Cosmetology students: Megan Berry and Erica Torres

Megan Berry

Megan Berry is one of many students enrolled in the Cosmetology program at MHCC.

Berry didn’t start off in cosmetology, however. In middle school and high school, the young artist partook in theater. “I worked for a few theater companies downtown,” she said. “Eventually I transferred from being on stage to being behind stage, doing the makeup.” Doing makeup for different theater companies got her interested in cosmetology.

Makeup became her hobby, as she experimented with nail art. “I’d see people on TV and all the celebrities’ nail art and just got super interested in that,” said Berry. At 16, she toured a cosmetology school and knew it was what she really wanted to do.

This is Berry’s second term at MHCC and she is now taking walk-in clients. “Mostly I just get manicures and haircuts,” she said, also mentioning that she’s gotten a few hair dye jobs, which are fun but not too crazy.

Her favorite part of cosmetology is “nail art, by far.” Looking at Instagram and seeing celebrities such as the Kardashians with long stiletto nails inspires her. Berry said she likes “doing a lot of negative space stuff, thinking outside the box.” She’s not a fan of the “cutesy” nail art but likes using rhinestones and studs.

The young stylist is unsure whether she will peruse hair but has every intent on being a nail tech. “I want to do a lot of custom work similar to the stuff you see on ‘The Kardashians’ – I think that would be really fun.”

Besides going to school at MHCC, Berry is an aerial dancer, working with silks. She also works at a summer camp where she teaches kids to ride horses.

Erica Torres

Cosmetology student Erica Torres is incredibly passionate about what she does.

“Ever since I was young I’ve always wanted to do it. I think I was in sixth grade and I was, like, ‘I want to do hair when I’m older,’ ” she said. But even though she’s always had a passion for hair care, the program also teaches about skin care, in which she also has developed an interest.

Torres said she considers cosmetology to be an art form. In her opinion, hair is a major way we express ourselves, and it is incredibly customizable.

She said one of the draws to the Mt. Hood program was its instructors. “They’re so passionate about what they do. It’s such an inspiration,” she said.

She dreams of opening her own hair salon in Portland, specializing in hair coloring. “I love hair color. I really love doing vibrant colors and ombres. Playing with color is one of my favorite things to do.”