottom, and say “call as needed”
Believe it or not, it just takes “word of mouth” even with the deceased : )
what is the name of a person who styles dead peoples hair i need this answer for my college studies i am studying hairdressing:) and its great PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was a hairdresser back in the 60’s. I left the business and never renewed my license.
I live in New Jersey and I am very interested in this type of work. (having lost my job of 10 years and no prospects in sight).
Must the deceased hair be washed? Are there guide lines of do’s & don’ts? Do I need a license?
Please let me know.
Thanks
shortly after me and my family moved to virginia my knew husbands grandmother had 3 to 6months to live due to cancer from may to the beginning of oct i have had the pleasure of laughing, talking, and crying with grandma. She loved the way i cut her hair and so did grandpa, so on that day i saw her take her last breath in a strange way i was overcomed with peace;heartfelt saddness but peace. The same day grandpa ask me would you do her hair? And i replied i would love to. The mortician was great, he made grandma up really nice and then i knew i was alright with it i wasnt scared alittle nervous,but ok. I would like to further go into being a stlyist to the dead.