Forever taking the kitchen scissors to her hair as a child, Karen Reid was destined to be at the cutting edge of the hairdressing world.
Swapping dolls hair for her own locks, Karen spent her childhood sharpening her craft much to the dismay of her mum who would often find clumps of her daughter’s hair in the bin.
“I was always cutting my hair and probably not in the best way as I used kitchen scissors,” laughed Karen, 22, from Aberdeen.
“My mum used to find my hair in the bin and she would be like ‘where’s that come from?”
Roots of success
This childhood hair obsession – which is chronicled in her school photos – paid off as Karen is now one of city’s most sought after hair stylists and colour technicians with her business Karen Jade Hair based within Embrace Hair and Beauty in Rosemount.
“I feel like I’m living a dream,” said Karen.
“I never feel like ‘oh god I’ve got to get up and go to work”, it just feels like this is my life and it’s fine.
“I don’t ever dread going to work.”
Making headway
Karen’s “root” into the hair world came while she was at Portlethen High School.
“While I was at high school, I got the chance to do a hairdressing course at North East Scotland College, it was so good,” said Karen.
By the time Karen was 15, her raw talent for hair was evident as she left school to take up a full-time hairdressing job at Biyoni salon in Union Terrace Gardens.
“I already had a Saturday job in the salon when I was offered a full-time position so it was a no brainer for me, I jumped at the chance,” said Karen.
Self-employed
With a hunger to learn and a natural talent for hair, Karen quickly made a name for herself as her client list quickly expanded.
After the salon closed, Karen was headhunted to work at Embrace Hair and Beauty where she has been based for the past six years.
“I finished my training at Embrace and went self employed last year,” said Karen.
“Its been amazing.
“I’m so glad I went self-employed.
“The timing was quite scary with the whole pandemic but it was honestly the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Empowered
Describing it as her “dream job”, Karen says it feels empowering to be a self-employed hairdresser at the tender age of just 22.
“Going self employed has given me a new lease of life really,” said Karen.
“I feel like my look on work life has completely changed 100%.
“I feel like I’m almost bettering myself more and more now as I have more and more opportunities.”
Colour technician
Although Karen enjoys everything about hairdressing, colouring is what really makes her heart sing.
“I do quite big transformations and colour perfections and stuff like that,” said Karen.
“I think through word of mouth people have came to me through that as I love all aspects of colour.”
One of the big trends that Karen specialises in is bayalage, a hair colouring technique in which colour is applied freehand to create natural-looking highlights.
“I feel like a bayalage is going to be a trend for a long time,” said Karen.
“It’s so nice as you can make it personal as well.”
Wedding hair
Creating works of hair art on brides to be also brings Karen so much joy.
“It’s so nice to be part of someone’s wedding day,” said Karen.
“It’s funny as you’re not just there to do hair, you’re helping them get into their dress or you’re doing something else, you’re never solely there for hair.”
Over the years, Karen has built up firm friendships with her loyal clients.
“I feel like when you do someone’s hair for so long you’re almost growing with them and when they get pregnant or get married or buy a house, you’re always there for them through the good and the bad so it’s so nice to have a connection with them,” said Karen.
“I love being a part of their lives and making sure they’re OK.”
Inspirational workplace
And working in such a thriving hair and beauty salon such as Embrace never fails to inspire Karen.
“I’m so inspired by the hairdressers that I work beside,” said Karen.
“For instance, Joseph Armstrong who owns Embrace, opened the salon when he was 21.
“I look up to him a lot and I have so much respect for him.”
Hard working and determined by nature, Karen would love to open her own salon one day.
And asked what advice she would share with anyone keen to try out hairdressing, Karen added: “I would definitely say to people, just go for it.
“Just relax, enjoy it and be yourself.”
For more information on Karen’s hair business, check out her Instagram page or Facebook page.
