Cosmetology Student Success Story: Mariah McDonald

About Mariah

Before beauty school, Mariah spent over 12 years as a nanny and built experience in retail, currently working part-time on the Task Team at Ulta Beauty. She has always loved being around people and creative environments. But her love for beauty goes back much further than any job.

Blowout by Mariah

Mariah has always been drawn to the beauty industry since she was young. When she was little, her dad would take her to the salon when he got his hair permed. Some of her favorite childhood memories came from those visits. She would flip through magazines and watch the hairstylists work their magic. “I remember being fascinated by the whole experience and how much fun the salon environment felt,” she says. As Mariah got older, her passion for beauty only grew. She was experimenting with her own hair, helping friends and family, and falling a little more in love with beauty every step of the way.

The part Mariah loved most was not just the hair. It was the confidence that came from helping someone feel good about themselves. She wanted a career where she could be creative, connect with people, and make someone’s day a little better. And in a way, it brought her all the way back to those Saturday mornings at the salon with her dad.

Mariah had actually taken her first step toward that career years earlier. She started her cosmetology journey at Evergreen Beauty College back in 2012, graduated, and went out into the world. Life happened, and eventually her license lapsed. When she decided it was time to come back to cosmetology, there was only one place on her mind. “When I decided to return to cosmetology, coming back to Evergreen felt like coming home. I remembered how much I loved my educators and the sense of family and community at the school,” she says. She knew EBC would give her the hands-on experience, the real client time, and the support she needed to grow, not just as a stylist, but as a person.

The Evergreen Experience

Back at EBC, Mariah found exactly what she came for. The hands-on experience has been the most valuable part of her training. Real clients mean real hair, real expectations, and real conversations, and every single one has taught her something a textbook never could. “Every person has different hair, different expectations, and a different experience,” she says. “Learning how to communicate with each client has helped me grow tremendously.” And alongside all of it, she found her people. Some of her classmates have become some of her closest friends, making the hard days easier and the exciting ones even more worth celebrating.

Dimensional Color by Mariah

Color and cutting are where Mariah truly lights up. With color, she loves how much room there is to customize a look to fit someone’s personality, lifestyle, and goals. With cutting, she loves seeing how the right haircut can completely shift how someone carries themselves. She especially gravitates toward lived-in, dimensional color and fun, expressive cuts. “There is nothing better than seeing a client look in the mirror afterward and absolutely love their hair,” she says.

When you sit down in Mariah’s chair, you are getting someone who genuinely cares about you, not just your hair. She describes herself as outgoing, goofy, and loyal, someone who will talk to just about anyone. Her chair is meant to feel like a safe, judgment-free space where you can relax, be yourself, laugh, and leave feeling like the best version of yourself. Clients can count on her to listen to what they actually want while being honest about what will work best for their hair and their life.

One of the things Mariah is most proud of is how much she has grown since starting at EBC. She has worked hard to build her confidence behind the chair, grow her clientele, and challenge herself with services that pushed her outside of her comfort zone. She is also proud to serve as a Student Ambassador, a role that has given her the opportunity to represent EBC and connect with current and prospective students. “Receiving the Digital Marketing Award has been especially meaningful because it reflects the growth, dedication, and effort I’ve put into my journey,” she says.

The Next Step

Mariah is heading into her externship and getting closer to graduation every day. After she walks, her plan is to step into a salon environment where she can keep learning alongside other talented stylists, build her clientele, and keep sharpening her craft.

Bronde color by Mariah

The longer vision is her own. Under her brand Wild Manes by Mariah, she dreams of owning her own salon or suite: a welcoming, creative space that feels a little different from the traditional salon experience. A place where people can truly be themselves, whether they want a classic look, a bold transformation, or something entirely their own. “I want it to be a place where people can truly be themselves,” she says. Long-term, she envisions a full salon with multiple stylists, a strong sense of community, and an environment where both clients and stylists feel comfortable, supported, and inspired.

Her advice to anyone thinking about enrolling is honest and real: do it, but be ready to work for it. “Cosmetology school is challenging, and there will absolutely be days when you question yourself,” she says. “But there are also so many moments where you realize how much you’ve grown.” She encourages future students to take advantage of every opportunity to practice, ask questions, make mistakes, and learn from the people around them. And above all, not to compare their journey to anyone else’s. Everyone learns at their own pace.

Mariah McDonald is a Cosmetology student at EBC’s Everett campus. Follow her journey on Instagram at @wildmanesbymariah and on TikTok at @wildmanesbymariah. We cannot wait to see the salon she builds.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in the beauty industry, check out our Cosmetology program or Schedule a Virtual Tour at one of our campuses: Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett, North Seattle, Renton, Olympia, and Yakima.