Stephanie Moye takes pride in enhancing a woman’s natural beauty.
“I love anything connected with the beauty business including make up and anything that requires getting women involved in the latest trends,” said Moye who resides in Penn Hills and is affectionately known as the “Hair Goddess.” “When I was about seven years old, I had baby dolls and I would do their hair in braids, roller sets and all kinds of up-do’s. I knew I wanted to be creative and do hair.”
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| PROUD WINNER—Stephanie Moye holds the second place trophy she won in the fantasy section of the International Hair Show in Atlanta.
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That’s why she took a step of faith and opened Moye Hair Etc. in 2002 after leaving a 15-year career as a nurse in the Washington, D.C. area.
The upscale shop, which is located at 11125 Frankstown Rd. in Penn Hills, caters to women of all ethnicities. Moye does various kinds of styles including weaves, braiding, straw and spiral sets, She also performs other beauty services including manicures, pedicures, putting on false eyelashes and waxing.
Moye has clients from Greensburg, Penn Hills, Monroeville, Wilkinsburg and New Castle.
“I enjoy enhancing a person’s beauty. I already look at a person as beautiful and I’m just enhancing it. I’ve really helped people grow their hair because I’ve had clients who lost hair or whose hair has been neglected or over processed and that can bring a woman’s self-esteem down,” Moye said.
Enhancing beauty is exactly what Moye did when she placed second in the fantasy category at the Bronner Brothers International Hair Show in Atlanta late February.
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| SEA GODDESS is a mermaid made of hair with bubbles extending from the hairpiece. The skirt and top is made of hair but made to look like fish scales.
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Moye put on her thinking cap and created a tropical sea goddess—a mermaid made out of hair with bubbles extending from the hair piece. The model’s skirt and top was made of hair, which was made to look like fish scales. The design earned Moye a large trophy and a $1,000 cash prize.
The Bronner Brothers International Hair Show was started by brothers Nathaniel H. and Arthur E. Bronner. The brothers and a sister began teaching cosmetology in Atlanta. The first hair show was attended by about 300. Over the years, the show has grown by attendance and has become a premier event that hair dressers and hair enthusiasts alike look forward to attending.
“I enjoy the competitions because I can be creative,” Moye said. “It’s very tedious and time consuming because I have to get the hair on point and set and shaped. It’s almost like shaping pottery or clay.”
She says she sketched the design for about 10 minutes before moving on to getting materials and creating the actual design. Depending on how intricate the design, it could take up to a month to create. It took about a month to create the sea goddess.
“With most of the styles they just come to my mind and I just go from there,” she said with a smile.
This isn’t the first time Moye has dazzled judges with her creative prowess. She has won four trophies in the fantasy category and one in the group category from several hair competitions throughout the United States and beyond. She plans to compete in another hair show in New Hampshire later this month.
“I put out a fabulous style. I believe when you come from your city you’re supposed to represent it well,” Moye said. “People think that Pittsburghers don’t have talent, but I want to prove that there is talent everywhere.”
Moye’s knack for creating special hairstyles is what drew client and friend, Joan Cooper to Moye Hair Etc. about five years ago.
“Stephanie is professional and her approach to her clients is professional. She makes sure she completes you before she moves on another client. When I first went to her my hair was very damaged and she got it healthy again,” said Cooper, who was born and raised in Homewood but moved to Atlanta in June of 2009. “Whatever you ask of her she’ll do. Stephanie is awesome.”
Moye Hair Etc. is open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The salon is closed Sundays and Mondays.
(For more information, call 412-243-5600 or visit Moye’s website at www.moyehairetc.com.)
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