Contributed photograph
AT WORK — Sarah Bouchard, right, works on Jennah Rand’s hair during a recent appointment. Bouchard joined Beauty and Beyond in August of 2014.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
She was going to study psychology in college, but when she was asked to help with doing performers’ hair for a Houlton High School musical production, she was hooked. Houlton High School 2013 graduate Sarah Bouchard completed Empire Beauty School in Portland in 11 months and is now one of the stylists at Beauty and Beyond on the Bangor Road in Houlton.
“I helped with the musicals and doing up-dos for girls for prom,” said Bouchard. “And, I liked it.”
Bouchard was involved in cheerleading, soccer, musicals/plays and dance through high school. She was even the 2010 Super Stock champion for the Northern Maine Soap Box Derby held in Houlton in June.
Beauty school came easy to Bouchard, who spent the first 18 weeks of school in the classroom learning the basics, while working on a mannequin, before branching out to the salon floor for the next 21 weeks.
“We still had classes, but we took clients,” Bouchard explained. “People came in at a discounted price and we were able to work on them.”
After the 21 weeks, Bouchard stayed full-time on the salon floor until graduation.
Bouchard took a stylist position with Beauty and Beyond in August of 2014. She wanted to begin her career in her hometown, plus, there is nowhere like home.
“I was really homesick,” she said of her time in Portland. “I just thought it would be easier to start a clientele here where I knew more people.”
And, of course, she added with laughter, “I didn’t have to pay rent at home. No, I liked the girls at the salon. They were really good when I went in to check it out and the salon was really nice.”
Bouchard does not have just one specialty, as she is a well-rounded stylist. She cuts hair, colors hair, does highlights, waxing and deep conditioning treatments, which incorporates a head massage.
“It was kind of hard starting out,” she said. “But, Stacy and all the girls — Monica, Debbie and Shannon — helped me get started. I had a lot of walk-ins and now, my clientele is building up really fast. It is so exciting.”
At times, Beauty and Beyond will run special deals. Right now, Bouchard is offering a free haircut with a color or deep conditioning treatment.
“I run specials a lot,” she said. “To find out about them, I usually post on Beauty and Beyond’s Facebook page or my own. People can always call the salon to ask about specials, as well.”
Bouchard is at the salon from Tuesday through Saturday. She works from 10 a.m. to whenever the last client leaves.
“I love meeting people,” Bouchard said. “I like being able to have people sit in my chair and be able to talk to them.”
That is probably where psychology comes into play for Bouchard, who is very outgoing.
“Most of my clientele has come from word of mouth,” she said.
Bouchard is learning ombre — which is taking hair from dark to really light or a reverse ombre of going from light to really dark — and balayage — which paints on color highlights without a particular pattern — hairstyling to add to her expertise.
“I really like balayage because you are being an artist,” said Bouchard. “You do not follow a certain pattern, but you just paint your own lines onto the hair.” Kind of like an artist does with a blank canvas.
Bouchard uses several types of products, including Wella, It’s a 10 for shampoo, conditioner and deep conditioning, along with Elements.
“Wella is always coming out with new techniques,” she said. “For instance, Wella offers color IDs, which can use two or more colors without using foils. Most of my products vary.”
Though Bouchard loves what she is doing now, she has a long-range goal she would like to accomplish since she has experience in the field.
“I would like to work for magazines,” she said. “I sort of did that in Portland.”
Bouchard and a colleague worked for photographer Kolby Knight and were featured in Jute Magazine, Real Maine Weddings and Maine Magazine.
“Kolby, who is 19, like me, did all the [negotiations] with agencies,” Bouchard explained. “Nicky did the makeup and I did the hair for all of Colby’s photo shoots. We also added our friend, Grace, to help with hair and makeup, as well. It was fun to find out we were accepted into a magazine.”
Right now, Knight and Bouchard’s friend, Nicky, are in Miami doing photo shoots through several agencies.
“I think that is what I want to eventually do,” Bouchard added.
But, for now, she is gaining more experience at Beauty and Beyond. She can be reached at 521-0898. Bouchard is taking new customers and walk-ins.
“I like being busy,” she said.
