It's always a good sign when the person cutting your hair has the type that you covet. Thick and glossy but not too "done". We don't all want the big, bouncy blowdry that is the default in most salons.
Kelly Steedman launched Mesart Hair Design with Stuart Whitelaw in 2013, opening a salon in Uddingston and then branching out to a bigger, 'super-salon' in Glasgow's west end, shortly before the pandemic struck.
While most businesses have been hard hit, the pair appreciated that the hairdressing industry was able to open ahead of hospitality and offered free haircuts to workers.
The salon also arranged for staff to have training with Andrew Richie of Performance Breathwork, to help them get used to breathing under a mask all day.
Most of us mourned the loss of the glossy mags when Covid advice was to remove them. Instead, Mesart offers every customer an Ipad with all the big name publications and more - genius. I'm also offered a menu of complimenary teas, coffees and other hot drinks as well as a wee piece of shortbread. None of the standard 'hairdresser biscuits' here.
My stylist Kelly trained with Vidal Sassoon in London, renowned for their cutting and Rainbow Room International, a major Scottish brand which she said had given her a good mix of techniques.
One of the first things she does is (very briefly) ask me to take off my mask so she can look at the shape of my face. It's not something most of us give a second thought to but the advent of masks has made hairdressers' jobs a lot more difficult, she says.
My face is thinner at the temple area and would benefit from a shorter, layer on each side, says Kelly and as soon as she demonstrates what she intends to do it instantly looks more flattering.
I'm not really happy with the washed out red I have at the moment, which has turned a bit brassy. I'm a natural redhead and she says I've got the skin tone to carry off a darker shade which will also provide a good base for the Summer, when I can add a few sun-kissed highlights. Kelly says it's good to have a plan for your hair for the changing seasons.
After a shampoo (the salon using the vegan-friendly and gorgeously scented Pureology range) a treatment is applied to help seal in the colour.
Kelly gives me some excellent tips for blowdrying my fringe and creating loose waves with straightening irons (point it downwards, she says). They also offer free fringe trims.
The hallmarks of a good day at the hairdresser? I change all my social media profile pictures later that day.
Mesart Hair Design, 234 Great Western Road, Glasgow. tel: 01413394407 Uddingston salon: tel:01698810606
www.mesart.co.uk
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