Published: April 15, 2010

Looking for a way to spice up your spring look without breaking the bank? Well, look no further! Fordham student turned entrepreneur, Maria Vasaturo, has the answer, and it lies in your locks.

Maria’s Hair Salon is conveniently located on the 13th floor of McMahon Hall in Maria Vasaturo’s dorm apartment and provides salon-quality hair styling at college budget prices.

The salon was started in October 2009 by Maria Vastauro, a junior at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) majoring in theology. She originally began the salon as a joke between herself and her roommates, whose hair she would style for fun.

“I didn’t want to do this at first. I didn’t think people would pay for it. My roommates kept telling me I should charge to do hair. Then I made a Facebook group and it all started happening. I wanted to see what people’s reactions were. If it didn’t work out, I was going to play it off as a joke,” Vasaturo said. “I spoke to my dad about it because he’s a businessman. I wanted to create some kind of income for myself while also doing what I like to do. After he stopped laughing at me, he gave me some advice.”

Vasaturo, originally from Staten Island, NY, is no novice when it comes to hair. She grew up with a mother who was a lead stylist at the Concept Elite Hair Salon in Brooklyn, NY.  While Vasaturo wasn’t always interested in what her mom did, she never objected to getting her hair done.

“My mom always did my hair, and when she couldn’t, my sister would do it for me. I never did it on my own until high school. That’s when I learned, and then my sisters would ask me to do their hair,” Vasaturo said.

All the practice has definitely paid off, as Vasaturo has managed to turn her hobby into a successful business.

When you come to Maria’s Hair Salon, you not only get your hair styled, but you get great hair advice and casual conversation.  Vasaturo offers you a complimentary beverage and sits you down in her living room, surrounded by brushes (cleaned after every client) and products. She’ll first tell you about how her grandmother used to tell her to put olive oil in her hair to keep it shiny, and then she’ll give you names of the best products available to keep your hair full and healthy. Then she’ll put her skills to use and begin to style your hair.

“After working with Maria, I have much more confidence in my hair. A stranger even came up to me at Fordham and told me my hair was beautiful after Maria had just done it. No one had ever said that to me before!” said Ashley Louszko, FCLC ’11.

Maria has styled students’ hair for tons of Fordham events, including the Winter Ball. She even acted as her suitemate’s “backstage girl” at the Miss Philippines pageant at Rutgers.

“I did her hair, makeup and everything backstage. That was a big deal,” Vasaturo said.

“She’s pretty fabulous at doing hair and makeup,” said Miss Philippines contestant and suitemate, Iris Zalun, FCLC ’11. “She has the tools and skills necessary to make someone look and feel good, and because of this, she helped me place in the Top 5.”

Vasaturo’s impressive skills with a brush and referrals from current clients have helped her business expand quickly. Originally only performing services such as blow-outs and styling, Vasaturo has recently decided to expand to cutting.

“A lot of people had been asking me for trims, so over winter break my mom taught me how to cut hair. I practiced how to comb the hair, hold the scissors the right way and how to hold both at the same time. I practiced without hair first then did my cousin’s hair and my mom watched. I also watched videos,” Vasaturo said.

Michael Douglas, FCLC ’11, came to Maria with a picture of George Clooney, hoping not to leave her apartment bald.

“She was a bit nervous, but I had complete faith in her abilities,” Douglas said. “And if something went horribly awry, I took comfort in the fact that we could always just cut it shorter. I gave her a very basic idea of what I wanted and it turned out incredibly well! I’d recommend her to anyone! She has hair-magic hands!”

With her expanding business it is no surprise Vasaturo has an expansive clientele. But you don’t have to live at Fordham to obtain Vasaturo’s services.

She has had clients come from Hunter College, Queens College, St. John’s University and other places around New York City.

“One girl worked at the Met with my roommate, saw her hair, and asked to come in,” Vasaturo said.

Clients usually come to Vasaturo’s apartment at Fordham, and if they don’t live on campus, she easily signs them in, dolls them up and then signs them out. She’s even willing to come to you.

Solange Castellar, a Queens College freshman, says the trek to Fordham is definitely worth it.

“I really was satisfied. The first time I went it was just a quick blow out. At the time she wasn’t giving trims. Then she trimmed four inches off my hair and it looked really good. Her prices are also really good. I always suggest her to all my friends. She has a great personality and I felt really comfortable getting my hair done by her,” Castellar said.

“I would make a house call. I travel to peoples rooms within McMahon and I travel to my friends’ houses when I’m on Staten Island,” Vasaturo said.

Vasaturo isn’t just accommodating to clients when it comes to location; she’s also great about helping college students stick to their budget.

“She gives great blow-outs for cheap prices, which is perfect for students who don’t want to spend too much money at a traditional salon,” Zalun said.

“I’m always willing to negotiate prices because I know everyone has different economic situations, especially because I don’t have a job [other than this]. I’ve lowered prices for people before if they can’t pay,” Vasaturo said.

Search Facebook for “Maria’s Hair Salon,” or search for the stylist herself, Maria Vasaturo. You can text her at 917-612-5206, or e-mail her at [email protected] to book an appointment. Prices range from $5-10.