iTurn Headz Salon CEO, Shawmarie Patton, Celebrates The Essence of Inner Beauty in California’s High Desert

Jul 13

Shawmarie Patton, CEO, iTurn Headz Salon

An oasis of love and light is an accurate way to describe iTurn Headz Salon, a full-service beauty salon serving patrons in California’s High Desert community. Located in Helendale, California, the salon sits comfortably in the picturesque golf course community of Silver Lakes offering residents there a calm and relaxing place to try out new hairstyles, fresh nail designs and create an overall look that makes them feel their best.

Salon owner Shawmarie Patton is no stranger to the idea of self-care being a gateway to higher states of wellness. She, in fact, started the beauty salon with the intention of elevating her client’s spirits, hoping to always leave them happier after utilizing her services. She believes that beauty is not just about looking good, it’s about feeling good, too.

The importance of making clients feel good is central to Patton's philosophy. "When you look good you feel good. You may not be having the best day…but...coming in..unwinding and leaving with… a fresh new look…puts you in a good mood despite the way you came in", Patton said.

Patton received her undergraduate degree in health education from California State University, Northridge. She later earned her cosmetology degree from Barstow College and opened iTurn Headz Salon in 2021.

Specializing in natural hair care, the salon offers a wide range of services including shampooing, deep conditioning, trims, twists, braids, and wigs. They also provide professional services like chemical perms, hair coloring, and relaxers. A full suite of nail and skin services are also available.

When deciding to open the salon, Patton’s passion for offering people a great experience served as a major motivating factor. “I always wanted to have a space where you can go and get pampered. It doesn’t matter who you are, you don’t have to be like a celebrity or V.I.P”, said Patton.

A profound spirit of service was instilled in Patton at an early age. She’s grown a huge heart over the years through experiences like taking care of her beloved grandmother, a woman who served as a rock in her childhood and graciously guided her through life.

“I was raised by my Grandmother, so, at an early age, I was a caregiver. So I’ve kind of naturally just taken on that role in my life. I’m always wanting to take care of people. Even if it's just… listening to their problems. Sometimes people come to get their hair done, but they need therapy. They need somebody to talk to, someone to listen to them and I give them that safe space”, Patton explained.

For Patton, outer beauty isn’t the end of the road when it comes to caring for someone’s hair. Along with creating styles that her clients love, she is also dedicated to preserving the well-being of their hair. She offers them tips on how to lower risks of damage while maintaining its healthy nature.

“We…cater to the customer…without interfering with the integrity of the hair. I’m not going to do something that I know is going to scalp you or pull your hair out. If you come in and ask for a service that I know is going to be damaging to your hair, I’ll give you tips on how to minimize the damage…to give your hair the best chance it has at thriving”, Patton explained.

This is where the importance of hair education comes in. Patton believes that educating her clients on how to maintain healthy hair on their own will be the key to them getting the best out of the styles they create together.

“If you put in a style for a customer that requires some kind of maintenance, and you don’t tell them how to maintain it, things can go bad. They could potentially lose their hair. Giving the customer the best opportunity to maximize that style is why you would educate them on how to maintain it”, Patton explained.

Patton started doing hair when she was a child. She recalls braiding her cousin's hair as early as age eight and continued it as a hobby throughout her life. Never did she think that one day she’d be the CEO of her own beauty business.

“I’ve…been doing hair since I was little. I always knew that I wanted to work in a salon, but I didn't know I would own one”, said Patton, who is proud to have a place of her own that she can use to bring positivity to the neighborhood.

Taking good care of people is something Patton learned early on when she was on the receiving end of great care growing up. She credits her sixth grade teacher, Ms. Brandy, for being a memorable role model in her life, recalling her as someone Patton looked up to and learned a lot from. According to Patton, Ms. Brandy went the extra mile to be a positive force in the lives of the children who were in her care; including her.

“My sixth grade teacher, Ms. Brandy…went above and beyond to do her job… that stuck out to me. I wanted to be Ms. Brandy. I wanted to find someone who potentially may not have any direction, not know where they’re going and just…encourage them... and let them know that the sky's the limit as long as you educate yourself and put your mind to it”, explained Patton.

Remembering how good it felt to be genuinely cared for throughout her life is part of the reason why Patton now goes above and beyond for those who walk into her salon.

But, making a lasting impact in people’s life isn’t the only thing Ms. Brandy inspired Patton to do, she also empowered her to want to teach. The idea of teaching was something Patton became interested in largely due to watching her sixth grade teacher in action.

“I’ve…known since I was a little girl that I wanted to be a teacher. In what capacity, I had no clue, I just wanted to help others”, said Patton.

In 2024, that very dream came true. In the early part of the year, Patton was officially hired as faculty at Barstow College as a professor of cosmetology. She is extremely grateful for the opportunity and is excited to embark on this new phase of her career.

While her love for life and passion for helping others serve as catalysts for Patton to keep achieving her goals, one would be remiss not to note her beautiful family as a strong reason that propels her to continue thriving. This year, Patton celebrated 27 years of marriage with her husband who she met and fell in love with in college. They have two kids together, a son, Carlo, who is 16-years-old and a daughter Shiloh, who is 6-years-old.

Patton’s kids are a big motivator for her in life. “They definitely inspire me and drive me to do more because I'm their role model. Without even knowing it, they’re watching [me], so it's not even about what I say, it's about how I act, [and] how I conduct myself”, she said.

Family and faith are two things that Patton hold close to her heart.

“I believe in Jesus Christ and… it's part of what drives me because it's something bigger than just us. Not just christianity… religion period. Whoever you identify with or who you know as your… most high. I think that's important because it helps keep you balanced and centered”, Patton explained.

Looking forward, the future appears bright for Patton. In the coming years, she plans to expand her role at the college by taking on more classes and opening up more salon locations, starting in Las Vegas.

When asked if she had any advice for those looking to follow in her footsteps, Patton recommends to never stop learning. “Be a constant student. You never want to stop learning because trends change… [and] new techniques come up…so you constantly want to educate yourself”, she said. She concluded by stating “If you dream big enough and… work hard… your hard work will pay off and you’ll get there.”

iTurnHeadz Salon is Located at 15055 Vista Road #2, Helendale, California 92342. You can learn more about Patton and the services the salon provides at www.iturnheadz.com.