Southeastern Cosmetology Offers Glamour on a Budget

Pamela French is on a strict budget, but she also likes to get her hair done regularly.

She’s found the perfect solution:  the Cosmetology Salon at l.

Open two mornings a week, the salon is staffed by junior and senior students, who are overseen by their instructors.  The students cut, color, perm and style hair. They also provide a variety of spa services, including manicures, pedicures, facials, and make-up applications, at a very reasonable price. 

“I think they do a good job, and I like talking them.  They are very friendly, and they have interesting things to say,” said French, who lives in Foxborough.

The salon is managed by Cyra Hathaway, who is the director of the cosmetology program.  She teaches the students to do a thorough consultation before they begin their work.

“I tell them they have to listen to their clients.  No matter how good they are, they’re not going to be a great hairdresser if they don’t please them,” she said.

The seniors have spent many hours learning theory and practicing their skills, and four of them already have their state licenses. They need 1,000 hours to be eligible to take the state boards, but Hathaway said her program goes beyond the required standards.

The students start cutting hair when they are juniors, after they’ve learned basic skills.  By that time, they also have taken an array of courses to help them prepare for their future career, including anatomy, chemistry and safe sanitation practices.

They don’t start working on clients right away, however. Senior Ashley Gardner, of East Bridgewater, said she practiced on mannequins and other cosmetology students before she started cutting other people’s hair.   When she started working on clients, she worked with her other students, which helped to give her confidence.  In addition, she was given constant supervision by Hathaway.

“She floats around everywhere – she always makes sure we know what we are doing,” Gardner said.

French likes the salon so much that she brought her eight-year-old granddaughter there last week.  The little girl had her hair washed, trimmed and smoothed with a flat iron by Josie Fernandes, a senior from Brockton. 

All the students are taught to be professional and friendly with the clients, and Fernandes was no exception.  She quickly put the girl at ease, as she put the finishing touches on her hairdo.

“I like to change people, and I like it when they’re happy afterwards – when they’re satisfied with my work,” Fernandes said.

Another client, Sandra Ptaschnick of Mansfield, had her hair colored with foils, done by two students.  She said she used to come years ago, and decided to try it again this year.  After two visits, she’s likely to come back.

 “I like what they did, and I think it’s a good learning experience for them,” she said.

The salon is open until the end of May, and will reopen during the school year.  Services range from $8, for a cut and shampoo, to $10 for a facial.  Other services are slightly more expensive due to the cost of the products.  The salon does not charge for the time of the students and the instructors.

The salon does not take walk-in clients, and Hathaway recommends that people book well in advance.

“We book up fast, and many of our clients pre-book before they leave,” she said.

A full menu of services can be viewed on the high school website: www.sersd.org, and appointments can be made by calling the salon at 508-230-1269.

Article submitted courtesy of Southeastern Regional press release.