We are incredibly proud of our diverse team of stylists who greet each client with a smile. We prioritize inclusivity, community, and sustainability, and make sure that everyone who walks through our door feels welcome.


staysea ~ owner & STYLIST

(She/Her)

Instagram: @stayseabrown

Start Date at Hairpins: October 2011

Hourly Rate: $85 (plus Salon Scale fee)

Staysea is the owner of Hairpins and has worked behind the chair since 2003. Staysea’s favourite services are creating lived in colours and picking the right root smudge, classic foiling in a modern way, and she loves cutting a bob.

Being inspired behind the chair isn’t the only area in her life that Staysea likes to get creative. Gardening and cooking are two things that fill her cup. Staysea absolutely loves flowers and having a massive cutting garden would be a complete dream! Camping, pottery, roads trips, wine tasting, and her cats are among some of her other favourite things in life. Staysea loves coming to work because no two days are the same. Hairpins family is a close one, the support and love that comes from within these four walls is like nothing she’s ever seen before in her years behind the chair.

“Words can’t even explain the gratitude I have for my little shop and Hairpins Family.”

At this time, Staysea is not taking on new clients.


sheilagh ~ stylist

(She/Her)

Instagram: @shaybayloveshair

Start Date at Hairpins: September 2015

Hourly Rate: $80 (plus Salon Scale fee)

Three of Sheilagh’s favourite services to do right now are highlights in all facets: baby lights, balayage, hand painting, with an affinity for all shades of blonde. She enjoys creative cuts, bob’s, textured shags, disconnected layers, and pixies. In addition, Sheilagh loves colour corrections and all the challenges that come with correcting a colour while keeping the integrity of the hair. She finished hair school in 1999, bringing years of expereince behind the chair. Sheilagh has ventured off a couple of times in her career to try something different but always found her way back to her passion for the hair business.

Interests as of late are always keeping her hands messy with some sort of creative project. Be it painting a mural on her walls at home, refurbishing old furniture, or tackling a home renovation vision. She’s been getting into Bouldering with her children at the rock climbing gym. It’s totally piqued her interest and has quickly become a love in her life, as well as the fact it’s a fun activity for her and the kids to do together. Sheilagh also has a passion for fashion; she’s a sucker for a thrilling thrift shopping session in search of anything vintage…especially dresses!

Her favourite part about coming to work is the amazing people she gets to spend her days with, both clients and co-workers. Not to mention the fact she gets to flex her creative muscles everyday is a dream come true.


AYAKO ~ stylist

(She/Her)

Instagram: @ayakoko_

Start Date at Hairpins: May 2021

Hourly Rate: $80 (plus Salon Scale fee)

Ayako was delighted to be brought into the Hairpins team when she and her husband moved to the Comox Valley in 2021. Hailing from Japan, she brings with her a love of fashion, style, and things unique. She has been a stylist since 2016 and has attended Vidal Sassoon classes in London, England.

Ayako has a passion for creating textures in hair by perming, razor cuts, textured shags, bobs, pixies, and creative cuts. She loves creative colouring such as peekaboo, balayage, and money pieces. Being well experienced in working with Asian hair textures as well, Ayako realizes the different needs of various cultures' hair qualities.

On a personal note, Ayako is the doting mother of two beautiful girls, loving wife to her husband Christopher, and has a penchant for kitesurfing, camping, hiking, snowboarding, and all that the wild outdoors of the Comox Valley has to offer. In addition, Ayako and Christopher own Eden Day Spa located on 5th street.

At this time, Ayako is on maternity leave.

 

Nicole ~ stylist

(She/Her)

Instagram: @sunkissed.blonde.hair

Start Date at Hairpins: May 2021

Hourly Rate: $80 (plus Salon Scale fee)

Nicole may be new to Hairpins but she's been working her magic behind the chair since 2006. Working on blondes has always been Nicole’s favourite in the past but she is loving how much colour is evolving. Creating lived-in colours by combining classic foiling, baby lights and foilyage are among some of Nicole's favourite techniques right now. Picking the perfect toner or adding a little root smudge has been her winning combo. Nicole is accepting new clients and would love to create that perfect lived-in blonde, sun-kissed highlights, or rich dark colour melt for you.

Outside of the salon, Nicole loves to stay active mountain biking, practicing yoga and gardening. Her favourite thing about coming to work is the creative team environment. She also loves transforming her clients and giving them the perfect look!

 

WILLOW ~ STYLIST

(She/Her)

Instagram: @willowshull

Start Date at Hairpins: October 2021

Hourly Rate: $80 (plus Salon Scale fee)

Willow has been behind the chair since 2013 and her favourite services are all of the blondes, creating the perfect lived-in colour, and fun textured haircuts. She is loving the curtain fringe trend. Willow has recently become Hairpins master of extensions.

If you’ve been to the salon while Willow is working, you may have met her littlest love Jimmy or heard of her first love Rosie. Willow’s dogs are her number one favourite thing outside of work. She loves spending time outside hiking, snowshoeing, and sitting on the beach.

Willow loves coming to work as she is a people person and loves spending her day with her co-workers and clients. She loves that Hairpins radiates positive energy and always brings a smile to everyone’s face!

 

Amber ~ stylist

(She/Her)

Instagram: @amber.jensen.smythe

Start Date at Hairpins: December 2021

Hourly Rate: $70 (plus Salon Scale fee)

Amber is new to the Hairpins team, but she has been in the hair industry since 2014. Her favourite services are short textured cuts, multidimensional hair colours, and blonde highlights. Amber has been honing in on her cutting skills, specializing in men’s cuts and women’s pixie cuts.

Some things she likes doing outside of work are road trips, spending time with friends and family, and in her down time Amber enjoys a bubble bath with a glass of wine and a good book .

 

Kris ~ stylist

(He/Him)

Instagram: @kristraverhair

Start Date at Hairpins: December 2021

Hourly Rate: $70 (plus Salon Scale fee)

Kris is the newest member of the Hairpins family, but has been in the hair industry since 2017. His favourite services right now are wolf cuts, shags, & mullets. He also likes doing vivid colours and curly hair cuts.

Some things Kris loves doing outside of work is amateur birdwatching, playing video games, print making, hanging out with his cat, and crocheting.

His favourite things about coming to work are spending time with amazing people and letting his creativity flow.

 

KEISJA ~ stylIst

(She/Her)

Instagram: @keisjarayhair

Start Date at Hairpins: September 2022

Hourly Rate: $75 (plus Salon Scale fee)

Keisja is Comox Valley born and raised and has been working behind the chair since 2016. Specializing in balayage & blondes, she loves creating beautiful, lived-in colours that are created uniquely for each of her clients. Keisja says that colouring hair is not the only area of styling she likes. She loves cutting the modern shags, mullets, and textured hair we’ve been seeing.

When Keisja isn’t getting creative behind the chair, you can find her in the gym, practicing yoga, or spending time out on the golf course. Keisja is also extremely family-orientated and has a great group of friends that she loves spending time with. Being a very social person, her family and friends are the most important aspects of her life including her Hairpins Fam!

 

finnebar ~ salon manager

(They/Them)

Start Date at Hairpins: October 2023


natalee ~ Salon Coordinator

(She/Her)

Start Date at Hairpins: January 2024


name ~ position

(Pronouns)

Instagram:

Start Date at Hairpins:

Hourly Rate:


Jimmy ~ salon dog

(He/Him)

Instagram: @little_jimbo_pom

Start Date at Hairpins: October 2021

 

YOUR NAME HERE ~ FUTURE STYLIST

That's right, we're ALWAYS looking for the right fit!