Different Minds
Hair Refined
It's not just about making you look good. It's about helping you feel safe, understood and more like yourself.
I want to make hairdressing a more inclusive, understanding and supportive for people who experience the world differently.
As a hairdresser, undiagnosed neurodivergent women and mum of autistic children, I've experienced neurodiversity from both sides. I've also seen how anxiety, overwhelm, stress and low self esteem can effect the way we feel about ourselves and about every day experiences like visiting the hairdresser.
My aim is to create a space where you don't have to have a diagnosis, explain yourself or fit the traditional salon experience to feel understood.
Whether you're autistic, ADHD, neurodivergent, questioning whether you might be, or simple someone who finds traditional hairdressing environment overwhelming, my approach is about meeting you where you are.
I want to help make hairdressing feel less intimidating, less overwhelming and more empowering, while helping people feel more comfortable, confident and themselves.
Why have I created this space?
For years I've been a hairdresser without really understanding why certain things felt harder for me than they seemed for others people.
Becoming a mum to autistic children changed the way I looked at neurodiversity. It made me look back at my own experiences differently and start questioning whether some of the things I'd always thought were simply "me" might actually have a different explanation.
I'm still on my own journey, but one thing has become very clear to me. People don't need to have a diagnosis to deserve understanding.
I've also realised how much the hairdressing environment can affect people. The noise, smalls, lights, conversation, touch, uncertainty, being looked at, explaining what you want, sitting still, feeling judged. All things that might feel completely ordinary to one person can feel overwhelming to another.
That's where my mission began.
I want to make hairdressing a place where people don't have to pretend they're comfortable when they're not.
A place where different communication styles are ok, sensory needs are taken seriously, anxiety isn't embarrassing and you don't need an explanation or a diagnoses to ask for what helps you.
Your Hair Your Way.
Because hairdressing shouldn't be one size fits all.
Every person experiences the salon differently. You might love chatting, you might prefer quiet. You might need to know exactly what's going to happen, you might find unexpected touch difficult. You might need to take breaks or need a little more time.
That's ok.
Your hair your way is an optional experience that can be added to any Hair Refined appointment, allowing me to understand what works for you and adapt your appointment wherever I can.
You don't need a diagnosis to choose it and I don't need an explanation.
Before your appointment, I'll send you my different minds form, this is a short information form so you can tell me what you'd like me to know.
If you need additional time, you can choose the extended experience when booking.