New Roth & Rose salon finds beauty in hard times

Two women in South Fayette are proving that there is beauty to be found even in the midst of a global pandemic.

Christina Conti and Chelsea Roth, two young entrepreneurial hairdressers, are giving the area some “R and R” with their new salon, Roth & Rose LLC.

“It wasn’t time right before the pandemic, but apparently it’s the right time just in the middle. Everything just fell into place. You don’t see reward without risk. If not now, when?” Roth said regarding the pair’s decision to take the leap and open their business in the midst of covid-19.

These two – with a combined decade and a half of cosmetology experience, despite both being in their 20s – are driven and ambitious, and they have been busy in their new space.

“We are so lucky and blessed to have had our full clienteles follow us, so starting off opening this business with a full slate of clients has been extremely rewarding,” Conti said.

They’ve even seen a bump in business from new clients that found them through word-of-mouth and social media, often looking to “try something new,” according to Conti.

Roth & Rose is definitely something new, located in the Sola Salons building near Aldi and Starbucks.

“We have high ceilings and big windows, so we have a welcoming, modern, comfortable environment while still using high-end luxury products. Sometimes with big salons, people don’t feel comfortable, so it’s nice to have those touches,” Conti said.

Their focus is on making clients comfortable, both in the salon and in their own skin.

“How many people are always looking to change something about themselves? Yes, we help you change yourself, but we help you love what you have,” Roth said.

They specialize in lived-in color, extensions, and bridal and event styling.

“We want everyone to feel welcome, and to enhance what you have naturally,” Conti said.

They also want to give clients styles that they can keep up, with high-quality products they can use after the initial salon shine has worn off. “Not everyone knows how to handle it at home,” Roth said.

Their aim is to change that.

Opening during a pandemic has meant taking a lot of precautions following many safety measures, but the co-owners are proud of how much their clients trust them.

“It’s been crazy!” Conti said. “It’s been amazing and you know, it was a leap that we both were willing to take, especially wanting to make sure that our clients were going to come with us, feel safe and trust us.”

Both were committed to running their own business and being their own boss at a young age. Finding a partner to take that journey with has been an enriching experience for the pair.

“When we met four years ago, we were friends right off the bat, but I don’t think we realized we had the same goals, like working for ourselves. A couple of years in, we started joking about opening a salon together. But [Christina’s] fiancé thought it would be a really good idea. We started brainstorming and realized we were on the same page,” Roth said.

Their salon’s alliterative name was also a bolt of inspiration from Conti’s fiancé, as a tribute to Chelsea Roth’s last name and Christina Conti’s middle name.

As for the future? These two hope to expand — especially after the pandemic.

“Our goal is to be our own bosses and female entrepreneurs in 2020. Moving and grooving. This isn’t the end, but it’s surely the beginning,” Roth said.

Conti agreed. “If we expand larger, if we bring in an assistant to take in more clients, whatever we do is to make our clients happy and keep our environment the same.”

Roth has an inspiring outlook on the future.

“If there’s a hairdresser out there or anybody in this industry who’s hesitant or afraid to go for their goals, just do it,” she said. “We had so many things in our way, including a global pandemic! Just do it. That encouragement really matters.”