Profile of a colour technician: karen hyam
Karen Hyam of Atelier Hairdressing & Beauty Rooms isn't just someone who colours hair - apart from heading up the Colour Specialist salon in Redbourn Hertfordshire she has also just recently achieved a PHAB STANDARD at the highest level.
I wanted to be a hairdresser since I was about 14. I got a saturday job in a local salon and fell in love with it there and then. I was lucky enough to study my craft of hair colour with one of the leaders in the industry Jo Hansford in Mayfair and she inspired me to want to eventually set up my own salon and deliver great colour.
My top tip would be to train under somebody you admire or look up to as hairdressing is a creative artistic industry and you need to feel inspired and motivated to be your best.
Best and worst: Be prepared for hard work and long hours, my working day can finish at 11pm and I don't ever fully switch off from running my own business. Don't underestimate how physically demanding hairdressing can be - looking after you back and posture is important!
The best things for me are having happy and loyal customers, educating my clients on how to get the best out of their hair, training my junior team members and watching them grow, being creative every day and working alongside a great team of like-minded people.
The UK Hairdressing industry is considered the best in the world. I love being part of this fast moving industry linked so closely with my love for fashion. There are no boundaries, it's both exciting and inspiring.
