MEET OUR TEAM
GILDA SANTIAGO AND CHRISTINE DIBENEDETTO, TWO GIRLS WITH CURLS and a passion for teaching, MET OVER TWO DECADES AGO AND DECIDED THEY HAD AN IDEA FOR A SALON WHOSE TIME HAD COME. A PLACE WHERE THE EDUCATED STYLIST WANTS TO CONTINUE LEARNING AND THE EDUCATED CLIENT WANTS TO BE SERVED, INCLUDED, AND HEARD. WINK IS THE RESULT. We are proud of all the talented hair stylists who have been a part of our work family for the past two decades.
SINCE OPENING ITS DOORS IN 2005, WINK HAS BEEN AWARDED ‘BEST OF’ IN MOUNTAIN XPRESS' READERS POLLS FROM 2005 TO 2021. EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR.
MEET THE ONES WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
You can now BOOK your hair appointment by contacting them directly on their Instagram.
SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OUR ENTIRE TEAM
LEVEL 1
BLAKELY
Meet Blakeley – Optimistic, Fun, and Passionate About Great Hair
Blakeley brings her bright personality and attentive listening skills to every appointment, creating a welcoming and uplifting experience for her clients. She has a a degree in elementary education from App State,
Blakeley specializes in layered cuts, blonding, and the perfect blowout while always prioritizing the integrity and health of your hair. She loves collaborating with clients to achieve their dream look, ensuring every visit is positive and rewarding.
Outside the salon, you can find Blakeley enjoying live music, treasure-hunting while thrifting, or spending time with her dog Bruno. A lifelong learner, she’s thrilled to grow alongside her talented coworkers, whom she considers the best in the business!
LYNSEY
K-18 Certified
Fresh Talent, Big Heart – Meet Lynsey
Lynsey’s outgoing personality and passion for hairstyling make her a rising star at Wink Salon. She may be new to the industry, but her love for creating beautiful hair shines in every appointment. When not behind the chair, Lynsey treasures time spent with her family, fueling her creativity and warmth.
LEVEL 2
SASHA
Meet Sasha – Your Curl & Creativity Enthusiast
Sasha is passionate about helping clients embrace their natural texture and express their individuality through their hair. Specializing in all things curls, Sasha is Deva-certified and loves creating custom looks that celebrate your unique style.
Whether it’s finding your perfect color, exploring fun and funky haircuts, or curating a look that highlights your creative side, Sasha is here to bring your vision to life. As a K18-certified stylist, she’s also committed to keeping your hair healthy and strong during every transformation.
LEVEL 3
MEGAN
olaplex certified
Kind and helpful, she is a great listener and loves to make her clients’ hair dreams come true!
Personality: loving, supportive, good listener, calm, non judgmental, loves kids
Style: casual, fun and floral
I am the perfect stylist for you if… Want low maintenance, have curls, or you’ve been intimidated by salons.
WARNER
Makeup artist K18 CERTIFIED, olaplex certified,
Warner loves working on curly hair, short hair, doing technical precision haircuts, and razor cutting. LOVES curly cuts.
In the color world, they enjoy Balayage, vivid (fashion) color, reds, & brunettes.
I am the perfect stylist for you if… you are looking for someone who truly listens and makes you feel validated.
CASSI
olaplex certified, K18 CERTIFIED
Cassi loves working with curls and helping people embrace their natural texture. She’s passionate about educating her clients and loves giving them the confidence to recreate salon-worthy results at home. She also loves blonding of any kind- from full highlights to low-maintenance balayage.
MILLIE
Quirky, Bubbly, Honest, a hiking enthusiast, Asheville was a perfect fit for Millie! She loves helping people achieve confidence and the creativity involved in doing hair. Loves funky, lived in color, natural looks.
I am the perfect stylist for you if… you love to talk about animals, nature and want to achieve healthy hair.
MYA
Olaplex Certified, Goldwell Mastercolorist I
A native of Asheville. Mya is living her best life when she is working with curly hair or giving her clients beautiful blended highlights.
Personality: Friendly, Calm, Cheerful
Style: Country Chic
I am the perfect stylist for you if… you like to chat, bright shades of blonde, and natural curls.
LEVEL 4
EMILY
olaplex certified
*****CURRENTLY ON MATERNITY LEAVE****
12 years in the business and a graduate of The Aveda Institute; Emily is a lover of blonding, balayage, and fashion colors. She is also certified in Bellami Extensions (tape-in extensions).
DANIELA
olaplex certified/ Goldwell Educator
*****Daniela does not do short haircuts******
Daniela’s passion is creating naturally beautiful lived-in color that is effortlessly gorgeous.
LEVEL 5
BRITTANY
*****Brittany does not do short haircuts******
Meet Brittany – Creating Confidence, One Transformation at a Time
Brittany believes in the power of even the smallest transformations, helping clients fall in love with their hair all over again. For her, connecting with people and making them feel beautiful is the most rewarding part of her work.
