Making clients look '10 years younger' - andrew

Last weekend in Rome with L'Oreal was fantastic. It was a really good trip, our collection was well received and I met lots of lovely new people. To be honest, it was a bit of a party weekend and I'm proud to say that partying is one thing that hairdressers do really well when we all get together! Back home and I've been filming for the next series of 10 Years Younger which is always a lot of hard work, but great fun.

This year, we've added a colourist to the team because we wanted to up the ante and change the format slightly. Colour is a major part of the business and we want to show what a difference it can make to your appearance. Yesterday I was filming a big 'reveal' in front of the mirrors, which is my favourite bit of the show. It is exactly as you see it. The mirrors are all covered up and even though the participants aren't blindfolded they are not allowed to look down or see their finished hair or make-up. The reactions people have are so powerful and I think the combination of not recognising themselves in the mirror and suddenly realising what they were causes the emotion. It is exhilaration, joy and sadness all rolled into one. Over five series of 10 Years Younger I have done over 100 makeovers and have a two-fold memory of every one of them - who they were and then after the transformation. There have been many times when I have looked at the person and thought that we would struggle to discover their inner beauty because they have completely neglected themselves; and some of them have taken their hair almost to the edge of repair, but we have always rediscovered them. What is really special about 10 Years Younger is that you actually get involved with the clients' lives and it goes beyond the makeover. Transforming the way they look gives them a new 'can-do' attitude and new confidence. These people are often at a low ebb and I love helping them to realise that their appearance does make a difference. There have been some bad representations of the hair industry on the television over the years and I am proud to be part of a television programme that shows what a difference we can make. I'm told that 10 Years Younger is driving clients back into the Salon and that makes me very happy because it means I am giving something back and representing the industry in a positive light - as the British Hairdresser of the Year should!