March’s – ‘The Wellness Issue’ – Download Now
Global hairstylist Nicky Lazou reveals her secrets to achieving optimum hair health.
Can you talk us through your career in hairstyling and hairdressing?
I started getting into hair when I was around 14-years-old working in salons as an apprentice and just grew from there. Originally, I wanted to be a journalist, but I was just naturally talented with creating styles. I think it’s because I have so much hair – I used to do my own hair really well and I learned from that. I fell into hairdressing just because I gradually built such a huge clientele, but I also think what really drew me into this career is the fact that someone can feel so good because of you. The feeling that you can make someone’s day better when they leave your salon is priceless. It was also bringing me a great income from such a young age, it meant I could help the people around including my mum and dad and it inspired me to just keep working hard.
I have come through some challenges with people knocking me down, but I kept pushing through. I’m very creative and see my hairdressing as a form of art. This is how I came to create ‘The Melt’, my balayage signature, by experimenting on myself and my family.
I then expanded my business to the Middle East after meeting someone in Selfridges, Zeina, who is from Kuwait. She told me she follows me on Instagram and asked me to consider flying to Kuwait to do hair. From there I went to Dubai, to Qatar, to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia is next.
What is your approach to creating healthy hair?
I feel like hair is such an important thing in a woman’s life. I see hair as our crowns and just like you invest in quality skincare and body care, we need to invest in quality hair care. People don’t seem to understand that healthy hair does come from within. If you eat healthy, you will see the benefits in your hair. My approach to hair is: we need to love our hair, nurture our hair and treat it like it’s our best friend.
In terms of wellness of the hair, what do you recommend your clients do?
For the wellness of the hair, it all starts with hair care. I used to travel all the way from Yorkshire to Leeds to Harvey Nichols to source the best hair care that was out there. Eating the right foods has major benefits all around. It helps to have a healthy scalp, which then helps your hair to grow. You need to have the right nutrition to ensure your hair will be at its optimum health. Then you need to have the right hair care, such as masks, to maintain its health.
What is the best way to achieve thick and full hair?
Whatever you put on the inside of you, will show on the outside. You need to keep your scalp and hair follicles clean to aid in hair growth. Your natural oils are also fantastic for stimulating hair growth, that’s why I recommend not to wash your hair too often as you strip your hair of these natural oils. I’m a huge believer in hair masks. Once a week you should be doing a hair mask to keep the strength of your hair intact. You’ll have heard of the term “wear and tear” of the hair once it grows, because if something is not cared for properly as it grows it becomes weak and limp, resulting in breakage. Overall, you need to ensure you do regular hair masks, go for regular trims and don’t over-colour it. This is why my balayage is great, because it lasts so long without having to put chemicals on the ends.
How does your scalp affect your overall hair health?
A lot of scalp issues come from intaking too much sugar and a bad diet. The weather also has a major effect on the scalp and can cause your scalp to become very dry. Not rinsing your hair properly when washing it can also attribute to poor scalp health. Discussing your issues with your hairdresser can help and also seeking advice from a dermatologist on your scalp’s health can be very beneficial, especially in identifying if you are using the right products for you. It’s also good to use a clarifying shampoo every once in a while because you can get build-up on both the scalp and hair from the products you use.
How can you combat damaged from colouring?
If you hair is damaged from colour, it can be really hard to rectify. A lot of people come to me wanting to correct their hair immediately in one appointment. However, it’s going to be a hair journey. What I advise people to do is get a regular trim and regular treatments that don’t rectify the issue, but will help stop your hair’s condition from worsening. But most of all, I encourage my clients to forget about the past and focus on getting back to where they want to be and the end goal of their hair.
You have a global client base. How did you take your business global?
I started working in Birmingham, UK, then I took my business to London. I then expanded to Kuwait, Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, Los Angeles and now Saudi Arabia. It’s basically word of mouth. I don’t believe in any shortcuts to success. I worked hard, did my best for people, created beautiful work and the word spread. I also believe if you deliver great service, that is what leaves a lasting impression. I want people to get the highest standard that they paid for which, in turn, leads to referrals through word of mouth.
In terms of your customer ratio, what is your Middle Eastern clientele?
My clientele in the Middle East feels like one big family. I have so much appreciation for these women. They’re so smart, kind and beautiful. The appreciation I get from these women is just another level. Their kindness, the way they speak to me is just amazing. It’s a massive clientele for me and I’ve really missed them during the pandemic. It’s such a joy for me to get on a plane to see them, which is why I’ve been doing this for so long. I’ve been working in the Middle East for about eight years now.
How would you say the market in this region for hair differs from other areas of the globe?
I just love the fact that people in the Middle East love to look after their hair. They are happy to listen and go on this journey of achieving beautiful hair. Sometimes in other regions, people just want a quick fix or a style that’s just the fashion trend of the moment. What I love about the Middle East is the women here want to look effortless, classic and timeless, which is what I’m passionate about when it comes to hair.
What have been the hurdles you have experienced in your career?
It’s been quite an easy road for me, because when you do what you love you know you’re on the right path. I know I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing in life. The only hurdles I’ve had is not being able to create something for someone that I want to because of their canvas and their hair state. So, someone coming from so far away expecting to have an image in mind form my Instagram, but me not being able to create it is hard. Even though I’m great at what I do, I need the right canvas to work from to be able to create what they want. Another hurdle is people trying to knock you down and speak badly about you from one bad experience, which results in me fearing that I could lose my business.
And what are the milestones?
There are definitely more milestones than hurdles – there’s a lot of them! One of them would be being sure about what I want to do and having a vision in mind for my clients to help them achieve the look they want. Another one would be self-awareness – being confident in knowing who I am, what I can do and what I can deliver. And also being confident and self-assured to be able to deal with any criticism that comes my way, but realising that that’s their opinion and not mine.
What are your future plans for your business?
The future plans I have including launching my own products, which I cannot wait for. As I’ve said on Instagram and here, I’m obsessed with hair masks and my own mask has been in process for about three years now, which can bring quality haircare right into your home. I’m hoping this will then lead to launching my own heat tools for home use and producing more tutorials to help people gain more knowledge about hair.
This is ‘The Wellness Issue’ – what is your philosophy when it comes to wellness?
We’re only here for a short time and I think wellness is such an important thing to bring to your life. Obviously, it encompasses your overall health and wellbeing. Wellness to me is to train your mind and yourself to grow from situations and to see good in others. The choices we make about what we put in, on and around bodies are deeply connected to our own wellbeing.
March’s – ‘The Wellness Issue’ – Download Now
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