Between the tattoos, beard, black nail polish and a thick New England accent, it’s clear that Sandy Poirier isn’t a cookie-cutter hair stylist.
The Providence native, who owns the popular SHAG salon in South Boston, will compete on Lifetime’s new reality series “American Beauty Star,” which debuts on Thursday night. Hosted by supermodel Adriana Lima, the show is like “Project Runway” for hair and make-up artists, as 12 competitors face off for a chance to win $50,000 and a spot on the beauty team for a Teen Vogue spread.
While he wasn’t a fan of the early morning shoots, Poirier tells Metro that he enjoyed the experience, which allowed him to show off his “edgy” style.
“I’m a creative and talented person,” Poirier says. “I’m pretty edgy and I could let that be seen.”
The longtime celebrity stylist and photographer admits that he got into the industry only as a way to “meet girls.” However, it quickly turned into a passion for Poirier.
After working on Newbury Street for several years, he decided to move to Southie to pursue his dream of opening his own salon.
“Thirteen years ago, I moved to South Boston after working on Newbury Street,” Poirier says. “Everyone thought I was crazy going down there.”
Along with offering amazing haircuts, Poirier puts on fashion shows and photo shoots at SHAG. He also tries to give back to the local art community by hosting charity events at his venue.
“We use it as a multifunctional space,” he says.
As for where he’ll celebrate during the debut of “American Beauty Star,” Poirier plans to kick back at Empire in the Seaport for a special premiere party with make-up artist star Sonia Kani.
“American Beauty Star” premieres Sept. 21 at 10:30 p.m. on Lifetime.
