Today we’d like to introduce you to Sebastian Tomas.
Hi Sebastian, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always had a passion for art & creativity growing up. I had designated drawing notebooks in my school supplies. Art class was taken seriously. Art eventually became my mainstay in life and guided my decisions when choosing extra curricular activities in high school such as painting, architectural design, year book, videography, & graphic design.
In my junior-senior of high school. My dad was cutting my hair in my basement . Not because he was a barber but because I could communicate to him comfortably about what I wanted.
As he was lining up my haircut I noticed how the action resembled a lot like drawing. Detail oriented and precision lines. It was then when everything changed. I wanted to do that. I took the clippers and gave my brother, Eduardo, a haircut.
When I’m into something I go all in.
July of 2017 right before my senior year of high school, I was cutting friends out of my mom’s house on South Grand. I was located on the second floor kitchen of my mom’s duplex. I had saved just enough money to buy my first clippers from Sally Beauty Supplies. I completed my set up & I felt prepared to charge. I started charging $15 a cut. I was cutting friends then friends of friends then kids at my school then kids at other schools. By promoting my work on Instagram and Snapchat, I gained traction real quick and I got good real fast. Two things stood out about me — I was the youngest barber in St. Louis and my attention to detail had transferred over to cutting hair.
“What do you want to do for the rest of your life?”
That is the life question you get in your senior year of high school. I wasn’t sure yet. But I knew 2 things — I didn’t want to go to college and I have something going for myself. But was I actually going to commit?
Now it’s the spring of 2018 and the end of senior year is approaching. I’m in graphic design class letting my imagination run free. We received a new assignment, make a logo. This was the perfect opportunity to make one for my haircutting business, so I got my drawing book and went to work. I already had the name Sebas Estilo. It was only after a few sketches when I created my logo that I still use to this day.
The logo is the name Sebas Estilo translating to Sebas Style in Spanish. It is written out diagonally from left to right , in a calligraphy style font. My name Sebas, in a royal blue like navy color, written on top of Estilo in a red orangey color, with the S & E aligning vertically. We created the signature detail: The Sebas Estilo barber poll. Like a regular barber poll it has blue and red lines going diagonal. The S&E make the barber poll lines thus creating this masterpiece.
There was one other student at St. Mary’s who planned to pursue hair after graduating, his name is Sam. He became my guide and influenced my plans after high school. It was during this time when Sam was staring in Notre Dame’s high school play. Unbeknownst to me, he would meet my future wife there, Skylar Tomas, and convince her to do hair. Lop
The decision was made, we all enrolled to the Grabber School of Hair Design.
It’s August 2018 and I have 1,500 hours to complete! I have a growing clientele to serve while also attending school during the day. It would be a lot of work to do all in one day but oh well, both had to be completed. My schedule went like this: Wake up around 7, get ready for school, leave by 7:30, listen to an audio book on the way, clock in 8:15. School went from 8:15 to 3:45 with one lunch break during that time. As soon as I clocked out, I hurried back home and got ready to cut my first client at 4:30 then ended around 9pm or 10pm. That was my consistent schedule all the way till graduation.
Before completing my hours on June 28 2019 I had 2 things set in place. My new girlfriend Skylar and where I was going to work. I was so excited to move on from cutting at my mom’s house and start my professional career at a salon. July 11 was the first day at my new salon, Pro Hair Salon. It was only me and the owner Belma Mesanovic, and we were located in a plaza on Lemay and Lindbergh. Because it was only us two, I would sometimes have the salon to myself when she wasn’t there meaning I had clear focus. And in my 1 year time frame I grew exponentially! My Clientele grew, expanding all over the south county area. I went from charging $30 a cut to $40 a cut. And my skills got better! My clientele grew so much I was cutting hair from 7 am – 2 am at times. Looking back on it, I don’t know why I didn’t raise my price. But nevertheless I was busy, more and more people were discovering me, and I was ready for the next big thing.
August 2020
I’ve started working at my new location, J’s Studio on Washington Ave. It was so exciting to finally be back in the city. Being in the heart of the city sky rocketed my business it was crazy! Imagine this, it’s spring 2021, the lockdown had been lifted, bars are open late again, people are coming back out trying new things and my services were one of them. They discovered my talent and the many different services I provided! The energy was crazy and the momentum was not stopping! STL A-List had their award competition, vote for the best to win! I entered in to promote my business and officially claim the title of “best young barber in the Lou”. And guess what, countless people voted me in and I won! I went from charging $40 to $60 a cut. I had finally made it to the premium price in barbering. Life was good!
Again with the theme, what’s next?
Nov. 13, 2021 I proposed to my lovely wife Skylar Tomas. We were 21 at the time! Happily engaged and excited to plan the next big parts of our lives. It was in the summer of 2022 when we were ready to move on from the salons we were working at. I had a vision for my career that I had yet to achieve. If I stayed where I was I wouldn’t ever achieve it. My wife, fiancé at the time, felt the same. August 1st we opened our first business together, the Estilo Collective. We opened a suite at Image Studios and have been there ever since.
