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Maria McCool, salon owner/hair guru/beauty educator and author/pasta maker extraordinaire is the the Founder and President of Calista, a beauty brand committed to making its customers beauty brave. Calista, in Greek translates to “most beautiful” and for over 30 years her company has been in the business of empowering millions of women worldwide.
Maria, a professional stylist and salon/spa owner started her interest in hair at age 10, cutting and styling her first client, Barbie®. This lifelong passion gave her the guts to start her own salon at the young age of 23. Calista’s staff of 75 services over 1000 clients a week who leave the salon with more self confidence. But of course that wasn’t enough, Maria wants her clients to feel that way 365 days a year, not just when they leave the salon.
“The way you feel about yourself holds a lot of power. I am a firm believer that when you feel good, you carry yourself differently.” Maria adds “When I like my outfit, I notice I’m more inclined to run errands or meet up with a friend. My clients get the same feeling when they leave my salon chair with freshly styled hair, excited to go out and about. I wanted to capture that feeling of confidence and, pun intended - bottle it.” In 2007 she launched her Calista line of unconventional products and tools that actually makes you want to do your hair. These innovative products and tools are developed by listening to countless clients and their struggle with styling their own hair. Each product and tool has a unique twist on a classic idea making sure it's super easy to use and not harmful to you or your hair.
What she says gives her company the edge “Not only do the clients plant the seed for our products, they are the ones testing them, so they are perfected by the actual end user.” Maria, the ‘Hair Queen” has been on QVC for over 12 years, she has been able to sell more than $8 Million dollars of haircare in one day! She continues to be one of the top selling beauty brands on QVC. Maria recognizes beauty is personal and although she aims for Beauty Brave to be a collective movement among women, she recognizes it means something totally different to everyone.
Calista’s purpose is to empower women through confidence. Giving back to organizations that support women and that same mission, is so important to them.. They proudly assist SHiNE™ at Penn Medicine, and the Massai Cultural Exchange Project.
In 1998, Calista founded the Penn Medicine’s SHiNE™ non profit organization that supports patients living with cancer. The program provides assistance such as transportation to treatments, financial help with medicine, and nutritional and emotional counseling. The main objective is to provide patients with services to help them reclaim hope and dignity through trying times. SHiNE™ started by Calista hosting a full day of beauty for patients including spa services, nail services, wig consultations and fittings. SHiNE™ helps women living with cancer feel good about themselves. We are now proud that SHiNE™ is the number one fund raising organization for the hospital.
Another women empowered mission Calista supports is the Massai Cultural Exchange Project. Calista sponsors individual young women with a high school education, housing, and provided necessities and safety to the women of the Massai tribe in Kenya. Without these types of sponsorships the young ladies would be forced into a marriage. Through this initiative, these women are taught the importance of education, health and sustainability.
For more information about Maria and Calista, visit Calistatools.com and follow @calistamariamcool on Instagram and Facebook
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