Behind every successful salon there’s always a specialist. A person who goes the extra distance, does things a little differently and more importantly, loves what they do. This issue we wanted to introduce the St Ives Village experts, our own beauty princesses, who mix style and individuality with their daily business of beauty.

We refer to them as our ‘Dream Team'! Seven extraordinarily talented women who are on hand every day to infuse glamour into our lives and keep us looking gorgeous from head to toe. Each has established a unique approach and a personal culture, proving that when artistes and great products come together, the results are absolutely first class.

We thought you would like to know more about them, who they are and what they are thinking.

Drum roll, please!

Back to Top

Samy Ko, Assistant Manager & Senior Stylist
Salon St. Ives, Shop 5.
Phone 9449 7533

Your favourite winter treatment?
Definitely the SO Essential Delux Treatment. It pampers the hair on every level, removing damage and restoring the hair’s oil, protein and moisture balance. Special oils are massaged deeply into the hair, so it's very relaxing but also very beneficial. Hair is wrapped in a warm towel to allow the goodness of the products to penetrate, diffusing split ends and dryness, returning the hair’s strength and vitality. The indulgence takes around 35 minutes and afterwards, the hair has an unbelievable lustre and softness and a new lease of life.

What makes this your favourite?
It’s seven steps to hair heaven and very decadent.
My clients love it! It’s just like a facial for the hair.

What is it that you adore about your role in the salon?
I get to work in a great team environment. I love the creative side of my work, knowing that each service I perform is a reflection of each client’s individual personality. Creating a style specifically for them is the greatest reward.

How to look like a Salon St Ives client?
Have hair trimmed and coloured every 5 to 6 weeks to ensure style is smart and sharp and colour stays alive. Treat your hair like gold and invest in the correct quality products to keep it clean, healthy and glossy. Always speak with your hairdresser as they are the experts who can guide you towards a cut and colour that suits your lifestyle, skin tone and facial shape.

Back to Top

Nicola Wright, Manager
Boffa Hair, Shop 133.
Phone 9144 4262

Your favourite winter treatment?
SO Restore Treatment

What makes this your favourite?
It’s the ultimate treatment to get heads turning - shine plus! This is really a sumptuous treat for the hair, it's very relaxing and amazingly pampering. From my point of view as a colourist, it’s the key to enhancing and maintaining a rich colour. Healthy hair holds colour much better. The specialised oils and creams that we use really give the hair an incredible gloss and softness, sealing in the moisture. It is especially helpful in the winter months to give coloured hair a nourishing boost and to help protect it.

What is it that you adore about your role in the salon?
I like managing a brilliant team of creative hairdressers. I also love seeing clients leave with a stylish new look, feeling great.

The power of a good hairstyle
A good hairstyle can work miracles and completely change the look of your face. It’s about working with the client, not about trends and the latest colour, but more about individuality and achieving the best for them. It’s important to fully understand and know your client before choosing the right style and colour for them.

Back to Top

Tara Grove, Assistant Manager
Hairdressing Express, Shop 73.
Phone 9440 8556

Your favourite winter treatment?
SO Colour Lock Frequent Treatment, applied immediately after the client’s colour.

What makes this your favourite winter treatment?
I love this treatment because it’s fast, effective and leaves the hair feeling soft, revitalized and lively. It includes specific nourishing essential oils, proteins and locking agents that are sprayed onto the hair and massaged deeply into the scalp, absorbing into the hair follicle to keep colour vibrant and relieve dryness. Clients are so fond of this hair treatment because results can be seen immediately. In addition, clients can take the spray home with them and get the benefits by using it weekly.

What is it that you adore about your role in the salon?
Variety is important when it comes to colour so it really shouldn’t be the same all year round. Colour and cut go hand in hand, one is not complete without the other and the freshness of it all is irresistible. I love creating an individual look for each client so they leave my chair with a smile, feeling good about themselves. That’s what it's all about for me.

What was your first foray into hair?
Hairdressing is what I always wanted to do. I loved creating new styles as a teenager, doing my girlfriend’s hair. I started off doing work experience in a hairdressing salon and knew this is where my future was, it is truly my love!

Back to Top

Tania Sahukhan, Salon Owner & Manager
Le Jardin, Shop 134.
Phone 9488 9788

Your favourite winter treatment?
The Eminence Organic Yam and Pumpkin Enzyme Peel with the addition of the Blueberry Soy Repair Masque.

