Victoria’s best hairdresser: From Melbourne to Mildura, Mornington to Werribee
Readers across the state have told us who they go to for their hair. But who is the best in Victoria? VOTING CLOSED
Leader
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For most of 2020 ratty hair reigned supreme as hairdressers were forced to close their doors due to COVID.
But with Victoria getting back into shape, so is everyone’s hair, with the best salons and hairdressers working their magic on manes in every corner of the state.
We asked readers across all parts of Victoria to choose their favourite hairdresser – and 15 made the cut.
Now it is time to discover who is the state’s best trimmer.
On the Mornington Peninsula, Maddi Ellery — who has been plying her trade at Salon Envy for about two-and-a-half years — came out on top.
Ms Ellery says connecting with customers has helped her stand out in the highly competitive industry.
“I try really hard to listen to my clients and understand what the look they want,” Ms Ellery said.
“I also like to remember the little things, like the sort of tea they like to drink.”
Across in Melbourne’s west, Rebecca Sinopoli of Curl Up ‘N Dye with Rebecca in Werribee took out the award.
Ms Sinopoli said she’s been in the game for 26 years and owned her Synnot St salon for 12 years.
She said she knew hairdressing was what she wanted to do from the moment she first picked up a pair of scissors.
“I did work experience in the salon when I was at school and that was it, I knew I wanted to be a hairdresser. I did my apprenticeship with a local hairdresser and kept going,” Ms Sinopoli said.
Jo Leske from Cutting Co. 3134 in Warranwood and Bill Stafford from Rumors for Hair Heathmont took out the Maroondah award.
Up in the states’s northeast, Tanya Kothe from Latch Hair and Beauty in Wodonga, was a joint winner of Albury Wodonga News’ search for the best hairdresser.
Ms Kothe said she couldn’t believe she had won, after only opening her Wodonga salon in April.
“I’ve actually got goosebumps, it’s amazing,” Ms Kothe said.
“To have that much support is amazing.
“Especially because we have so many good hairdressers in Albury-Wodonga.”
The border region’s other winner was Bianca Krech who said she felt overwhelmed by the support from the Albury-Wodonga community.
While the borders were closed this year Ms Krech rented a chair at Latch Hair and Beauty for five weeks, before moving to her current location at Fuss Hair Studio in Albury.
“I love every part of hairdressing,” Ms Krech said.
Ms Krech had a special message for those who voted for her to become Albury-Wodonga’s best hairdresser.
“Thank you for believing in me and for all the support,” she said.
“I love what I do for them.”
Albury may technically be in New South Wales, but with that sort of passion we’re claiming Ms Krech as a Victorian for the purposes of this poll.
Zenity Hair emerged as Cranbourne’s best salon according to Leader readers after an overwhelming response from her loyal clients.
Owner of the Cranbourne East salon Amy Doyle, who has been a hairdresser for 20 years, told Leader she was “absolutely thrilled” to be named the winner.
“It’s pretty amazing to think I started this home salon when I was pregnant with my second child as I wanted to be at home and earn money – I’ve been able to do all the mum stuff and I’m very much part of the community,” she said.
“I think a lot of people feel very comfortable with me because I’m just very easy going and people come in here and they feel safe and people feel at home here with me.”
Connie Tropea’s stylish skills have clearly won over many fans, after she took out the title of best hairdresser in Melbourne’s north.
The mum-of-three, who runs Hair and Beauty Room by Connie from her home in Epping, said the award was a huge honour.
“It’s really rewarding, and a huge achievement for me to be nominated,” she said.
Ms Tropea has been working from home for the past five years, and has recently renovated half of her garage into a salon.
“I started (hairdressing) when I was 16; I’m now 33, so I’ve been doing it for about 17 years,” she said.
“I left school in Year 10, and got offered an apprenticeship. And basically since then, I’ve been working in the hairdressing industry.”
Melinda Turner says her job is still her passion.
Her Knoxfield salon, A’Blaze Hair Artistry, which recently celebrated its 24th birthday, was voted the best hairdresser in Knox by Leader readers.
“It’s been a tough year for everyone,” Ms Turner said.
“But we’ve been flat out since we’ve been back open and I’ve been working seven days.”
Ms Turner said her team had been amazing throughout the lockdown and everyone had worked hard to keep the business running while they couldn’t be in the salon.
“I have an amazing team. It’s about having a strong committed team,” she said.