We work very well together. We are the first suite when you walk into Image Studios. The room is split by a mirror divider, separating my wife and her clients from myself and my clients. My wife offers IBE hair extensions and I offer men’s haircuts & perms. And no, we don’t “want to fight each other at the end of a work day”.
The growth in the suite had been slow and steady! We locked in the partnership of a life time on August 19, 2023, the sacrament of holy matrimony.
In 2024, I wanted something new for St. Louis. Something new for my career. I wanted to showcase my creative talents but not by posting it on Instagram where people can scroll past it. I want to creative a moving experience where you can see my work in person. I wanted to create a new exciting event for hairstylists in St. Louis. An event where stylists & barbers can showcase their talent, network with local talent, have fun. So created The Estilo Runway Show.
First one took place on June 15, 2024 at Ballpark Village Bud Deck! It was a MAJOR HIT.
You can check my pinned posts on my Instagram!
Everything about it was amazing, from the people there in support, the location, the views and the vibes. So fun!
Later that year I did another one but Day of the Dead themed. That was another major hit.
Doing these shows propelled my business forward. It showed that not only was I a barber that cuts hair really well, but a leader and a pillar in my community.
When 2025 came around I started charging $100 dollars a cut. That’s a lot in St. Louis but not for my clientele. They saw the value in me. I got a lot busier and was locked in for the entire year. In October that year, I placed a bet on myself. I told my wife my work stands out, but the quality of my content does not. I told her I need to buy this $6000 camera from Best Buy. She said okay and proceeded with the purchase.
It’s February 2026, and I’ve been making videos with my new camera consistently. I received a new client, and he wanted a loose wave perm. I recorded the process
then posted it and that video BLEW UP OVER NIGHT! 8 million views on TikTok and 2 million on Instagram. I had finally been discovered by the masses, reaching all the way to Australia!
And now we arrive to the present. I charge $125 a haircut, $150 for haircut & beard, and $150 an hour on chemical services. We’re coming up on 4 years working at our same suite and that question is resurfacing.
Let me tell you what’s next.
I’ll be hosting my own classes and building an online community for barbers & stylists. Sharing my knowledge to the next generation and becoming the mentor I once needed in my career.
I’m coming up on 10 years in my career so I plan to host an event to give back to my clientele.
Last but most certainly not least, wifey and I are expecting a little one January 1.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Obstacles, setbacks, and betrayals came in our personal Not too often in business. There is one major set back that happened with my wife and her old salon she moved from, that ultimately affected our business. But that’s a whole other story that we could talk about if you guys wanted to know her story.
I guess the biggest one was getting to the price point that I am. That was not a smooth journey. I jumped from $60 to $100 a cut. Basically cleared my whole clientele. Was not making that much money from it. Then a year later went back down to $80. Stayed at that price point for a whole year then back up to $100 in 2025. Then recently upped my price to $125 a haircut back in June.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Specialize in Men’s: Haircut, beards (specifically on how I sculpt beard), perms, and color!
Known for: Taking my time with my services, because I treat it like art. My clients know that I will always choose quality over quantity. I’m also being personable and attentive with my clients. I care a lot. I’m also known for telling my clients what style would look best and am always open to new hair styles.
I’m most proud of my clients that have stuck with me all throughout the years at every price increase. I have a pretty decent amount of clients that have been with me since 2017, 2018, & 2019. I’m forever grateful and humbled by that. 🙏
What sets me apart is that my work is recognizable. It just has its unique and recognizable look. Clients tell me that there’s always getting complements!
And also, I’m always seeking improvement. The theme “what’s next?”. Never settling, always moving onto the next task. The creativity not only applies to my work but it applies to my personal life. Thinking about what I need to do in my business in order to achieve that goal in my personal life and vice versa.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
My family. my city, and my faith.
My family
What’s important is that we remain close to each other, be there in times of need. Love each other unconditionally, making all their problems go away when we’re together.
My city
St. Louis is my home. It’s where most of my family lives. I love the culture and its people. In St. Louis everyone knows everyone. If you don’t know someone you know someone that knows that knows that someone. I love how close we are to each other and I think that’s what makes this city so great. It’s people.
Especially St. Louis’ strong Catholic culture & its rich history. I grew up in a Catholic house hold and went to Catholic grade school & high school. The Catholic culture here is the best! From CYC, to fish fries, to the many Catholic Churches, grade schools & high schools. My wife and I got married at St. Cecilia.
My faith has played the biggest role in my career. My faith is THE reason why I committed to doing hair. To be specific, The Parable of the Talents is what helped my commit. The story’s meaning is about how God has given us talents, gifts, & abilities to use. Use them to glorify the lord, serve your community with them, don’t waste them. I recognize the many talents that I have back then, and I realized that I could use them all through doing hair.
Pricing:
- Haircut $125
- Haircut & Beard $150
- Perm $150 an hour
- Color $150 an hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sebasestilo.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sebas_estilo/
