It's nearly Christmas!

Samantha
Dec 24, 2025
6 min read

What a whirlwind this year has been. We’ve had a truly wonderful 2025, and I feel incredibly grateful for every moment and to you, our clients, for making it a year to remember.

The salon will close today, Tuesday 23rd December 2025 at 5pm, and will reopen on Friday 2nd January 2026. If you need to make or reschedule an appointment during this time, please use our online booking system via the link below. Emails will be checked periodically. Voicemails will be answered on our return.

Before we take a well-earned break for the holidays, I wanted to thank you for your loyalty, kindness, and support towards me and my team. We are genuinely so grateful.

I know many of you enjoy these newsletters, so grab a mulled wine and mince pie (or the beverage and nibble of your choice) and settle in…

BOOK NOW

Salon Hours Are Changing — January 2026

As of January, we’re making a small but important adjustment to our salon hours. Currently, each stylist has one weekend off per month, which sometimes leaves only two of us in the salon on certain Saturdays. This has never sat comfortably with me, as I want both my team and clients to feel fully supported. So from January 2026, we will all be taking the same Saturday off each month, creating a well-deserved three-day weekend for the whole team. This means that once a month, the salon will be closed on a Saturday and open four days that week.

Our salon is one of the few these days who employ their staff rather than using freelancers. Work–life balance is incredibly important to me. As a small business, it isn’t always easy to offer perks — but I’m committed to doing what I can to support my team’s wellbeing. And yes… it feels a little crazy, but in the best possible way!

A Special Announcement - Baby on the Way! (April 2026)

As some of you already know, I’m going off to have my first baby!

Antony and I are expecting our bundle of joy in April 2026, and we couldn’t be more excited.

The salon will close on Mondays from April to ensure we give the highest level of care and support to both our clients and the team.

Our last working Monday will be Monday 30th March 2026.

My last day in the salon will be Thursday 2nd April 2026.

I’m not yet sure of my exact return date — but I promise I’ll keep you updated through these newsletters. The team will know as soon as Antony and I have finalised our plans. I absolutely love what I do, so I will 100% be returning later in 2026, but I’ll be cutting my hours down to two days a week on the salon floor, creating beautiful hair.

We will also close fully over Easter:

Friday 3rd April, Saturday 4th April, and Monday 6th April.

The team will be back open on Tuesday 7th April.

Team Update

Emma, our newest stylist, sadly wasn’t the right fit for the salon. She has moved on, and although she hasn’t shared future plans, we wish her well. I want to say a huge thank-you to Louise and Travis, who have worked extra days throughout December to accommodate as many clients as possible. We know we couldn’t fit everyone in, but we genuinely tried our very best.

I'm a big believer in ensuring our stylists get the very best training, so they can enhance their skills, knowledge and experience, both to help them in their careers and to build on the expertise in the salon.

Recently both Cydney and Mia attended separate two-day course's in London with Mia taking the Colour Craft Course and Cydney the Colour Correction Course at the Wella Academy in London an experience they both thoroughly enjoyed and which has really helped to build their skills and knowledge in this important area.

Christmas Party Shenanigans 🎄

On Saturday 13th December we headed to The Walrus in Brighton for our Christmas party — dinner and a Showlesque show. Let’s just say… it was not what I was expecting! There were plenty of surprises, lots of confidence on stage, and some great singing.

As always, I had my husband and dad with us, and somehow my dad became the compère’s main focus — hilarious, slightly embarrassing, and totally unforgettable. Next year I’ll definitely be doing a bit more research beforehand!

A brilliant, memorable night and a very different way to kick off the festive season.

New Stylists in the New Year

I’m pleased (and hopeful!) to share that we may be welcoming one — or even two — new stylists to the team in 2026. Fingers crossed 🤞. If you happen to see the lights on between Christmas and New Year, don’t be alarmed — I’ll be trade testing some exciting future talent at SE Hair, but we won’t be officially open during this time. You may also spot my dad and husband in the salon, giving it a well-deserved freshen-up as we head into the New Year.

Advanced Education & Training

As mentioned, we’re passionate about ongoing education at the salon, and I’m so proud that the team continues to push themselves, learn more, and expand their skills.

We will have in-salon training on Grey Blending with the amazing educator Anneliese Heese, after the team expressed huge interest in building their confidence and mastering this technique. Anneliese is an amazing educator, one of the best in my opinion, which is why we have asked her back for a second visit to us.

We are looking for models FREE OF CHARGE for this training on Wednesday 11th February. Pictures below...

Clients who are currently colouring their hair regularly and want a lower maintenance look
This can be either a wish to go full natural grey head of hair or to start incorporating some grey into your overall look
Hair must be in good condition, and clients must be open-minded to change
It is possible the transition will be a journey, but you will achieve a nice colour on the day
Any percentage of grey/white but ideally includes a variety of both higher and lower percentages
CLIENTS NEED TO HAVE PLENTY TIME AVAILABLE ON THE DAY
CLIENTS MUST BE PREPARED TO CARE FOR THEIR HAIR AT HOME

If you’re interested in having grey blending and would like to be considered as a model, please get in touch — we’d love to hear from you!

My commitment to continuing education and improving each stylist's skills is one of the main reasons I'll keep employing my staff rather than using freelancers for as long as possible.

We are looking for models FREE OF CHARGE for this training

Louise: Master Colour Expert — With a 97% Score!

One of our biggest team achievements this year was Louise completing her Master Colour Expert qualification — one of the highest-level colour credentials in the industry.

What is the Master Colour Expert qualification?

It’s an advanced professional programme covering hair science, corrective colour, creative colour techniques, problem-solving, and expert consultation skills. It is recognised globally and represents one of the highest standards of colour expertise a stylist can achieve.

Louise achieved an astonishing 97%, and I couldn’t be prouder.

We both travelled to London on Monday 10th November for her graduation — she looked incredible in her cap and gown, don't you agree?!

Celebrating 9 Years of Samantha Elizabeth

On Saturday 29th November, we celebrated nine years of Samantha Elizabeth.I am incredibly proud of this milestone and of being able to run a solely-employed salon built on care, passion, and genuine connection.

And none of this would be possible without you — our wonderful clients.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every visit, every recommendation, every kind word, and every bit of support over the years. You are the reason we get to do what we love.