“In The Chair With” spotlights the incredible hairstylists in our community who are giving us major inspiration. Each week, they discuss their personal hair and career journeys, what they’ve learned from their clients, and their top hair care tips.
Scott Miller Spencer doesn’t just style hair—he speaks life into it. A makeup artist by 14 and already assisting with hair before he could vote, Spencer knew early on that his hands had power. “I’ve always been passionate about making people feel good—elevating them through the world of beauty,” he says. That passion led him to pack up his car at just 18 years old with $100 and drive from Detroit to Atlanta to chase a dream rooted in God and grit.
Inspired by his mother, Spencer grew up watching the way she poured into her clients. “Seeing the joy she brought to people was powerful,” he recalls. After graduating hair school, Spencer started his career at White Salon and Spa in Atlanta’s upscale Buckhead neighborhood. But the call for creative storytelling soon led him into the world of film and television, where he landed a gig at Tyler Perry Studios that changed everything.
From there, his résumé blossomed. He worked for over seven years with writer-producer Julie Plec on The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Legacies, and Vampire Academy. even relocating to Spain for a year to help bring characters to life. He’s also collaborated with Mara Brock Akil on Love Is and was Bruce Willis’s personal stylist for a time.
But after more than a decade on set, Spencer followed his heart back to where it all started: the salon. He opened Elevated Salon and Spa in the Lindbergh/Buckhead area of Atlanta over six years ago—a space that reflects his spirit of creativity, community, and care. “Touching someone’s crown and face is such an intimate act—I don’t take it lightly,” Spencer says. “My goal is always to create a safe, healing, and uplifting space.”
Below, Spencer opens up about his favorite products, top hair tips, and how a simple “I love you” can be a powerful act of care.
His Current Favorite Products:
“I own an Aveda Concept Salon, so I love their line—92% plant-based and beautiful across all textures. I’m also a fan of One by Wankaya—it’s ultra-hydrating and luxurious. I look for products that nourish and respect the hair, no matter the texture.”
His Favorite Hairstyles:
“I love a good cut. Long layers, bobs, pixies—when the cut is right, it gives you freedom. You can wash and go, or you can style it up. Either way, it just works. A good cut empowers people.”
His Top Tip for Healthy Hair:
“Be consistent. Healthy hair starts with regular trims, proper scalp care, and a routine you can stick with. A healthy scalp is the foundation for everything else.”
A Hair Myth He Wants to Debunk:
“That wearing your natural hair is more work. The truth is, when you embrace what you already have instead of constantly trying to change or hide it, there’s freedom. Living in your truth is the most beautiful thing you can do.”
What He’s Learned From His Clients:
“That they need me just as much as I need them. It’s a relationship, not just a service. There’s so much exchange—energy, trust, love.”
How He Uplifts His Clients:
“I tell them, ‘I love you.’ Those three words carry so much power. Sometimes people come in and that’s the one thing they need to hear. It’s healing. There’s power in our hands, and that’s something the industry has forgotten. What we do is sacred. If your stylist doesn’t understand that, you’ll feel it—and it’ll show in your hair.”