“A massive thank you as well to our client base who have supported us and especially through lockdown.
“We really felt the love.”
Rebecca Wood’s passion is to help others.
That outlook landed her as Frankston’s most popular hairdresser according to Leader readers.
But just nine months ago the hugely popular Colour Collections hairdresser found herself in a doctor’s office, booked in for an ultrasound after suffering from abnormal stomach pain.
Her world shook when she was told she had Grade 1 bladder cancer.
“It was a complete shock … I thought I just had weird pains,” Ms Wood, 40, told the Leader.
Ms Wood quickly underwent lifesaving surgery where her tumour was cut out, before battling six weeks of intense immunotherapy treatment.
Fast forward nine months and the Colour Collections hairdresser and mother of one is now living her healthiest, cancer-free life.
“My boss here and the team have been supportive, as well as my long standing clients … they are my world,” Ms Wood said.
In northern Victoria, Nick Bolitho from ColourKing Hair & Beauty in Mildura topped the poll after a massive response from readers.
Born and bred in Mildura, he has more than a decade of experience in the industry.
“I’ve always had a passion for hair, from a young age I knew I wanted to do something with hair,” Bolitho said.
“I’ve always liked the creative side of colouring hair,” he said.
The success of Breanna Hexter’s Goulburn Valley salon could be measured by the time it takes to get an appointment, which can be months.
“The new client inquiries daily are overwhelming and amazing,” she said.
But now there’s more proof of her popularity, with her salon Hair By The Boulevard being crowned the best in the region by The Goulburn Valley News readers.
And if you told Ms Hexter she would be flat out when she started her business three years ago, she would not have believed you.
“I said to my husband Jayedon, either this will go amazing, or we’ll be eating two minute noodles,” she said.
The Bass Coast’s Rachel De Ross Nathan thanks her late father for her career in hairdressing.
Mrs De Ross Nathan, who owns Cowes salon De Boss Beauty, took out the region’s award for best hairdresser thanks to Leader readers.
“Dad was the one that pushed me into my first apprenticeship and wouldn’t let me quit when I felt like I wasn’t good enough,” Mrs De Ross Nathan said.
“I try really hard to get the results people are wanting and I believe very strongly about continued education for myself to pass on to everyone else.”
“I feel that it is very important to have a strong connection and understanding of my clients.”
If you want a do with a view, Yarra Valley’s Imperial Edge Hair in Wandin North is the place to be.
Stylist and business owner Nadine Amy has more than 20 years experience in her fingertips, and not only has a salon with a picturesque view of the Yarra Valley, she has built a tribe she loves.
The salon run by Ms Amy – a hairdresser with more than 20 years’ experience – has been voted the region’s best by Leader readers.
“I have the best girls. The team is fantastic,” she said.
“One of my biggest achievements and something I love is training up the girls and the team.”
Finally, to Ballarat in the state’s central-west, where Darren Dubberley and Casey Dudley shared the spoils.
A veteran hair stylist of 25 years, Mr Dubberley of Eve Salon loves to constantly upskill and employ the latest and best techniques for his clients.
Mr Dubberley said he was “touched and honoured” to be voted as one of the city’s best.
“I love just working with people, I like my clients, there’s nothing that I don’t like about the job,” he said.
“It’s really gratifying you do your work you see your results straight away and you sort of become friends with your clients you develop a relationship.
“We do lots of training at Eve so we’re always keeping our skills updated, you’re always trying to get new ideas on improving your skills.”
Ms Dudley, owner of Kc Hair & co, was also crowned and said she loved the industry she had worked in for about 20 years.
“We have such a brilliant clientele so that is what makes it just as great to be in the industry still,” she said.
“I also love the diversity of what you can do in a day, so you can have someone who comes in every six weeks and does the same thing again, then I also have clients that you have to do something completely different every time you see them.
“My staff are fantastic, obviously couldn’t do what we do without the hard work of my staff they put in 110 per cent every day.”
Voting runs until 11.59pm on Tuesday, December 1, with the winner revealed on the relevant Leader and The Albury Wodonga News, The Goulburn Valley News, The Mildura News, The Bass Coast News Facebook pages on Friday, December 4.
Note: The voting panel will pop up after a few seconds (bottom of screen on mobile, bottom-right of your screen on a desktop computer). After voting, be sure to enter the captcha code for your vote to count.
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