Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Nikki Cestaro has seen it all. Over the course of 19 years, Cestaro’s Karma Beauty Studio has seen hundreds of clients, dozens of employees, and a few exceptional events that she shares in her new book, “Super Hairo.”
Nikki is an East Meadow resident whose salon operates in Merrick.
Her book is an autobiography exploring the highs and lows of her hairdressing career with good humor and sincerity.
“I love what I do,” she said.
Nikki’s work in hair care began at 15 as a shampoo assistant, where she quickly found her affinity for working with people. Almost 36 years later, Nikki owns her own salon. The idea of publishing a book originated from Nikki’s daily journaling, reflecting on life changes and relieving her frustrations.
“When I started to journal, it really was just for myself,” she said. “My writing would always make me understand how it was really feeling.”
The book was published in August. The names of real people featured in her stories have been changed to preserve privacy. In addition to jokes and drama, Nikki also shares her experience as an entrepreneur.
“It’s a little bit of a learning guide for somebody who’s in our industry,” she said. “I go into detail about my old school values; you have to start from the bottom and be part of a team and learn along the way, fail to succeed.”
Joey Cestaro, Nikki’s husband, helps maintain the salon.
“She gave me her vision for a hair salon, and I went with a buddy of mine,” Joey Cestaro said. “We found a spot, and we built a hair salon exactly how she wanted it.”
Joey remembers listening to Nikki’s stories each day and encouraging her to share them with a larger audience. One of the themes that resonated with him was her perseverance.
“The restaurant is the number one toughest business to be in, and the next is a hair salon owner,” he said. “Eighty percent of these go out of business in the first year, just it’s a tough business to maintain. She’s been able to do it for 19 years now.”
One stylist has been on the team since the beginning. Krista Billera has been a stylist at Karma Beauty Studio for 19 years.
“I was basically a kid when we opened,” she said. “It’s changed, but it hasn’t. It’s always been warm because we all work together as a family. I always admired the way that she ran her business and the way that she treated us.”
Billera has been a witness to almost all of the stories featured in Nikki’s book.
“It’s been a wild ride,” she said. “I really admire her. She’s been like a mentor to me.”
Pamela Smith is one of Nikki’s most loyal clients.
“I’ve been a client for almost 35 years,” Smith said. “I was using her before she even had a salon. She used to cut hair in my garage. She would cut my son’s hair when he was younger.”
Smith was one of the first readers of Nikki’s book.
“I know most of those stories, and the book is very funny,” she said. “But there were also times when I was reading certain passages that brought tears to my eyes, because I felt like she was really wearing her heart on her sleeve.”
While the book records Nikki’s story up to now, she does not intend on stopping her work anytime soon.
“I want to be that 88-year-old hairdresser that gets dropped off from the assisted living bus to go work at the salon,” she said. “I’m never going to leave the chair. I have hairspray running through my veins.”
“Super Hairo” is available digitally and in print on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
