A hair stylist in Esquimalt has had an arduous couple of years since relocating to Vancouver Island.
Over the past two years, she has faced health issues, including a broken back, and has only recently returned to cutting hair again.
Krista Bertrand, who is also known as ‘The Hair Bard,’ now has her feet back under her and she is glad to be able to do what she loves once again — so glad in fact, that she is now giving back to the community that she came to know and love through the last couple years.
“I had just health problem after health problem when I moved here and the community here was really big for me,” Bertrand told Victoria Buzz.
“It’s time for me to give back because I can.”
Bertrand decided she would begin donating 10% of her monthly earnings as a stylist to a charity based in Esquimalt, beginning with Rainbow Kitchen.
“I kind of looked at Victoria as a whole and how expensive everything is here,” Bertrand explained.
“I feel like, especially in the Esquimalt community, there’s a lot of people on pensions and stuff and the Rainbow Kitchen is such a great organization, like, phenomenal.”
In October, she was able to donate just over $100, and that’s just the beginning.
In addition to her 10% monthly donation commitment, Bertrand will donate 100% of her earnings from one day of the month, with the next donation day scheduled for November 24th.
She has been cutting and styling hair out of her home which is also in Esquimalt for the last little while, but next week, Bertrand will be cutting hair at Waves Studio on the corner of Head Street and Esquimalt Road.
Even though Bertrand will be based out of a professional salon, paying monthly for the chair she rents from them, she still says she is determined to keep her costs low to provide people an affordable hair stylist option.
“My whole kind of goal is to provide affordable and accessible services so that even in this hellfire world, people still deserve to have nice things,” she explained.
For short cuts, she charges $35, for long hair, she charges $40 and for colour treatment, she charges $80 and up.
Bertrand is an experienced stylist with 16-years of experience under her belt and she specializes in curly hair and vivid rainbow colouring.
She says she hopes that she can remain busy with affordable accessible rates so she can be able to donate more every month.
Bookings can be made online.
