Nominee for Best in the Creative Industry

Sophisticuts Hair Salon

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Mairead O’Keeffe opened Sophisticuts in 2010, mid recession, and they’ve only been on the up and up since then.

“I was just 25 years old! I don’t know where the time has gone, it’s been busy thankfully.” Mairead runs the salon with 2 employees in Newmarket. The business boasts customers from 2 to 90 from all over Duhallow, though their clientele has started to venture from beyond the region. While this is no doubt a response to the skills of the team, it’s also thanks to the spread of new services they offer. Beyond the expected, they offer oxygen therapy, hair pieces, and even wigs.

During Covid, Mairead did a course on hair loss and oncology aesthetics in an effort to help a long term client suffering with female pattern baldness and Alopecia. “Since we have opened back up after lockdown, it’s been all go with our new venture; doing scalp treatments with our new oxygen machine, there is a couple of these in Ireland and we are covering the North Cork area” Fast forward to 2022 and they now fit wigs for cancer patients, hair loss, and alopecia, a feat that is challenging but rewarding. Such a service has never been offered locally and it has proved incredibly valuable. A local woman recently visited with her young daughter who has started Chemo, and the pair are delighted to have a service like this so close to home. “If it makes their lives even a fraction easier during this very hard time, it’s so worth having this service in Newmarket.”

As they move forward, the team aim to further their niche information with more knowledge on hair loss and hair loss prevention. As well as this, they observe the ever evolving hair world, and are constantly upskilling with cutting and colouring techniques.

“It’s has been a challenge but it’s the most rewarding job when you see what it can do for a person when their going through so much.”