Meet the team
La Boutique was created in 2020 by a group of passionate, hard-working women. Most of our team members grew up on Vancouver Island and we all love our little seaside town. We dream of cultivating a beauty hub and culture on the peninsula where women can learn, explore, feel safe, feel heard, and grow in the beauty industry.
Below you will find our lovely team of experts!
Murrae Wilson
Co-Owner & Senior Beauty Technician
Murrae was born and raised on Vancouver Island. She has worked her way up in the beauty industry from a small studio in her home to her dream salon in Sidney.
Murrae was certified in 2015 at Misencil Academy (Quebec), in eyelash extensions and is an expert in classic, volume, & mega volume. She has developed her own brand of eyelash extensions and educational courses for fellow entrepreneurs to start out in the beauty industry
Murrae is honoured to house such amazing women in the beauty industry and is watching her dreams of women empowerment unfold every day. If she is not hard at work in the salon, you can bet she is enjoying her time with her son Leo, daughter Autumn, and husband Eric.
Elyse Barkley
Co-Owner & Senior Hairstylist
Elyse was born and raised on the Saanich Peninsula. She discovered her calling in cosmetology thanks to the 2009 Stelly's Secondary Trades Program and has made educating others a part of her mission.
Blonde-obsessed and loving everything "hair", she combines passion, professionalism, and connection with every client experience. In addition, she is deeply committed to giving back to her community as well as creating a culture of growth and passion in the beauty industry.
Elyse's confidence and pride in our team is admirable. She often admits how lucky she is to work with such great women.
In her spare time, she can be found hiking and boating with her beloved husband and their two dogs.
We are excited to meet her brand new baby boy coming Summer 2023!!
Saskia Reym
Senior Beauty Technician & Social Media Rep
Saskia has grown up and worked on the peninsula for her entire life, she knows everything about Sidney.
This little beauty has a big heart and will make you feel loved the moment you meet her. Saskia was certified at Le Petit Lapin Boutique in classic & volume eyelash extensions techniques, and Nova beauty in eyelash tint & lifts. Saskia is the brains and beauty behind our social media platforms. When she's away from the salon, she spends time with her fur babies, Luna & Sukie (ask her for photos, they are precious!).
Shayla Booth
Senior Hairstylist & Team Leader
Shayla joined our team in December of 2021. She grew up in Alberta and Saskatchewan, attended hair school in Edmonton (2012), then moved to Vancouver Island in 2013. She owned her own hair salon for 5 years then sold it to spend more time with her family and focus on her career behind the chair. Shayla enjoys exercising, cooking, and spending time with her husband Luke, daughter Isabella, and son Nixon.
She loves working and takes pride in every client.
Shayla is a very hard worker, and she will do everything she possibly can to help you achieve your ultimate hair goals.
Jess Hogg
Senior Hairstylist
Jess is an ITA certified hairstylist and has been doing hair for the past 10 years. She prides herself in providing a professional service customized to her client's individual needs and lifestyle. Her passion for the beauty industry is admirable and is reflected in her work.
Jess is proud to offer colour and cutting services for both men and women, although, her favourite service is natural colouring and balayage.
Jess was born and raised in Sidney, BC and loves to travel. She had the pleasure of exploring South Africa, and Iceland. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, boating, and exploring the island with her boyfriend and their Duck Tolling Retriever, "Moose".
Lindsey Baxter
Senior Hairstylist
Lindsey has over 10 years of experience in various salons and has recently brought her career and passion to the Peninsula. Lindsey seeks to enhance natural beauty with highlighting and blondes being her specialty. She rocks short cuts and the "just came in from a salty surf" look. She moved to the island in 2017 and has loved very minute of her time here. Hiking, paddle boarding and being near the ocean is what she lives for. If she's not at La Boutique, you will find her adventuring with her husband, Miller.
