Hair stylists wow crowds at a fairy tale hairstyle show

The theme of the BLOWOUT 2016 show was, “Once Upon a Time”. The competition mimicked a party where characters from various fairy tales such as The Little Red Riding Hood and Pinocchio gathered together on stage.

“It is great for the salons to bring people out and show their creativity as a community event,” said Karin Leary, the assistant at BLOWOUT 2016. Leary said the event is a fundraiser for ACR Health and the Q Center.

Ten fashion salons competed for five awards. Bijou won the BLOWOUT Champion this year. The Styling Studio earned awards for the first runner-up and best makeup. Last year’s champion, Marisa’s Fortress of Beauty, won the second runner-up and best presentation.

“BLOWOUT is a great team-building challenge and an opportunity for stylists to be as inventive as their dreams allow,” said Maureen Harrington-O’Neil, ACR Health Associate Development Director for the Q Center. “That is what we want for our Q Center youth, life dreams and fundraisers like BLOWOUT help make that happen.”

Stephanie Durivan, stylist from Bijou salon, said she has been doing hair for 24 years. After being named champion, she said, “Hard work pays off.” To the audience, it was a three-minute performance on stage, but to Durivan, it was a 70 hours of work from scratch to achieve the final look.

Durivan recreated looks resembling The Queen of Hearts and The Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. In order to keep the queen's hair up throughout the show, Durivan adhered wires to the model's head using hot glue, in addition to five cans of hairspray.

Ellie Meyer, a freshmen majoring in musical theater at SUNY Fredonia, modeled The Queen of Hearts for Bijou. She won second runner-up last year in a mermaid costume, most of which Durivan made.

Heather Isabell, a stylist for The Styling Studio with 25 years of experience, participated in the competition for the first time this year and won two awards. “It is really the only event that I can go crazy with all my own ideas,” Isabell said.

Next year’s theme is “Stylists’ choice,” which was revealed in a secret ballot at the end of the show.