Student Cheryl proving a queen of hair colour after reaching competition final

A trainee Hawick hairdresser is proving herself to be a cut above after making it to the national finals of an hair-colouring industry competition.

Cheryl Johnstone, 28, is through to the final of the Wella Xposure competition, having entered the competition’s regional heats, alongside several of her level two hairdressing course mates at Borders College, in February.

It’s been a busy time for the mum-of-one and she reaches the final whilst juggling being a mum to daughter Abbie, 9, working part -time at Johnstons of Elgin’s cafe in Hawick and undertaking placements at Studio 14 in the town’s Bourtree Place.

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“It was quite hard trying to do my entry without lecturer there helping in front of you due to the lockdown,” she said. “We were having to communicate through messenger and put it together hoping I was doing it right.

Cheryl Johnstone, of Hawick.Cheryl Johnstone, of Hawick.
Cheryl Johnstone, of Hawick.

“We were pleased with what we came up with in the end, though.”

The regional heats should have taken place physically in April but after the coronavirus outbreak, organisers Wella moved the competition on an online format.

The former Trinity Primary and Hawick High schools pupil, who will go on to study her level three course next academic year, had to submit three different parts to her application.

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“The first was a one minute video explaining why I chose the colour look that I went for and how it complimented the model,” she said. “The second part was an essay on how it was done and the equipment I used, and the third had to include head diagrams explaining the placement of the colour.”

Wendy McCutcheon, a hairdressing lecturer at Borders College, added: “With the change of circumstances, a lot of work went into the preparation, and after much consideration, we finally came up with a suitable application.

“The hairdressing department has tasted plenty of success over the years in similar competitions and we hope that Cheryl can emulate this.”

The results will be announced on Monday, June 1.

Last year Cheryl came fourth in the first-year ladies’ commercial blow dry competition at the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists contest in Blackpool.

“I am supposed to graduate in June and go on to do by level three after the summer, so have one year to go yet,” she said. “

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