Stephanie Keranen grew up far from the ocean, but she’s a beach girl all the way.

Stephanie Keranen grew up far from the ocean, but she’s a beach girl all the way.

“I love it here and I have a great clientele. I’ve been doing hair here for nearly 20 years.”

Four years ago Keranen moved The Hair Shoppe from up on the highway next to the Gearhart Liquor Store to a tucked away, sweet spot right in the heart of Gearhart, but off the main drag. Inside her deliciously decorated, bright and sun-filled salon, you can’t help but feel very pampered and cared for. It’s an intimate, one-on-one situation as Stephanie, as everyone calls her, works her magic on one treasured client at a time.

Keranen is a graduate of the Beau Monde Academy of Cosmetology in Portland. “I studied everything from hair to aesthetician work to nails,” she said. “I am a sports person and growing up everyone thought I’d do something with sports, but I’m also a beauty and fashion person, so this is the road I took.”

While it’s possible to get any number of body parts including your chin waxed at The Hair Shoppe, it’s the hair on your head that is Keranen’s main focus.

“I do Balayage, I do highlights, I do hair extensions,” she said. And then there’s her stylish cuts and color. All shades of blond are a specialty.

“I really enjoy coloring,” Keranen said. In the past, she exclusively used Goldwell products, but has recently fallen in love with new and vibrant Italian color lines.

“I do a great gray coverage for blondes,” she said. “Balayage is really good for that because it’s like painting. And the effects are more natural.”

Keranen said her clients are quite educated these days about hair care. “They’re familiar with product lines and are well versed on product ingredients and what’s on trend,” she said.

While she loves playing with all the color possibilities available (she recently did someone’s hair a breathtakingly beautiful, shimmery, pale pink) and enjoys doing an edgy cut, at heart Keranen is a fan of classic American beauty. Whether you’re rocking a modern bob, or your hair falls gloriously below your shoulders, or you’re ready to try a pixie cut, you’ll sashay out her salon door feeling like a million bucks.

The Hair Shoppe is located at 95 S. Cottage Ave. in Gearhart. Hours are by appointment only. The shop is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with some weekend hours. Expect to have times vary in the summer months. You can also message the shop through their Facebook page or email Stephkeranen@gmail.com.