Written by Heidi Summerfield in the Wirral globe
LA Hair, which is on The Row on Market Street, is the first winner in our Best of 2024 competition, where each week we search for the best Wirral has to offer in different categories.
We started with Best for Hair and we were inundated with nominations for salons all over Wirral with clients and customers telling us who they thought should make the final shortlist.
Twelve top salons in Wirral made the shortlist for Best for Hair with LA Hair in Hoylake taking the coveted crown.
We received hundreds of votes with the winning salon recording a victory and owner Laura Lee couldn’t be happier.
Laura launched LA Hair on her own on April 12, 2021 just after the Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions lifted.
It began life at 8 The Row and after 18 months the team of six expanded into the shop next door at 7 The Row and they now have a dedicated team of nine with Olivia Gibson as manager and vacancies available.
Laura, who moved to Hoylake from America in 2015 to get married, said: “We are an eco-friendly, vegan friendly cruelty free salon.
“We are one of the very few salons that offer cuts with curl specialists and ethically sourced hair extensions.
“We offer a full complement of hair services including colours, highlights, balayage and cuts, as well as scalp and hair treatments, special occasion hair, perms and straighteners in addition to keratin smoothers, extensions and hair replacement services.
“We also offer manicures, pedicures, gel nails, nail art, lash lifts and tints, and brow wax, tint and lamination.
“Over almost 30 years in hairdressing, I couldn’t help but notice the environmental hazards that the average hair salon produces as well as the shocking amount of products that still do animal testing.
“I am passionate about changing this.
“All our practices and products are vetted to make sure they are truly cruelty free, vegan friendly with high eco and ethical standards - even our cleaning products.
“We are also zero waste to landfill - we recycle around 90 per cent of our waste with the rest going to produce clean energy.
“Since opening, we have had such a positive response to our products and services and feel our sustainability and ethics have resonated with everyone around.
“We want our clients to step into our salon and experience the L.A Hair difference.”
Laura, who is originally from Washington DC and has been a colour educator and platform artist for an international hair colour brand, worked in upscale salons with an emphasis on guest service, team building and ongoing stylist education.
She felt it was essential to bring those ideals to her Hoylake salon.
So what do customers and clients think about Laura and the team at LA Hair?
Why did they want the salon to win this award?
This salon has “the best staff” who are “always welcoming and create fabulous results”.
One nomination said: “Lovely ladies who genuinely care about their customers and their hair experiences.”
Laura, who is 44, said: “Our team is so diverse and amazing at what they do.
“We all genuinely get along and you can feel the good vibes when you visit the salon.
“Aside from meetings and education, we have dinners out, ghetto golf, bongo’s bingo, trips to Alton Towers and so much more.
“We just enjoy each other’s company and it makes such a big difference to the atmosphere of the salon.
“Also, our inclusivity, from gender neutral haircuts to being wheelchair accessible sets us apart from other salons.
“We do believe everyone should have the opportunity to feel their best in a safe environment.
“Aside from the ethics, the vibes and the highly trained stylists we have at LA Hair, I think our clients appreciate the finer details.
“The space is light and airy with no clutter and our backwashes are extremely comfortable.
“The coffee is locally roasted and freshly ground and served with biscuits or cakes that are handmade and vegan.
“We pride ourselves on our outstanding customer service and attention to detail.
“We believe you visit the salon for an experience, not just a haircut.”
Laura says the best thing about her job is waking up each day knowing she will make a positive impact on people’s lives.
She feels hairdressing is overlooked when people talk about self-care and she understands how it can brighten someone’s day.
Laura said: “When we found out LA Hair had been shortlisted for this award, we were all so excited – the whole salon was buzzing.
“To actually win Wirral’s Best for Hair 2024 we were over the moon.
“I was speechless and anyone that knows me, knows how unusual that is!
“Telling the team was fantastic and everyone was thrilled.
“I would like to thank all our clients for their support - they have been truly fantastic from day one, spreading the word and being supportive at every opportunity.
“Without them, none of this would have been possible.
“We feel so humbled that they voted us the best in Wirral.”
Brilliant news and congratulations to Laura and all at LA hair, well deserved!
Olwen Thomas,xxx