You’d be hard-pushed not to know the name, Sammy Mac, in the north-east beauty industry and even further afield.
The mum of three has made a name for herself, from training the next generation at her very own beauty school, to running busy salons across the city.
Whilst fellow businesses have come and gone, it would seem Sammy MacDonald has some real staying power.
A brand in her own right, Sammy has not just kept her head above water during recessions and lockdown, it’s fair to say she has flourished.
And here at Society, we love to see it, with Sammy being a finalist at The Society Awards 2022, in association with Aberdeen Inspired.
From doing the nails of Michelle Keegan, Sammy is also a regular at London Fashion Week.
Just last month, she was on hand for the JW Anderson show, and working with celebs is par for the course.
“I live life at 100 miles an hour, I don’t know how my husband copes,” she says with a laugh.
That’s the wonderful thing about Sammy; despite incredible success, she remains true to the young girl who didn’t know what she wanted to do after leaving school.
“I’ve been in the industry since I was 15, there was a six-month beauty course and I told my mum I was going to do it,” she says.
“I wasn’t a girly girl, I didn’t wear makeup.
“But I’m creative and I loved how many different paths you can go down.”
The rest is history, and Sammy opened her first salon on Victoria Street in 2016.
Fast forward five years, and some of the team now work from the seventh floor of Union Point at Blaikies Quay.
Sammy also has a salon on Ellon Road which is mainly focused on nails, whilst her latest venture is a step into the ultra-luxurious.
It hasn’t all been plain-sailing, after Sammy had to close down her salon at John Lewis.
But with the loss of one opportunity, came the chance for something even more wonderful.
“We actually found out on the news that John Lewis was closing,” says Sammy.
That was a real downer for us, to find out that way before the team had even been told.”
The hay day of a once popular department store might be no more, but Sammy had already made a name for herself at Trump International Scotland.
She was often called upon to send staff to the five-star resort, which didn’t boast its own beauty salon – until now.
“We would help out when exclusive VIP guests were staying,” says Sammy, who is also a Scottish educator for the nail brand, OPI.
“We would send staff on-site to do whatever treatments the guests were looking for.
“The opportunity came up to do something permanent and it was just too good an opportunity to turn down.
Step forward Heritage Retreat, found within Trump MacLeod House & Lodge in Aberdeenshire.
“I used to work for Nails Inc years ago, I’d travel around the UK and open stores in Debenhams,” says Sammy.
“I don’t think I ever dreamed I would get to this point.
“Heritage retreat is a very different vibe, my other branches are more what I would call mainstream commercial salons.
“This is very different, based within a five-star resort with luxury treatments on offer.
“Every little detail is just perfect, even the bathrooms are fit for a Queen.
“We don’t have anything quite like it in the city.
“The plan is to get spa facilities put in and an outdoor relaxation area.
“It’s very much a different market for the slightly more wealthier side of the city.”
As to which VIP guests may cross the threshold, Sammy will forever remain tight-lipped.
Absolute discretion is all part of the brand, and Sammy hasn’t let this latest success go to her head.
“In my experience, the most high-profile celebs are the ones who are most down to earth,” she says.
“As to why we’ve stood the test of time, I think having a diverse team is really important.
“They keep me right in their own specialties.
‘It’s not good to have people who offer everything, you can never be good at everything.’
“It’s better to master one part of the industry.”
Sammy also launched a beauty training school at the start of the pandemic, in partnership with fellow beauty salon, Pink Lily.
Lockdown gave her the opportunity to write all the course material, and aspiring beauticians will no longer have to travel further afield for courses.
“Years ago, salon owners almost didn’t want to be friends,” says Sammie.
“Since lockdown there is now a really nice mentality, breaking down barriers which have been there for a long time.”
For more information, head to their website, or visit @thestudiosalons on Instagram.