Page 139 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2025

Erin Burgess
Owner, Brushes Salon
For Erin Burgess, beauty is more than hair—it’s confidence, connection, and creating a space where people feel at home. Her passion for the industry began early, shaped in part by more than a dozen childhood surgeries for cleft lip and palate. Along the way, a myriad of loving mentors helped her hone her skills, understand the business side of salons,
and appreciate the power of a beautiful, relaxing environment. Those lessons inspired her to open Brushes Salon in 2018 to build a welcoming space for clients and a supportive home for stylists.
After seven years in their original location, Burgess and her team are starting a fresh chapter with a brand-new space designed from the ground up. From specialty colors and extensions to beautiful updos, she thrives on creative challenges and feels she works best under pressure. More than anything, she loves
connecting with people, whether it’s a longtime client, a walk-in, or the stylists
she calls family.
Burgess’s faith plays a central role in
her work and leadership, guiding her to run Brushes with purpose and care. As
a wife, mother of five—including a son with autism— and co-owner of Gulfport Fitness with her husband, balancing business and family hasn’t always been easy. But the experience has made her resilient, and she’s committed to creating a team-oriented environment where everyone supports each other’s talents.
Giving back is part of Brushes’ culture. The salon is an active member of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce and volunteers annually
for Camp Able, helping children with autism feel comfortable and confident in the salon. Burgess is also passionate about mental health awareness and supporting other women-owned businesses, believing that collaboration always outweighs competition.
Outside the salon, she enjoys family game nights, workouts with her gym “family,” exploring new restaurants, and quiet evenings at home. Her two dogs and two cats—characters straight out of a “Homeward Bound” movie—complete her bustling household.
For Burgess, success is measured not just in beautiful hair, but in the relationships and community she’s built—proof that when you surround yourself with the right people, great things happen.
presented by South Mississippi Living magazine
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
September 2025 | 139
BRUSHES SALON
11370 Hwy. 49 N, Ste. F, Gulfport 228.343.7433 Instagram @Hairbyeringlisson and @brushessalon