Best of the Gold Coast 2019: The Gold Coast’s best hairdressers as voted by you

There’s no doubt about it — great hairdressers change lives. After counting the votes for our biggest reader poll of the year, we can now reveal the top 10 hairstylists in the region as voted by you.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the best hairdresser of them all? Read on to find out!

There’s no doubt about it — great hairdressers change lives. After counting the votes for our biggest reader poll of the year, we can now reveal the top 10 hairstylists in the region as voted by you.

10. Tegan Munro

Moosh Hair Studio, Coolangatta

Tegan Munro from Moosh Hair Studio, Coolangatta.

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Tegan Munro is no stranger to our best hairdresser vote and is thrilled she’s made the top 10 again.

“I’m very excited,” Tegan says. “I feel like I’m very lucky this year. I’ve got an amazing passionate team.”

Since last year’s poll Tegan relocated Moosh Hair Studio to a bigger and better salon, where her staff have been broadening their skills in all things hair.

“We’ve been doing lots of education to extend our knowledge and technique in colouring, that’s what gets us excited,” Tegan says.

“I love where hairdressing is at the moment — everyone’s sharing their knowledge.

“People aren’t keeping all their secrets. The styles and techniques are always changing, it’s nice to learn and bring it back to your own salon.”

9. Kathy Richardson

Hair By Kathy Richardson, Mermaid Beach

Kathy Richardson opened her own salon a year and a half ago called Hair by Kathy Richardson.

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Kathy Richardson’s passion for hair began early and she now specialises in blondes, balayage and free hand painting.

She learned her trade in Sydney before moving to the Gold Coast in 2004 and opening her own salon a year and a half ago.

“When I was still at school I enjoyed braiding all my friends hair, which led me into hairdressing, but now I’m really passionate about the artistic side of my craft,” Kathy says.

“I love colour and creating different techniques to get the lived in look — lots of seamless transitions of colour created with free hand painting and foils.”

8. Sam Bordignon

Hair La Natural, Chevron Island

Sam Bordignon from Hair La Natural listens her clients to create the exact look they're after.

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Do you ever leave the salon feeling like your stylist didn’t listen to a word you said? You’ll never have that problem with Sam Bordignon at Hair La Natural.

“I listen and I like to create exactly what they (clients) ask for,” Sam says.

“I teach my team to do the same. I believe that makes us different.”

Sam started her hairdressing career eight years ago and bought into the Hair La Natural salon in her second year as an apprentice.

“We started out in a small salon … We’ve now grown into two salons with our name, and 12 stylists in total. I feel proud of how far we’ve come.”

7. Renee Petersen

Neon Hair and Beauty, Southport

Renee Petersen from Neon Hair and Beauty loves learning new techniques at educational forums and sharing them with her team.

Hairdressing is a career that’s taken Renee Petersen to international locations.

“In January I went over to the Redken Symposium three-day cut and colour course in Las Vegas,” Renee says.

“I’m definitely passionate about education. I bring everything back and I train my girls, that keeps me really motivated.

“It doesn’t feel like a job, I come here and do awesome hair, it’s like a second family.”

FLASHBACK: THE TOP 10 BEST HAIRDRESSERS FOR 2018

6. Laura Coulsell

LC Hair Design, Varsity Lakes

Laura Coulsell from LC Hair Design.

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Hairdressing is a labour of love for many stylists but none more so than Laura Coulsell. The hairdresser runs a small salon out of Varsity Lakes entirely on her own.

“I’ve been working for myself for four years now,” Laura says.

“It’s extremely hard, I work 24/7. But it’s literally my dream job, I love it. I couldn’t be doing anything else.”

If your last trip to the chair was a catastrophe, Laura says she’s your girl.

“If a client came through with a previous hairdressing disaster, I can normally correct it,” Laura says. “I specialise in blondes and colour correction.”

5. Karissa Graham

Hair Headquarters, Upper Coomera

Karissa Graham from Hair Headquarters always had a dream to open her own salon.

