Leeds hairdressers offering virtual help to save lockdown hair disasters

Best friends Izzy Crosby and Emma Harris were set to open their new family built hair salon in April this year but lockdown news hit just five days after giving up their jobs.

Their families had taken on the project of building the ‘41 House of Hair’ salon themselves in Izzy’s back garden.

However, their new self-employed venture based in Oakwood wasn’t able to get off the ground before the first lockdown and so they were unable to receive any financial support from the government.

Now, after just four months of trading they are in the same situation as all other hairdressers across the country and are being forced to close for the second national lockdown.

Instead the pair has turned to helping people rescue their lockdown hair disasters virtually.

Co-owner Izzy said: “Last lockdown there were so many people who were trying to dye their own hair and roots and even cut their own hair and sometimes that didn’t go to plan.

“This lockdown we want to make sure people don’t make any mistakes and so we are on hand replying constantly to our Instagram messages offering any help people may need whilst they aren’t able to physically see us or their usual hairdresser in person.”

Izzy said she woke up to 48 messages the day after the news of the lockdown came out last Saturday with people wanting to get an appointment in quickly before it became illegal to do so.

Unfortunately, with only four days until closure the pair couldn’t attend to everyone.

She added: “We want to make sure our clients know we are still here and after a successful four months with their amazing support we will be back with them better than ever when we can be.”

Business partner Emma, said: “We’re just two young girls who are entrepreneurs and this has been the worst possible year to start a business, from not being allowed to open to receiving no funding and then only being able to be open for such a short period of time.

“Covid won’t stop our dreams but it’s so hard to have to close just after we had got going.

“We don’t want this to take away the excitement of our new salon so for now all we can offer is our virtual advice and we want to help.”

The friendship duo are still selling hair gift packs during lockdown, offering free delivery to Leeds postcodes.