What makes this your favourite?
This facial gives the skin just what it needs for winter. It is intensive, luxurious and almost edible. The yam and pumpkin eliminates the build up of dry, flaky skin and works on reducing wrinkles and fine lines. The added Blueberry Soy Repair Masque provides the skin with incredible nourishment while helping to repair the skin and give it a real boost with anti-oxidants. The skin is completely revived and refreshed, silky soft and radiant.

What is it that you adore about your role in the salon?
I love to give my clients the best treatment they have ever had and the undivided attention they deserve. Most of our clients are like our friends. Although some clients like to relax, most of them come in and chat to us about their lives and kids, while having a treatment. It’s rewarding to see them walk out of the salon happy and telling us that our salon is the best they have ever been to. I feel a real sense of achievement when I hear such positive feedback. I guess that is why we won the Award for the Best Salon on the North Shore in 2007.

Advice you give and follow
I totally believe in exfoliating, it is what keeps my skin fresh and new, so I always pass this information onto my clients. I cannot be without my night cream as this is the time the skin is most responsive and relaxed and reaps the benefits of repair. Another important step in my daily routine is the use of a sunscreen, a diet high in greens, citrus fruit and lots of water so my body and my skin stay healthy and vibrant.

Back to Top

Sue Nguyen, Manager
St Ives Nails, Shop 70.
Phone 9440 0694

Your favourite winter treatment?
I have two favourites for winter, the Spa Pedicure and Spa Manicure. Both spa treatments buff away and banish every hint of dryness, drench the skin in hydration and are unbelievably relaxing.

What makes these your favourites?
They leave hands and feet feeling super smooth and soft, polished to perfection. Our Spa Pedicure treatment uses special chairs that lovingly massage the back, head and shoulders to ease tension so clients can totally unwind. We also include a blissful foot soak and a hot stone massage which is cosy and warming, especially in winter. During the colder months, we wrap the hands in hot towels as this not only helps the skin to absorb ingredients better but is also snug and welcoming for clients. The Spa Pedicure and the Spa Manicure treatments feature loads of nourishing oils and creams as this is definitely what the skin needs at this time of year.

What is it that you adore about your role in the salon?
Seeing my client’s amazement at the transformation, especially with acrylic nails. Some have never tried acrylics before. They can make the hands appear more youthful and elegant. When clients are happy, I feel warm inside too!

Why are you renowned for your high level of service?
We use the Sani -Tablet system in all our pedicures. This is a specially formulated product for footbaths to eliminate bacteria, fungi and viruses for a pleasant and safe pedicure.

Back to Top

Lucia Haiping, Salon Owner and Manager.
St Ives Professional Skincare, Shop 92. Phone 9449 4711

Your favourite winter treatment?
Sothys Winter Season Facial

What makes this your favourite?
It’s my goddess facial, warming and lavish and the perfect winter treat. It magically sweeps away pesky damage and cocoons the complexion in nourishment. Laced with Tangerine Extract and Ginger it recharges the skin, hydrating and softening, completely transforming it. After one, skin positively glows, after four, skin is softer, smoother and clearer than clients can ever remember.

What is it that you adore about your role in the salon?
Honestly, I enjoy every aspect of running and owning my salon. We have wonderful clients who want to know all about their skin - how to make sure it is healthy and the best products and treatments to keep it that way. It’s great that they are inspired by us. I also love introducing new treatments with exciting ingredients and technology so my clients have the best possible care and results, that’s all important to me.

One product you will never change
My sunscreen, I never leave the house without applying a sunscreen, winter or summer, no matter what the weather is like outside.

Back to Top

Idalete Ganso, Beauty Therapist
nina ynez Modern Apothecary, Shop 44. Phone 9144 1474

Favourite winter treatment
nina ynez Skin Renewal Facial that targets breakouts and blemishes, refines the skin’s texture and has a powerful anti-ageing effect to hydrate, lift and contour. It uses soothing botanicals to calm inflammations, redness and irritations while anti-bacterial actives prevent future breakouts. It’s impressive moisturising action leaves skin super soft, supple and smooth.

What makes this your favourite?
I especially love the lifting hydrating mask I use during the facial, because it goes deep into the dermal layers for radiance plus. Used with some amazing massage techniques, the treatment is very relaxing and the results are spectacular. All my clients are very impressed with this one!

What is it that you adore about your role in the salon?
Definitely the one-to-one interaction and the relationships with my clients. It's very satisfying to see how their skin improves over time.

Your motto
Morning and night, eye and lip care is a definite with me. And of course it goes without saying, I never leave the house without wearing my sunscreen, all year round!

Back to Top