25 years of changing hair styles
I have loved my 25 years in the salon. It has been a really reflective time of looking back on hairstyles we all thought we looked great with. The art of hairdressing has changed also with great developments in the products used for various methods. In 1994 when I started everyone was permed and curly my first training salon clients preferred shampoo and sets to a blow dry this was a typical scene in my first job:
In 1986 I began my YTS scheme I worked very hard in salon and college gaining distinctions in exams. Everyone was surprised as I had never worked hard at school and I preferred talking. Hairdressing was made for me. When I first started working in a hair salon I earned £25 per week. At this time 10 cigarettes cost 52p. Charlie Browns was the place to be and I spent many nights there dancing away until dawn to the sounds of The Housemartins and The Cure, big hits in this era.
The wedge. This popular style caused me a big headache. It was so hard to execute, cutting was my weakness. I made the mistake of complaining to my boss I hate cutting I said, very quickly she arranged for extra cutting lesson in my own time. I love cutting now so clients say I am scissor happy!
The bigger the hair the closer to god!
I adored this look faltering and with bounce scrunch drying with a diffuser was easy for the client at home.
In 1998 I committed to extra training to improve my skills. This was the start of my 6 day week and I attended many training courses in London, and competed in a competition gaining a 2nd place in a national photographic competition.
In with the new….
Now I was a fully qualified stylist, hours of practice had paid off in 1991, senior stylist and deputy manager in a salon.
The Rachel cut landed from America. The curl was out replaced with a sleeker up market look. But this reduced perm sales in salon. Stylists began to focus more on structured cutting. This was a big transition for salons and stylists and new colouring methods began to enhance the new looks.
The new way of lightening the hair and a new salon!
On 18th October 1992 Lucia Hair and Beauty salon was born.
New improved lighters and glazes gave to 5 levels, reducing yellow tones and new improved reds and coppers meant more striking looks. Clients benefitted from colour which suited their favourite styles.
Methods have continued to improve constantly and I have prided myself in achieving a master crafts qualification. The salon is L’Oreal approved and we are always excited to learn new techniques.
Balayage colouring technique is the must have at the moment, and I have been excited to participate in L’Oréal Professional colour courses, and I have learnt a lot of new techniques which I am eager to use. Being progressive and up to date is very important to me!
Precision cutting is everywhere. I love it and the challenge that comes with learning new cutting techniques and shapes.
The salon has seen its updates over the last 25 years. Do you remember the salon before its big refit? Seems so old fashioned now and was a challenge to carry on providing hair services while the salon was being given a face lift. The results where fantastic and will hopefully see me through another 25 years!
