Cosmetology Student Success Story: Cierra Phillips

About Cierra Phillips

When people are around the beauty industry a lot throughout their life, at some point they think about going to beauty school but sometimes end up not enrolling. Well for Ms. Cierra Phillips, she went through with enrolling and began her program in January of 2021. “I chose Evergreen Beauty College because I used to work for a very successful hair stylist who had attended Evergreen in the past. She raved about how good the program is, and that she could tell which stylists came from the college based on the quality of their work. I had also met a hand full of other beauty professionals that had attended Evergreen and they said how much they loved it as well!” Cierra explains.

Before joining our Cosmetology program, Cierra shares how her past jobs had an impact on her decision to enroll. “Before deciding to become a Cosmetologist, I was headed towards a career in entertainment. I love singing, dancing, and making people laugh. After studying music and audio production in college, I realized I wasn’t as passionate as I thought I was. That’s when I started thinking about a different path. All aspects of beauty have always interested me, which is why I ended up enrolling into beauty school. Growing up, I was obsessed with Beyoncé and Raven Symone. Anytime I got ahold of makeup, I would pile it on and pretend like I was the long lost member of Destiny’s Child or the Cheetah Girls. The more I glammed up for fun, the better I got at doing my hair and makeup. As I got older, I wanted to get into doing more technical makeup. I would watch YouTube tutorials and kept practicing. The more I practiced and got better, the more I got so much encouragement to go into Cosmetology as a career. I thought it was perfect because I had already dived so deep into the beauty industry that I figured I’d give it a try. Especially with all the misfortunes of 2020, I thought now was the time to begin the career of my dreams”

Evergreen Experience

As she goes through her program, Cierra shares with us what she likes the most so far. She said “There are so many things I enjoy about my program. I love pampering people with scalp treatments, I love styling hair and makeup to make people feel more beautiful then they already are, I love meeting new people and being able to connect with my clients, the list goes on! I have to say though my favorite service to perform would have to be all over colors. They make me feel like a kid in art class. I have my brush, big bowl of color, and a blank canvas. Being able to change every hair on someone’s head to a different color makes me excited to see the results. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, but in 45 minutes, something beautiful happens and that client has a whole new look!

” States Ms. Cierra .

Certain assignments in beauty school can help a future professional so much. We asked Cierra what has helped her the most, she shares “In school, we have bingo sheets, which are pretty much a bunch of different little tasks we have to complete in order to mark it off. It’s fun because we have to try and get as many done as we can before a deadline. Some of these tasks challenge you to get certain services done in a certain amount of time. I find these to be very helpful for me since I tend to run a little behind from time to tome with appointments. They push me to be more efficient and time-oriented, which will be very beneficial for me in the long run!”

When asked, Cierra shared with us what she believes her strengths and specialties are, she shared “So far, I would say working with curls has become a specialty of mine. It’s very natural for me because I, myself, have have very naturally curly hair. Nevertheless, I really do enjoy being able to help my clients embrace and see the beauty in their natural hair. I just love having the opportunity to share my knowledge about products and hair care with everyone. Also being able to see my clients light up with joy when I bring their curls “back to life” makes it that much better.”

The Next Step

Thinking about the future, we ask Cierra what she thinks sets her apart from other stylists and why people would book with her. “I would say connecting with my clients is my secret super power. I always make it a point to talk with them as much as possible about their beauty goals. I want to, if anything, establish an open flow of communication between us so they feel safe and comfortable to come to me with any questions, concerns, or feedback they have. I always treat my clients with respect and kindness. I aim to make sure each one leaves with a smile on their face. I also love to pamper my clients, whether that be with a luxurious scalp treatment or a good laugh. With me, I don’t just offer a good product, I offer a quality experience.”

Continuing on the topic of her future, Cierra shares her plans for after graduation. “My dream is to one day run my own full service salon: a one-stop-shop for all my clients beauty needs. I want my salon to be inclusive and focus on offering a luxurious, top quality experience for everyone. Right after I graduate I want to continue to further my education for other successful stylists. I want to be the best I can be! While I honing my skills and building my clientele, my goal is to connect with other beauty industry professionals and begin building the foundation for my salon. I’m hoping, within the next 5-15 years, I will have my salon open with multiple locations across the U.S.”

Cierra shares with us some advice she has for any incoming students or anyone thinking about enrolling in beauty school. “My advice would be to DIVE IN! Ask questions, get your hands dirty, seize every opportunity that comes your way. I would also say be confident. But when your learning something new/something your unfamiliar with, that confidence probably isn’t there yet. But don’t let that stop you from getting in there and giving it your best shot.” Even if you mess up… try, try, and try again. That’s the beauty of being a student, with every failure, you learn and grow more and more. So get comfortable with being uncomfortable, embrace every challenge. But most importantly, maintain a positive attitude.”

Cierra is estimated to graduate March of 2022. If you would like to follow as she continues her journey, you can find her on Facebook at @cbribeauty and also on Instagram at @cbribeauty.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in the beauty industry take the Beauty Biz Readiness Quiz, you can also check out our programs or contact us at one of our six locations: Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett, North Seattle, Renton, and Yakima.