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Karrisa always had a vision to open her own salon and a year and a half ago she made it a reality. “It’s my dream salon, it’s an amazing team that works with me,” Karissa says. “I still pinch myself everyday that I’ve got it.”

Karrisa says her passion is colouring and ensures she and her staff are kept up to date on the latest trends and tools in the hair industry.

“We’re constantly going to hair expos, forever involved in education. I find that social media is a huge platform for education now,” she says.

“I just love colouring. What’s on trend at the moment is a very lived in look, very natural, glossy healthy hair, and having a bit of fun and play with pastels, pinks and peaches.”

4. Lee Cutting

Kiwi and Bull Salon, Southport

Lee Cutting from Kiwi and Bull Salon in Southport loves interacting with his clients and co-workers.

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Lee Cutting says hairdressing is where friendship and flair come together. The Southport stylist from Kiwi and Bull Salon has been cutting hair for 20 years and says he can’t see himself in any other industry.

“I love the social side and the creative side of it,” Lee says. “With other jobs you’ve only got the social side or the creative side, not both.

“I’m in a really great salon, it helps being surrounded by amazing hairdressers.”

Lee enjoys styling shorter dos but says he’s a jack of all trades.

“I do a lot of shorter hair, and A-line bobs, I do a lot of long hair as well. And a lot of blondes. I’m pretty much an all-rounder.”

3. Sabrina Poser-Neugebauer

Hair Heaven Emporium, Carrara

Sabrina Poser-Neugebauer from Hair Heaven Emporium, Carrara.

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Healthy hair is the best kind of hair, according to Sabrina Poser-Neugebauer. “I don’t push the hair to the limit,” she says.

“The priority is to have fabulous looking hair without compromising its health.”

The Hair Heaven Emporium co-founder has been styling mops since she was 14, learning her trade in Germany before moving to Australia.

“It’s a little bit harder to get into hairdressing in Germany, it’s a lot stricter, you have to sit exams to get your final certificate,” she says.

“I’ve been a hairdresser for a total of 12 years. I enjoy making my clients feel beautiful inside and out. I love the creativity.”

2. Mell Benson

Hair Candy Hair Extensions, Hope Island

Mell B from Hair Candy Extensions.

There’s a reason the saying “bad hair day” exists — when your hair doesn’t co-operate, it affects your whole vibe.

“Personally, if my hair isn’t looking good I don’t feel like myself,” Mell Benson says.

“I love making women look and feel their very best, as our hair is such a big part of our confidence.”

Mell has been in managerial roles since finishing her traineeship and is now in charge of two Hair Candy Extensions salons.

“Being that I manage two salons, I not only have my own clients, but I train staff new staff in all areas of hairdressing as well as our signature method of hair extensions,” Mell says.

“I also have a passion for wedding styling. Being that I just got engaged this is something that is very close to my heart.”

1. Kirra Longmuir

Trendz Hair Studio, Bundall

Kirra Longmuir has been crowned the best hairdresser on the Gold Coast. Pictured with her baby Kendal. Picture: Tertius Pickard

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Kirra Longmuir’s secret to winning Best of the Gold Coast four years in a row is simple: “When you’re passionate for your job I think you will naturally be successful and great at that craft,” she says.

The Trendz Hair Studio owner has had a busy year, recently becoming a mum to baby Kendal while running two salons and a barber shop.

“I have a new found respect for mums, everything just gets that little bit more tricky to juggle,” Kirra says.

This is the fourth year in a row Kirra has won best hairdresser on the Gold Coast. Picture: Tertius Pickard

The celebrated stylist says she is forever striving to be a cut above the rest, only ever looking back to ensure she and her team are progressing.

“I’m constantly trying to improve our customer experience in the salon — that is priority for me,” Kirra says.

“We believe that just to be where you are today, in 12 months time, you need to be at least 20 per cent better. We strive to have better colour knowledge, better education and a better experience for our salon guests.”