Pink Makeover - July 2022
The Candidate: Laura Sterling
July 2022 Issue
Story and Photography By Nancy McGregor
The Candidate: Megan DeWeese
The word “Community” came together this month in the small business known as Sweetgrass Salon. It was a very special makeover that underscores friendships, mutual respect and hearts of love.
Our makeover candidate is Megan DeWeese. Megan is a 2nd grade teacher at Okatie Elementary school. That title, however, doesn’t do her justice. In the 2020-21 school year, Megan was a Teacher of the Year, both in her school and the district. Her history, however, includes surviving loss and grief. She’s experienced the crushing bereavement of a still born child and, more recently, the loss of her mother to cancer. Megan formerly spent six years in the army reserves. She’s gone back to school many times over the years and has scored several degrees.
Right now, she has her Doctorate in Education, but she’s also seeking the National Board Certification, which is the most respected certification available in education. For perspective, there are around 3.2 million public school teachers in the USA, and only around 130,000 of them have the National Board Certification. Megan is a Sunday School teacher as well. And on another front, she serves in Jasper County as a 911 dispatcher. She’s one of the calming, caring voices that helps people through their worst experiences. Megan is married to Brandon, an award-winning public servant in law enforcement. Together, they are Mom and Dad to three children. Megan is more than a just a teacher; she is someone with a heart.
Hair:
For Megan’s hair makeover, we visited Shannon McKinney, owner of Sweetgrass Salon. Shannon did a cut, with color in a warm chestnut. She added a few balayage strands of golden blond that resulted in creamy caramel highlights. She finished with a Keune Keratin treatment to polish the look. Sweetgrass Salon carries a full line of Keune Hair products, which is a 3rd generation, family-owned company in the Netherlands, who makes exceptional hair care products that Shannon swears by.
Shannon’s personality lights up her salon, and along with her warm Southern accent, she embodies hospitality to new clients. Shannon is a true artist in her work. On the personal side, she’s the mom of five children—three are grown , while two are still little ones and twins. Shannon recently returned to the Lowcountry after many years in Athens, GA. Though she’s been doing hair for over 26 years, she opened Sweetgrass Salon in February 2022. You quickly realize she’s a well-loved stylist when you find out that once a month she loads up and travels five hours back to Athens to service her previous clients. These are happy, loyal people who don’t want anyone else touching their hair. This is more than just a stylist. This is someone with a heart.
Fashion:
Susan Davis, along with her husband, started The Pink Pineapple clothing boutique 10 years ago. It started out as retail furniture and morphed into fabulous fashion.
When new people move to the Lowcountry, they’re often heard to cry, “There’s no place to shop!” Those folks haven’t found The Pink Pineapple! Once they do, they’ve found a fashion home. Susan keeps the stock fresh and offers styles for all ages and lifestyles. It’s not a typical trendy tourist spot, it’s a shopping mecca for locals. The store has a bank of changing rooms complete with comfy chairs for watching the “try-ons”. Think Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman as she tries on the multitudes of dresses and styles. This is THAT store. Susan helped Megan select these embroidered jeans, navy blue draping top, shoes and flower jewelry.
The Pink Pineapple is right next-door to Sweetgrass Salon. While Megan was getting her hair done, Shannon’s two little girls were being watched by Susan. The girls love hanging out with Susan in the boutique so when Shannon’s baby sitter canceled the morning of the scheduled makeover, Susan stepped up to watch the girls. For the makeover, this boutique wasn’t planned. Susan volunteered her boutique the morning we appeared at Sweetgrass. Not only that, she gifted the entire outfit to Megan. This is more than just a shop lady. This is someone with a heart.
And here’s one more connection, one of Shannon’s daughters was in Megan’s class last year.
Together, these women have all ended up, quite by accident, showing what a community does. This is what it looks like. Everyone steps up to the plate to help one another to accomplish their best. This is the way to help grow a stronger, safer and smarter world. This is women helping women. Megan said that if she had a slogan, it would be “LOVE LOVE LOVE, even the unlovable!”
And that’s the best makeover advice, ever.
Check them out for yourself!
Sweetgrass Salon
South Island Square, Suite O
841 Wm. Hilton Parkway,
Hilton Head Island
843-342-4600
The Pink Pineapple
South Island Square, Suite P
841 Wm. Hilton Parkway,
Hilton Head Island
843-715-0634
Photospoon
Bluffton, SC
By appointment only
843-800-0201
www.photospoon.com