HERMISTON –

Carmen “C.C.” Foster has a big heart and a big personality and she uses both to help her clients look and feel their best.

Foster, a hairdresser, opened Queen Diva’s beauty salon about a month ago. Before she opened, she spent a month redecorating the salon, painting walls and putting up safari-style decorations in colors that would make a tiger or a zebra proud.

“It’s called Queen Diva’s because I think every woman should be treated like a queen and a diva is a strong woman and I’m a strong woman and I like strong women,” Foster said.

Even before she opened her small corner shop in the strip mall, Foster said clients were lined up and waiting for someone with her expertise to help make them gorgeous.

Foster, who hails from Texas, originally was training to become a nurse when she decided to go back to school to get her hairstyling degree instead.

Though she had been to beauty school in the South, Oregon required additional training and certification before she could open her business.

So Foster attended beauty school for a year and a half in Oregon and now is the proud owner of her own shop.

“It is a dream. It’s been a blessing from God,” she said.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to own my own business. I love doing hair and I’m passionate about my business.”

Foster’s specialty is hair weaves and extensions. She can cut, style, color, perm or straighten all textures, colors and nationalities of hair.

“I use human and synthetic weaves and extensions,” she said.

Weaves can take up to two and a half hours and braids can take six to eight hours.

Foster plans to hold a get-to-know-me event Thursday and Friday at the shop. The event will include information on preventing domestic violence, a cause special to Foster’s heart. On those days, the salon will offer free services including haircuts and make-up sessions.

“It’s called the love yourself inside-and-out-day,” Foster said.

She said it’s a special day for all those times a woman felt fat or ugly.

“People have come in here and left crying because they were so happy with the transformation.”

n Name: Queen Diva’s

n Owner: Carmen “C.C.” Foster

n Address: 1150 W. Hartley Ave., behind 11th Avenue Market.

n Phone: 567-3855

n Business type: Full-service beauty salon, hair cuts and styles, fingernails, pedicures, facials, waxing eyebrows, underarms and mustaches.

n Length of time in business: One month

n Costs of services: Costs vary and consultations before styling and cutting appointments are recommended.

n Hours: 9 a.m. until closing. Special appointments can be made.

n Specialty: Hair weaves and extensions.

n Service to be added later: Body piercing.

n Special event: Free hair cut and make-up session for women who come to the shop. Free information about preventing spouse abuse.