‘The word helm is commonly referred to in the steering of a boat,” says Helm salon owner Shanna Austin. “To me, the word signifies taking the wheel and moving forward.” It also means Austin and her team of six stylists and one aesthetician steer their careers down a path where cultivating space for an individualized approach to each of their crafts is vital.
Helm will offer a wide range of women’s and men’s hair services: cuts, coloring, extensions, and perms (or waves as they’re now called) as well as lash extensions, facial waxing, eyebrow and eyelash tints, and spray tans.
“I want Helm to be for everyone,” Austin says. “Each stylist has the freedom to be their own creative self as we all specialize in different looks and services. From organic and natural-looking color and styles, to vibrant texture and cuts that push the norm. I’ve recently gained a loyal following of men who are wanting texture too, and it’s a great way to make their style a little edgier and a lot more fun!”
Helm’s busy licensed aesthetician, Taylor Triano, offers beauty services, including labor-intensive lash extensions. “It’s completely addictive,” Triano says, “if you like this kind of tedious thing.” Seeing her artisanal work, she clearly does.
Indeed, a community of supportive women with Austin at the helm.
122 W 5th St. KCMO • 816-533-5026