Cairns hairdresser Jo Lees cutting edge of style honed over 55 years

Cairns hairdresser Jo Lees has styled generations of residents and watched styles change from beehives and bouffant to bobs and perms.

WHEN Jo Lees started her hairdressing apprenticeship in 1967, the most popular women’s styles included beehives, backcombing and bouffant.

And a weekly appointment to have their hair done was the norm.

Now the owner of Jo’s Scissors of Gold will soon celebrate 55 years of tending the tresses of generations of clients at her popular hairdressing business, Jo’s Scissors of Gold Salon in the Oceana Walk shopping arcade.

Mrs Lees said she loved being a hairdresser because of the joy that came with making people feel good about themselves.

After 22 years at the helm of her own business, Mrs Lees said her choice or career still makes her happy.

“I love what I do because it is instant gratification,” she said.

“You do someone’s hair and they go. ‘oh that is fantastic, I love it’, and immediately someone says you have done a good job.

“When you are told this five or six times a day you cannot help but love what you do.”

Jo Lees is a popular Cairns hairdresser who owns Jo’s Scissors of Gold and she will soon celebrate 55 years in the business. Picture: Brian Cassey

Mrs Lees said she felt that the opinion of how fashions were received had radically changed.

“Once upon a time if you did not fit the mould, you were considered old fashioned or out of fashion,” she said.

“One of the biggest changes over the years I have seen is colour, these days you can have any colour you want no-one looks twice.”

Now Mrs Lees is predicting a return to warmer colours for the rest of 2022.

“The last two years we have been through the arctic blondes, now people are starting to think more about contrast and warmer colours,” she said.

“Instead of ash brown people are looking at coffee brown which will bring out natural colours of the face and not be so washed out.”

But no matter the style or colour her clients are after, Mrs Lees said she won’t be hanging up scissors for a good while yet.

“It’s wonderful when you see your customers feel good about themselves,” she said.

“When you get a good rapport with your customers you cannot help but feel good.”

Originally published as Cairns hairdresser Jo Lees cutting edge of style honed over 55 years