Meet your Masters: Kristina Paris | Dosha Salon Spa - Portland's premier Aveda Salon Spa

Meet your Masters: Kristina Paris

Aug 1st 2016

Kristina Paris is a really busy lady. She is a Dosha Master Stylist, A member of both the Dosha Creative and Bridal Elite Teams and an Aveda Purefessional Educator. She frequents New York Fashion Week working backstage with Jon Reyman, raises two little girls and can recently add assistant soccer coach to her long resume- Oh and in between all that she does hair at Dosha Clackamas. We are tired just listing it all out. Kristina is busy, but she is one of those rare breeds of women who despite a crazy schedule is always on when you see her, she comes dressed to the nines with a big warm smile on her face. This is why we are honored to call this incredible lady a 15 year stylist at Dosha Salon Spa- she inspires us, she cracks us up and she kind of wears us out, but we couldn't be prouder!

How long have you been in the Industry? 15 years! I graduated from Phagans in Corvallis.

Why or how did you choose this path? It is a really funny story actually. I was actually in school to be a teacher but it just wasn't for me, it took too long. So I opened up a phonebook, looked up trade schools and saw the number for Phagans and called it.

So really, you could have ended up at any trade school? You could be in construction right now!? Yeah I could have! Luckily I fell in love. On the very first day, I knew I loved it.

Do you have a point of view or an atheistic as a stylist? I just enjoy everybody. I like getting to know each person, that is my thing. People come to a hair stylist for all sorts of different reasons and I like the wild ones as much as the vanilla. I like doing a good blonde color as much as a crazy color. Like I just blue on an 80 year old client- I love that!

What does the Dosha Masters program mean to you? It means consistency. I am a part of making things consistent across 6 salons, making the culture of Dosha consistent. Its like, if a four seasons opens up in a really crappy part of town, it should still have four seasons service. It is a privilege and a responsibility to carry that through.

Where do you get your inspiration from? I'm inspired by leaders in this industry, from their work. But I also find it in the stylist next to me, the person in my chair, their stories, their ideas.

Have you ever cried during a service? Yes! I have been doing hair 15 years, ahh this is wear I get a little misty! It is a privilege to be in their lives for so long. It is really humbling to think about. You start doing some ones hair and they grow with you, they get married and have kids. So there are a lot of times I have cried. But I think one that sticks out was having a guest go through 3 cancer, chemo treatments. It is a privilege to be chosen to be a part of that experience. to be a part of making some one feel more confident, when they are experiencing the worst things.

On the flip side, is there a time you couldn't stop laughing during a service? Of Course. I find the most inappropriate things funny! (Laughs)

What are you doing outside of work? I'm outdoors. Camping, Hiking, going to the fountain with my girls. I love being near the water, boating, tubing. I just accidently signed up to be an assistant soccer coach! haha I don't know how that happened. I love to read but I usually fall asleep when I get the chance to actually do that. And Shop, of course!

So you have been at this for 15 years, what does that feel like? Well it makes me feel old. But really it is what you work toward, that sense of ownership. I feel such a strong responsibility to protect this Dosha culture, that I'm incredibly proud of. It has been such an awesome ride, I mean its been almost half my life. I'm a completely different person then when I started. I mean there have definitely been phases of my life where I am working more than I was home. It just means so much.

What is your advice to new stylist who are looking for that same sense of longevity? I mean how did you do it? It is all about perspective right. You have to find what drives you. And I have to say that hopping from salon to salon is the biggest killer. So you just really have to do your research, find the place that suits you and build your roots.

You have done a lot of things within the industry, NY Fashion week, Aveda Congress, most recently you attended NAHA ( North American Hairstyling Awards), what was that experience like? It was really cool. I haven't seen a lot of shows outside of Aveda, so it was so cool to go to this show with lot of other companies and see Aveda really represent, I mean they killed it, blew it out of the water.

What is your go-to Aveda Product? Damage Remedy Daily hair repair. It is a protectant, its a conditioner. It is a favorite because it is not just a band-aid product, it actually repairs damage. That is an amazing thing!