Sam Hahn
Beauty Specialist
Sam was raised on Vancouver Island then moved to Alberta to pursue her passion as a cheerleading coach. She recently moved back to the island to work and raise her daughter, Maci.
Sam is certified in all eyelash extensions techniques, eyelash lift & tinting, spray tanning, eyebrow lamination, and full body waxing. You will feel truly pampered with Sam. She is the definition of a "perfectionist". She continues to further her education in the beauty industry regularly.
When she's not working, she enjoys spending time with her family.
Cassandra Baumeler
Senior Hairstylist
Cassandra was born and raised on the Peninsula. She started her hair dressing career in 2011 at ILC in the Inaugural Class at Studio 63. She has been behind the chair loving the people she meets through the beauty industry since 2012.
She has a passion for colour and cut transformations. From blondes to brunettes, to simple, elegant hair cuts, Cassandra will highlight your favourite features.
When she isn't helping you reach your hair goals, you can probably find her out on the ocean somewhere with her son Grady and husband Ky.
Lacey Laitinen
Junior Hairstylist
Lacey was born in Victoria, she graduated from Claremont Secondary then attended the Academy of Excellence​. She recently received her diploma in hair design and has since started working with us. We are thrilled to be the salon that Lacey set her sights on after graduating hair school.
She is highly training in all hair types and styles but enjoys highlights in particular. When she is not impressing all of us in the salon, you can find her shopping, cooking and enjoying a glass of her favourite wine.
Sofie Jorgensen
Advanced Junior Eyelash Extensions Technician
Sofie grew up in Sidney and graduated from Stelly's Secondary. She took our Sand & Stars Eyelash Extensions course and has since worked hard to develop her talent in eyelash services.
She showed so much promise in the course that we offered her a position as an apprentice, working and learning under our senior eyelash technicians.
Sofie is a hard worker and helps out where ever she can around the salon. She enjoys spending time with her friends outside of work and hopes to excel in the beauty industry as well as travel around the world.
Cece Pringle
Advanced Junior Hairstylist
We have watched Cece grow as she pursues her passion in the beauty industry. Cece was born and raised on Vancouver Island and graduated from Stelly's Secondary in 2021. She continued on with the Stelly's hair program and fell in love with everything hair!
She enjoys spending time with her close friends, hiking, and exploring new places.
Cece's goals are to perfect her skills in the beauty industry and eventually receive her Red Seal in hairstyling.
She will greet you with the sweetest smile and do everything she can to make you feel at home.
Robyn Hynes
Receptionist
Robyn holds our salon & shop together on the weekends. She will greet you with a warm smile and make you feel right at home.
Robyn works throughout the week at a law firm in Sidney. She moved to the island from Edmonton in 2019 with her partner. She studied Anthropology, loves travelling, painting, drawing and watching documentaries.
We enjoy Robyn's calm and relaxing energy in our fast-paced salon and we think you will too.
Courtney Cooper
Junior Hairstylist & Apprentice
Courtney is a 2021 Stelly's Secondary graduate and jumped feet first into the Stelly's Secondary hair program. She graduated the program in January 2022 and joined our other stylists on the floor as our newest junior hairstylist. Her clientele is already expanding!
Courtney loves the outdoors, she enjoys hiking and exploring with her dog. She will greet you with the warmest smile. We are so happy to have Courtney and have confidence that she will excel in the beauty industry.
Milly Cairns
Receptionist
Milly joined our team in 2023 as our superstar receptionist. She was born and raised on Vancouver Island and went to Stelly's high school and Camosun College.
Her goals at La Boutique are to complete her hair styling education then apprentice under Elyse until she masters the trade. Milly enjoys being outside. She loves hiking, camping, paddle boarding and taking her dog with her! When she isn't scheduling clients, answering the phone and running the front of La Boutique like a BOSS, she enjoys spending time with her fur babies, "Murphy", a tuxedo cat, "Gus", a grey tabby cat, and "Amara", a silver lab.
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