Now, the small business in Temescal is getting calls left and right.<\/p>\n
Corinna Hernandez, who co-owns the salon with her husband, did the cut and Tiffany Barrios did the color.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s been like a really great PR dream that we didn\u2019t know was going to happen,” said Hernandez.<\/p>\n
“I didn\u2019t expect any of it, I just was like oh cute, I get to do an ice skaters hair, and I love ice skating, she\u2019s so cool,” said Barrios.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Unexpected surprise <\/p>\n
The backstory:<\/p>\n
It all started when Hernandez\u2019s husband sent Liu a message on Instagram, offering a haircut at Pony.<\/p>\n
“He was really surprised when she responded,” said Hernandez, who explained it had been weeks before he offered services that she messaged back.<\/p>\n
Hernandez said when Liu asked for her color to be touched up, she knew just who to ask: Barrios, who came in on her day off that Tuesday in January to do it.<\/p>\n
“She came to me with those halos already in, just wanting to go a little bit darker and more gold,” said Barrios, who said she needed four layers of toner to achieve the look Liu wanted.<\/p>\n
The original rings were done by Liu herself over the years, and touched up by a stylist in St. Louis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They said during consultations, Liu’s down-to-earth nature and carefree spirit were genuine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“When she walked in, I walked up to her, and I was going to introduce myself and say hi I\u2019m Corinna, and she goes, \u2018do you take hugs?\u2019” said Hernandez, with a giggle.<\/p>\n
“You can feel it in her presence, like wow, she\u2019s just unapologetically who she is,” said Barrios. “And for someone just 20 years old, it’s incredible.”<\/p>\n
Barrios and Hernandez, whose careers are built on making people feel good and helping them express themselves, said Liu is an icon for young people.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Requests pouring in for Liu’s hairstyle <\/p>\n
Naturally, ever since word got out about Liu’s visit, requests started coming in from fans.<\/p>\n
Hernandez said a woman came in looking for bangs. “As soon as she sat down, she said, \u2018I want my bangs exactly like Alysa\u2019s,\u2019” she said.<\/p>\n
Barrios said, “Our manager Michelle had sent me a screenshot of all these requests we’re getting, like, \u2018girl you better be ready,\u2019 and I was like, oh my gosh I really didn\u2019t think this far ahead.”<\/p>\n
Barrios said she is booked out and has yet to actually do the halos on someone else, which is why Hernandez organized a workshop for the stylists who wanted to refine the look.<\/p>\n
On Monday evening, her stylists came in and practiced dying halos on mannequins.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I was just thinking like why not be prepared,” said Hernandez.<\/p>\n
Oakland pride\u00a0 <\/p>\n
The women beamed with pride when they described watching Liu win gold at the Olympics.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Barrios watched the performance with her kids.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“They were so excited for me. They were like, ‘Oh my God, mom, that\u2019s so cool, you did her hair,” she said. “To impress your kids is kind of cool.”<\/p>\n
While she was there, Liu took some time to inspire Hernandez\u2019s daughters, posing in a photo with them.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/img_5836-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
“Occasionally they\u2019ll say things like I need to practice because I may want to be in the Olympics,” said Hernandez.<\/p>\n
Hernandez said she’s grateful for Liu’s help in bringing more light to a small business in Oakland.<\/p>\n
She also said, if you want to get your hair cut and styled like Liu, the stylists at Pony Studios are prepared.<\/p>\n
Barrios and Hernandez said Liu was touched up one more time in Milan before her epic performance, which is why the warm-tone rings look slightly different from her Olympic performance look.<\/p>\n