The unexpected skills hairdressers learnt in 2020

From balayage to banana bread, these are the unexpected skills hairdressers learnt in lockdown during 2020.

The Unexpected Skills Hairdressers Learnt in 2020

Getting tech savvy

Whether it was learning to use Zoom or brushing up on Instagram Reels, we all upped our game in the tech department. “One of the things I always wanted to do was pass on knowledge within our industry by creating a Youtube channel and sharing the work we do, but the thought of editing videos always threw me off course,” says  Tiff J, 3Thirty Salon. “I’ve now managed to learn a new set of skills on ‘how to’ –  thanks 2020!” “I definitely got better at using my computer,” says Danilo Giangreco, Danilo Hair Boutique.  “I can even put together a whole Power point presentation now!” 

Baking and cooking

“With a wife that’s working and a toddler at home during the lockdowns the only logical hobby for me was baking,” says A J Maud, Maud Salon. “I started with the banana bread trend, made my daughter’s 2nd birthday cake, lots of different biscuits and also the mini cereal style pancakes that were going around. However, making homemade pizza dough has to be the thing that I’ve spent the most time doing/making,” he says. “It’s been such an enjoyable thing to do during lockdown, both spending the time making it and enjoying it all together,” he adds. “In fact, I’m still making the pizza dough for the family at least once a week!”

Keepy uppies

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIfX4TjHEBo/ Another of the unexpected skills hairdressers learnt in lockdown was keepy uppies. “With gyms shut and swimming pools closed, it left me no alternative but to grab a football and keep the darn ball in the air for as long as possible without touching the ground,” says Mark Creed, Idlewild. “Initial attempts were the sum total of a paltry 10, but now we’re skilfully up to over 500 kicks, including ‘eads and thighs,” he says. “As we’re on the salon floor us hairdressers have ultra-high metabolic rates and for me it was a matter of maintaining those levels for my physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.”

Getting creative

[caption id="attachment_77331" align="alignnone" width="1600"] Marlon Hawkins' wigs[/caption] "The one thing I learnt in lockdown was finding my creative fingerprint. I hadn’t seen my diary so empty, as I’m always working on a project or mentoring the team, so to have this down time to just play and do whatever I wanted felt amazing and allowed me to find my own style,” says Marlon Hawkins, Brooks & Brooks. “I started creating mannequins half way through lockdown one as being a creative, Netflix wasn’t cutting it! The more I created, the more I learnt different techniques to understanding taking pictures and lighting on my phone,” he adds. “2020 has been a very hard year but I’ve been brought up by my boss, Sally Brooks, to always look at any situation with a cup half full attitude, making 2020 an invaluable year of learning and finding my feet.”

Ceramics

[caption id="attachment_77330" align="alignnone" width="743"] Sally Brooks' ceramics[/caption] British Hairdressser of the Year 2020 winner, Sally Brooks, Brooks & Brooks, took her hand to pottery during lockdown. “I have always wanted to try pottery and during the first lockdown I had time to work on this. Ceramics is the most relaxing thing ever and really took my mind off everything that was going on the world,” she says. “I had planned on going on some courses but during lockdown I played with clay and learnt as I went along,” she adds. “During the second lockdown, I tried my hand at charcoal drawing. There was nothing I could do about the restrictions that were brought in, so I kept myself busy with things I enjoyed doing.”

Business planning

“It’s usually so busy with clients I don’t have time to focus on the business side, but lockdown really gave me an opportunity to think about where I want my business to go,” says Jasmine Hunsley, Jasmine Hunsley Hair. “I had time to research new services and products, and spent a lot of time reading about other businesses in and outside the industry – what they do well, what works for them and how they developed their own businesses,” she says. “It’s made me realise that every business is unique, but there are so many things we can learn from each other.  I had time to write down all my ideas and goals which I will aim for in 2021,” she adds. “I wouldn't have had time to do any of that if it wasn’t for lockdown!”