Blog Post

Meet Shontai Garrett: Connecticut’s Top Cosmetologist Redefining Beauty Standards

The Hair Musician is a skilled professional in barbering and cosmetology, dedicated to enhancing clients’ beauty and confidence.

Published

2 years ago

February 15, 2024

John Smiley III

Step into Shontai Garrett's tranquil salon-spa oasis, where expertise meets relaxation. As a licensed professional in both barbering and cosmetology, Shontai brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to every client she serves. With a dedication to continual learning and growth, she's currently expanding her skill set even further. Here, clients not only receive top-notch hair and beauty services but also enjoy a serene environment where they can unwind and rejuvenate. Shontai's personalized approach ensures that each customer leaves feeling not only pampered but also empowered with newfound confidence in their appearance.

Shontai, also known as TayeShe's a member of the CT Chamber of Commerce and ASCP – Associated Skin Care Professionals. All services are massage, skincare, and haircare. Working towards hair restoration & scalp rejuvination. Her main goals as a hair care provider previously centered around just hair care but her practice has evolved into scalp care as well. She's all about giving people options and versatility toward wearing different hairstyle options whether that be the client's natural hair or wig if preferred. Taye's salon is a safe space to learn about hair and skin while being able to relax and wind down. Taye is all about her clients feeling maximum comfort and leading them to self-care.

She attends school in North Haven. She's also an aesthetician and a mom. She manages her time by taking Saturdays off and taking lunch breaks during work to maintain a peace of mind to service her community, and to keep stress at a minimum so she can be a team player in her home life to her daughter.

Taye is dedicated to helping her clients feel safe in her salon, educating them on the plethora of options they have to take care of themselves, their skin, and hair, ultimately helping beautify and nurture the confidence in her clients. She takes pride in being a pivotal leader in her profession as she brings top quality service to her community.

Credentials

Taye started going back to school at Paul Mitchell the School in North Haven, an Ivy League cosmetology school, to continue her education and certification, and learn from professionals to provide the best and most effective care for her community and clients. At Paul Mitchell, she made the dean's list, and join the masters program is where she learned coloring, cutting, and texture. She raised $3,000 in 48 hours for the Andrew Gomez Dream Foundation "Food 4 Africa" charity while in school and as a result was flown out to Beverly Hills in 2022 to represent North Haven, all expenses paid, where she participated in and won at First 100 Gala. She went to school for cosmetology, barbering, and is now in school for aesthetics which includes skin therapy, eyebrows, lashes, and makeup. She's a certified master loctician, she's big on silk presses, and she also participates in fashion shows where she styles the model participants. Here are some other certifications she's got as well:

1st Place at PMTS November 2021 Fashion Show
Cutting Honors
Texture Honors
Color Honors
Phase Two Program – An accelerated program at Paul Mitchell the School North Haven
Cosmetologists & Barbers Association of New England
Scholarship Gala Honoree in October 2018
Received Perfect Attendance in December 2021
Certified in the Six Methods of Hair Extensions
Certified in Barbicide, COVID-19, Lucaside, & Infection Control
Certified in Brow Lamination by Refectocil
Dean's List for Cosmetology in 2022, graduating with High Honors from PMTS North Haven

Taye in Hollywood, CA for PMTS Gala

Experience

Taye has experience in running her own salon business taking in clients and servicing VIP as well as membership value in which she offers discounts for a monthly subscription fee. She also has experience working in mortuary hair, nails, and makeup. She's also proficient in bridal styling for weddings. Her first salon's original opening date was in 2014, and the re-opening date at the current Plainville location was on September 21, 2023.

Hours of Operation

Official Hours of Business for Taye are 6am-3pm on Tues, Wed, Thurs; Friday from 6am-9pm VIP appointments for a 1:1 for an extra $25/hour from 6am to 9am. She's unavailable from Saturday to Monday.

Official Hours of Business for the Salon are Tuesday – Friday 6am-9pm and closing early on Saturdays from 6am-5pm.