By the age of 10, Katie Sassen knew what she wanted: a career in the beauty business. She attended cosmetology school and went on to train at the Vidal Sassoon academy in Santa Monica, California. Sassen made a name for herself as a hairstylist in Hollywood, where she also discovered that she had a creative eye for fashion. She launched her own clothing line, which was sold in boutiques in Melrose, Beverly Hills, and Laguna Beach, before deciding to meld her love of hair and clothing design by opening Sassen Boutique & Hair Salon in Texas. She hasn't left all the glitz and glamour behind, however—Sassen travels to the West Coast every six–eight weeks to round up new apparel, including Spring 2012 looks that caught the eye of KEYE TV.

After appointments for services such as cuts, color, straightening treatments, or mani-pedis, guests can browse the boutique area for a whimsical straw sun hat or a pair of ballet flats. The crew can prepare arms and legs to wear one of the shop's one-shoulder dresses with an airbrush spray tan. The formula's active ingredient is DHA, a nontoxic sugar often derived from sugar beets, sugar cane, or recycled Candy Land boards.