Beauty Book Club: Super Hairo
Salon-owner-turned-author Nicole Cestaro pens a memoir about life behind the chair.
Super Hairo is available on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
Fun fact: I am a book geek. I belong to a book club, and I love getting sucked into a good story. So, when I heard about a memoir written by a Long Island salon owner, I had to grab a copy. Beauty + books? The perfect collab!
I recently had the opportunity to sit down live on Instagram with Nicole Cestaro, author of Super Hairo (Newman Springs) and owner of Karma Beauty Studio in Merrick, to learn more about her and the new release. Here are some excerpts from our interview:
KBD: What made you write a book about your life as a salon owner?
NC: Honestly, it was partly out of frustration; I am a writer, so I would journal. It became a cathartic therapy session for me to write about my frustrations as a salon owner. I’d read it back, and it was funny! I thought it might be helpful for other hairdressers to commiserate. And for clients, I think they’ll understand what we go through. There are takeaways on being a good client and knowing what goes on behind the scenes. But it’s not just for stylists, salon owners, or clients. It’s for business owners. You could own a dry cleaner and gain business motivation from it.
KBD: Over the past 35 years as a stylist and salon owner, you have seen a lot of change. How has the salon industry evolved through all of it?
NC: You have no idea! I started at 15. I was in ninth grade. I didn’t play sports, so I had nothing to do after school and decided to work at a beauty parlor. Older women came for weekly blowouts, and clients gave us ripped-out magazine pages. Then, all of a sudden, it evolved into more high-tech services, and color became a big thing. Now, it’s all social media—no longer word of mouth. It’s about what you can do on Instagram and TikTok. In the book, there is a chapter called Dinosaurs versus Avatars. I’m obviously a dinosaur; I have an old-school way of running my business, but I still have an open mind to this newfangled technology.
KBD: What’s your advice for the “avatars,” the new generation of stylists? What makes a successful stylist?
NC: You have to treat the people sitting in your chair like it’s their first time, even if it’s their hundredth; they’re paying for you. Be honest, listen to your clients, and do what they want. We do a lot of work that we don’t always love because it’s what they want. Give them the best guidance; stay current on trends and techniques. And always have something in your back pocket if they come to you and say, ‘What can I do differently?’ You have to think on your feet. And you have to be quick on your feet, too. You can’t take forever to do something because nobody wants to wait.
KBD: What makes someone a good client?
NC: Being on time, prepared, knowing what you want, and understanding that it may not happen on the first visit. It might take a few sessions. You must also understand what your hair can and can’t do. Somebody might come in with thin hair and want big, voluminous head of hair; it’s not going to happen naturally. But if you want it, we could work towards it. You could get extensions, or we can work with the cut. You could add highlights to create dimensions—smoke and mirrors.
And, If you want to bring me a coffee, that’s great too. I’m kidding!
For the full interview with Nicole Cestaro, visit @prettylocal.li on Instagram. Grab a copy of Super Hairo on Barnes & Noble or Amazon.
*Interview edited for length and clarity.
