Getting back to her roots — with style

LENWOOD • The room buzzed with chatter as the sound of squirting spray bottles faded into a pop beat pulsing in the background.

As a group of about 35 hairstylists — many clad in edgy head-to-toe black with only a swatch of purple or pink color in their hair — prepped their doll heads for a cut, Tera Moore weaved through the room eyeing any stylist who might need extra help.

The 35-year-old Barstow native, now a national educator for Paul Mitchell, was one of three instructors at a hairstyling workshop that drew stylists from around the High Desert to Hampton Inn in Lenwood Monday.

Moore, a 1992 graduate of Barstow High School and former Miss Barstow pageant queen, designed the training session to combine two of her passions: her hometown and her styling profession. Though now a resident of Oak Hills, Moore has made it a mission to bring the latest trends and techniques in hairstyling to Barstow.

For local hairstylist Amber Woods, owner of The Cutting Edge Hair and Nail Salon, the workshop was an opportunity to learn the latest industry trends from a childhood friend with whom she attended Lenwood Elementary School.

“It’s really hard to get this kind of education in this area,” said Woods.

“(Tera) saw that we were struggling and really frustrated (with) getting education,” Woods said, noting that she and her stylists have traveled to classes and conventions in Long Beach and Las Vegas in the past. “We’re just excited to see something new.”

After graduating from Barstow High, Moore attended then-Barstow Academy of Beauty, now called Bridges Academy of Beauty, for formal training. She also picked up pointers from her pageant career as both a participant and coach — and not just tips on beauty secrets but also how to organize events at venues and take advantage of networking.

“That helped out a lot with my training skills,” Moore said. And locals like 19-year-old Stephanie Mundy, a cosmetology student at Barstow Community College, appreciate the help. Mundy, who said she and Moore are longtime family friends, got technical pointers from Moore on how to separate sections of hair before trimming her mannequin’s mane.

“I’ve always enjoyed sharing what I learned with others,” Moore said. For Woods, getting introduced to four new cuts and colors is as much about learning as it is about getting ideas that can inspire creativity.

“Really, it helps to motivate,” Woods said. “It helps you strive to be a better stylist.”

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4122 or elee@desertdispatch.com