Rosé Rescued

Scotty Cunha, known for working wonders and having more than 15 years of experience in the world of celebrity beauty, has made a name for himself, touring with Miley Cyrus and working with the likes of Nicole Richie, Lucy Hale, and the Kardashians. However, all of this came to an abrupt halt when COVID-19 swept the nation.

Cunha was hesitant to begin working with clients again, but eventually started with a beloved client who was strictly quarantining at home with her children. “I felt really safe because I knew that my clients were very safe, and I knew they were taking everything really seriously,” he recalls.

While a lot of his clients actually prefer house calls, they have been just coming to him at this time, and he would be ready with plenty of protective gear. “I wasn’t even nervous about the hair looking good,” Cunha says of his first day back at work, giving a haircut to a client. “I was more nervous about having a panic attack from wearing goggles, a mask, and gloves.”

Earlier this year, Cunha launched his own product line, Rosé Rescue, with a silk-infused, sulfate- and paraben-free treatment that doubles as a leave-in conditioner. “I was so excited,” he says. “I was like, ‘2020 is my year, I’m launching a brand, and it’s going to be everything. Everyone’s going to be obsessed.’” After working on this project for two years, Cunha could never have predicted that it would be launched right before a worldwide pandemic; it’s been a struggle for him to promote his line while leaving space for the critical issues we’re facing. “I want to be authentic, but I also want people to have their voice and really be able to support everyone,” he shares.

As his parents were born in Portugal and moved to the U.S. when they were 18 and 19, Cunha has learned to support these crucial causes – including the Black Lives Matter movement and the gay pride movement – through voting. “I’m really passionate about voting. I’ve voted since I was 18. My parents were really strict about it because they’re immigrants,” says Cunha. “Just keep going, eyes forward, head forward – we need to go towards a better place.”

Writer: Grace Callahan

Photographer: Luciana Pampalone

Editor: Eiko Watanabe

Special thanks to EPK Media (@myepk & @epkmedia - epkmedia.com)