Specializing in lived-in blondes, blonding, and color corrections, Brittany is the perfect stylist if you’re looking for a stress-free hair routine tailored to your lifestyle. She excels at curating personalized plans that make maintaining your look effortless and enjoyable, both in the salon and at home.
When she’s not behind the chair, Brittany loves camping, spending time on the water, baking, and making memories with her children. She’s passionate about creating positive, transformative experiences for her clients while helping them feel their absolute best.
LEVEL 6
JENNIFER GRISAFI
biltmore village location
lead educator wink u,Goldwell master colorist level 3, Olaplex certified, Barbicide Certified
Workdays: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
“I take pride in hair craft and I promise my clients that I’ll always be honest about what I think would look best on them. I’m a great listener and will always steer them in the best possible direction based on their lifestyle and overall maintenance levels.”
Specialties: Edgy, pixies, bobs, highlights, grey blending, coppers, reds
Jennifer is extremely keen on authenticity, both as a stylist and with her clients’ hair. She wants each one to get exactly what they wanted, but better - and with an eye on healthy hair. According to her, “the health of my clients’ hair is always number one.” “I have in-depth knowledge of color. I love it, live it and breathe it.” She also loves trendy and edgy haircuts with great texture and full of soft movement.
RYANE PEPITONE
GOLDWELL MASTER COLORIST/blonding specialist. BALAYAGE QUEEN, K18 CERTIFIED, OLAPLEX CERTIFIED,
Workdays: Tuesday - Friday
Licensed in 2015, Ryane has been staying sharp with continued education as a Master Colorist Stylist with Goldwell. She is also Devacurl certified, along with training in Peter Coppola, Pulp Riot, Redken, KMS, and Olaplex.
With a decade of experience in the hairstyling industry and four years at Wink Salon, I am dedicated to creating beautiful, organic looks that reflect my clients' individuality. As a “have your cake and eat it too” type of gal, I believe in combining artistry with authenticity, ensuring that every hairstyle not only looks stunning but also feels natural.Specializing in curls and balayage, I have honed my skills through national education with renowned brands like Goldwell and Innersense Organic Beauty. My commitment to continuous learning allows me to stay at the forefront of trends and techniques, which I love to share with my clients and fellow stylists.
I truly appreciate the relationships I build within my community and strive to empower others through education. My passion lies in enhancing beauty while fostering confidence, making every visit a delightful experience. Whether you're seeking a fresh new look or a vibrant balayage, I'm here to help you express your unique style.
OWNERS
CHRISTINE DI BENEDETTO
CO-OWNER & EXECUTIVE OF WINK
Business Coach & Consultant
Christine has retired from being behind the chair.
Christine is a prism. Depending on where you're standing, you'll get a former designer and stylist, a business owner with a sharp mind and drive, a mentor, and motivator focused on the care and feeding of her clients and fellow stylists.
Currently, Christine is not taking clients she is running the business and is the lead trainer for Curly Hair and Thin Hair in our salon. Christine is a course creator, having written an e-course to help stylists work with clients with Thin Hair. Christine coaches businesses and salon owners and teaches Business Foundation Planning/ Alpine through Mountain Biz-Works and LOVES it . She has written curriculums for working with thinning hair clients, 2- day Curly Hair workshops, Hiring: Talent, Train and Retain, and Creating Specialties in your Salon, In her past life as a successful stylist Christine was awarded Best Hairdresser by the Mountain Express Readers Poll 5 x, a platform artist for Rusk International, Advanced Deva Curl Stylist, Certified Rene Furterer Scalp Therapist, Member of Rene Furterer Pro- Team.
Finally, Christine is a mom to her two athletic kids. She loves cooking, cookbooks, cooking shows, Pilates, CBS Sunday Morning, being outside, smart comedies, business books, documentaries, and being on the lake.
Interested in business coaching? email coachchristine72@gmail.com
GILDA SANTIAGO
CO-OWNER & EXECUTIVE OF WINK, lead educator wink u, ORIBE AMBASSADOR, K18 & OLAPLEX CERTIFIED
Gilda is not currently accepting new clients
Gilda brings the juice. Not only did she co-found WINK with Christine DiBenedetto, she has been a stylist for 36 years. Her coworkers talk about her with reverence and deep affection.
Gilda (pronounced Jill-duh, in case you were wondering or haven’t met her yet) is from Los Angeles, was an educator for Rusk International - a product line she introduced to the community of Asheville stylists - and has trained stylists all over the US for over 30 years.
Beyond training, she has personally styled clients from LA to WNC and many points in between and inspired former clients and friends to start their own successful styling businesses.
While Gilda’s got curls in a shop that specializes in them, she LOVES to cut straight hair, bobs and to create inventive, short and detailed styles. She is a grounding force at WINK, trains the apprentices at the salon, and easily accommodates clients with her philosophy that customer service means seeing happy faces, making sure that clients are met with smiles, being inclusive and meeting every client need - no matter what that means.
Finally, Gilda is a family gal. She loves spending time with her husband and two wonderful sons. Gilda loves exercise, gardening, decorating and good wine and good food.