Q & A with Kate Darling, Founder of THT Hair Tho Salon
THT Hair Tho Salon is the employer of one of the only two certified curly hair stylists in Dubai, making THT the place to go for all the ladies with the beautiful locks who may not always feel in the trustiest hands when it comes to getting their curls cut and taken care of.
At THT, they know which products curly hair girls will need and which techniques to use to keep them happy, knowing that each curl has to be cut and treated in a different way to achieve the ultimate head of curls. Today, THT’s goal is to include all women, whether they have straight or curly hair, or long or short hair, making everyone feel accepted, recognized and included.
We have talked to the Kate Darling, Founder of THT Hair Tho Salon.
L’Officiel Arabia: As a salon owner in the Middle East, what are some of the struggles and challenges you have faced opening your own business?
Kate Darling: Access to cruelty free, vegan & sustainable products has only now become more available. In the beginning our products were not as well known on the market as they are today. I would love to see more local brands come up with sustainable products so we can support local companies as well.
L’O A: THT Hair Tho Salon is the employer of one of the only three certified curly hair stylists in the country. In what way do curly hair girls benefit from having someone qualified?
Kate: There are three stylists in UAE, of which Erica Dias is one of the top three. Rezo stylist/curly certified stylists in the UAE, currently working with THT as the Creative director. There is more and more awareness when it comes to curly hair these days, however it is very difficult to know how to cut curly hair, how to style curly and which are the best curly hair products to use. Curly hair girls will benefit massively from having someone qualified cut and style their curls. At THT, they will receive professional advice from their stylist, on the after care and how to make it healthier and more manageable. With the Rezo/curly certification, it helps the stylists achieve that perfect cut for curly haired girls and the right method of styling.
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“At THT, you will receive professional advice from your stylist,
on the after care and how to make it healthier and
more manageable.”
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L’O A: How is having someone qualified to cut and style curly hair important in the world we live in today?
Kate: It is very important to have someone qualified to cut and style curly hair as there are not many hairdressers who are comfortable in dealing with curly hair today. For example, most of the salons encourage curly hair people to do straightening treatments in order to be accepted in this world and that is why most of the curly hair women are hesitant to go to salons, because of their bad experiences in the past. As we all know the world is heading towards more self acceptance and female empowerment. There should be more qualified hairdressers for curly hair in order to help in creating this self acceptance. There are not just women but also men with curly hair who experience the same struggles in society where straight hair is seen as “more beautiful.” By having a qualified stylist, it will help the curly haired clients to feel more comfortable, where they can learn how to best style their hair with the right products as well as help them to embrace their natural beauty.
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“Most of the salons encourage curly hair people to do
straightening treatments in order to be accepted in this world
and that is why most of the curly hair women are hesitant to go to salons,
because of their bad experiences in the past.”
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L’O A: Styling curly hair is not always simple. Can you or your stylist provide two of your top tips for curly hair girls, explaining how to best maintain and care for their curls?
Kate: With the right education and the perfect curly hair cut it becomes very simple to style curly hair. At the salon we can provide around 90% of the knowledge that curly haired people require to best take off their hair and achieve frizz free hair at home.
My top 2 tips would be to use vegan and cruelty free hair products to keep the hair healthy and shiny. I would also encourage girls to use satin scrunchies as hair ties and satin pillow covers to sleep. This will help in maintaining the natural oils of the scalp which creates less friction and avoids frizziness.
L’O A: It's now the festive period and so is the busiest time of the year for the salon industry. What are the trends at the moment? Can you see a pattern in what women specifically are asking for when visiting the salon?
Kate: Yes, this is the busiest time of the year, and the current trend is mainly red nails and red hair due to Christmas time coming up. Most clients are asking for different color red tones like maroon, burgundy or wine tones.
For the hair, currently balayage is the trend as it makes the hair look natural and sun-kissed. For the nails, chrome style is back in trend as well. People have been constantly asking for the Hailey Bieber nail trend (Glazed Donut Nail) which is classified as chrome.
L’O A: What are THT's plans for 2023? You have been involved in a number of giving back initiatives in the past. Is this something you see the salon doing more of in the next year?
Kate: The plan for THT in 2023 is to continue spreading more awareness on women empowerment and self acceptance, and creating more confidence in the new generation of kids. This applies to curly hair kids especially. We will also be giving a more spiritual approach to our clients when visiting the salon, by adding activities like meditation, sound healings, yoga etc. We have some great, fun activities coming up which we will invite our clients to.
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