Top of their profession

A local hair salon has proved themselves a cut above the competition after taking home a startling five awards at the recent *IHS state " wide hairdressing competition held at Parramatta.

After taking out salon of the year 10 years ago, owner of Chelsea's Shellharbour Peter Thomson said he was "?blown away' with the results achieved by his four young charges at last month's competition.

With a first, second and third in colour, second in blow - drying and a third in men's cutting the Shellharbour salon stamped themselves as one of the most fashionable in the state.

"With the guys bringing these awards back to Shellharbour it really does show the standard that we are working at," Mr Thomson said. "We decided to give the competition a go a couple of months ago and I started giving them some more training and advice on how to handle the competition. All of them respected the fact that I had been there before and won many awards and they all took on board what I was telling them.

"They all really listened and adapted their styles to the trends of today. They are a very dedicated bunch and deserve these results."

Third year apprentice Mitchell Spackman took home third in the Men's cutting division, a result he was "?stoked' with considering it was his first foray into the world of competition cutting.

"I was really nervous beforehand. When they tell you to go I could hardly hold my scissors but after a while you forget about it and just get into it," he said. "You have 35 minutes to create a new look trying to make it really edgy and fashionable.

"I gave my model an asymmetrical haircut because that's what's coming in, you have to keep the trends in mind. It was nerve wracking but it was a good experience."

After achieving podium finishes the four hairdressers have earned the right to compete at the National Titles in Melbourne later this year.