Dubbed the Middle East’s ‘Queen of Colour’, Maria Dowling is a name known in the hair industry. It all started when she was 13 years old, working at a local hair salon where she discovered a passion for mixing tint and was told she “had a natural talent for making hair look even better than nature intended.” Now she is the Founder and Creative Director of mariadowling Salon, Middle East’s only color-specialist salon.
“I wanted to be the first in the region to offer a color specialist salon and it paid off,” she says.
Consisting of a team of internationally trained colourists and stylists, mariadowling Salon was awarded ‘Hair Salon Of The Year 2018’ at the Professional Beauty GCC Awards, the biggest and most respected beauty industry accolade in the Middle East.
Maria shares with us how she started in the business, about hair colors, her salon and many more.
Maria, can you share about a brief summary of your career and your recognition in the Middle East?
My career in the Middle East began almost 17 years ago when I decided to set up my own color salon. I wanted to be the first in the region to offer a color specialist salon and it paid off. Over the past 17 years I have worked exceptionally hard and still remain passionate about what I do. I have a strong team of talent working with me and have become one of the most recognised salons in Dubai and internationally. We have won numerous awards and been recognised in international magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar U.S. and Porter as one of the world’s top colourists.
You are a Creative Director and Queen of Colour in the Middle East. If someone wanted to learn more about the work you are doing and approach to hair, what’s your best strategy to communicate with people and get them knowing more about you and your work?
We have a strong social media presence and continue to create new and innovative posts about our work. We have a distinct style and if you are looking at what we do, a lot of our current work is on our Instagram page. We also work closely with editors and influencers through our PR activities and this helps to keep us current in the market.
I believe if you’re passionate and focused on what you do, clients will recognize this and you will become the best in the business.
Maria, how has the choice of colour changed for women in the Middle East today compared to 20 years ago?
Women in the region have become a lot of adventurous when it comes to their hair than they were 20 years ago. That said, it isn’t to such a level as Europe or the U.S. but we now see demand for more daring shades like pastel or bright colours. With newer colouring products and techniques, even with typically Middle Eastern dark hair, we can introduce light colours (brondes, ombre) that work with their skin tone, whereas before this was unheard of.
When did your inspiration or passion for hair and colour grow?
I was 13 years old and blow-drying my mum’s hair imagining myself working as a hairdresser. I originally wanted to be a policewoman but was too young to apply so on the advice of an uncle I took a part-time job at a local hair salon. It was there that I discovered a passion for mixing tint and I was told I had a natural talent for making hair look even better than nature intended! It always amazed me how you can transform a look with even the subtlest hint of colour.
Can you describe mariadowling hair salon and the team that have made it successful since 2002? What does your salon offer?
My salon has a very art-deco feel to it but more than this, it has a great energy about it. How a space feels, regardless of its décor, is very important to me and I knew as soon as I walked into the empty shell that was to become my salon, that the space has great energy.
The team throughout almost 17 years has changed; this is the nature of the hair industry. But my assistant of 17 years only retired this year and some of my key stylists have been at the salon a long time. It’s important for me to build my salon around friendly staff and I lead by example. A happy team makes happy clients. For us it’s all about customer service and giving the client a great experience. That begins with a strong, positive team.
In the years we have been open, I have stayed true to my passion. Colour and cutting is what we do, and we haven’t diversified into any other areas of beauty. I believe if you’re passionate and focused on what you do, clients will recognize this and you will become the best in the business.
Hair loss is a major issue in the Middle East. Why do you think it’s the case and what suggestions would you give your clients?
At the beginning, it is important to determine what is causing the hair loss. If you’re new to the country, you often find that you lose a lot of hair 3-6 months after arriving. Your hair is affected by your emotions and changes in your lifestyle. So, if you have had a lot of stress before moving, for example packing up your life, leaving friends and moving overseas, it will take around 3-6 months to show in your hair.
That said, there are many things that can cause hair loss, which are unrelated to living in Dubai, and which you can minimize through lifestyle changes and some supplements. I believe that you are what you eat, so take a look at your diet and make sure you are ticking all the boxes in terms of nutrition. Good protein is so important for the condition of your hair. Diets (and particularly diets where you cut out certain food groups) can affect the condition of your hair and lead to hair loss too.
If you’re taking medication, even Panadol, it can show through your scalp, so if you’ve been unwell with cold or flu it can leave an impact on your scalp and hair for months after, as can hormonal imbalance, thyroid and low iron levels. If you have any worries do check with your GP about this.
I often hear of my clients giving their hair a final rinse with bottled water, which some people swear by.
In terms of supplements, I recommend Vitamin B Complex as it calms the nervous system and gives you energy. Zinc tablets are also good for the hair.
What do you think a person’s hair colour, cut and style say about them? Does it define who they are?
A cut and style expresses who you are. Your hair is a way of showing your personality, your style, your colour palette even. For example, you have to have an outgoing personality to wear brightly coloured hair or shave it on one side. Your hair is one of the first things people notice about you so I find it strange when people say they don’t care about their hair.
Hair is such a precious thing for many. How do you ensure that your clients love what you do to their hair? What are the qualities you need to make your client happy?
Absolutely! Your hair can make you feel like a million dollars and it can also make you feel downright miserable. I believe one of the main things a hairdresser can be is a good listener. It’s important to really understand the client, ask a lot of open questions and encourage them to talk. Many of my clients choose to show me photos rather than the difficult task of describing what they want. I never start on a client’s hair until I’m aware of exactly what they want and we agree with the process.
Your hair is one of the first things people notice about you so I find it strange when people say they don’t care about their hair.
What do you advise on colour choice when a client demands a particular colour you know is impossible to accomplish?
The condition of the hair comes before the colour choice. If the colour is in good condition, the end result will be far better. This is why the consultation is so important. It’s then that you give your client all the information about what she’s trying to achieve and more importantly if its achievable.
Is it advisable that every woman should perform an Allergy test 48 hrs prior to colouring? Do many clients ask for this test?
It is best to have a colour test done for your own peace of mind, and yes, we do advise it with new clients. But in reality, clients rarely choose to do it. Most salons don’t even ask for it.
What are your thoughts on social media and hair trends and how people are looking for the next cool colour/trend to experiment with their hair?
Social media has taken hairdressing and hair colour to another level. Now clients get to look into the salon without even visiting and, by following us, they can see samples of our work and get to know our personality. This allows them to decide, before visiting, whether we are the salon for them, which is why it’s so important to showcase our work, talk about trends and use our channels as an effective marketing platform. There are a small number of clients in Dubai who are keen to experiment with worldwide trends but generally they take a bit longer to hit our street style. The power of Instagram changed the rate at which we see trends and continues to give us a bird’s eye view of what’s happening with hair all over the world thus encouraging more clients than ever to take the plunge with something new and current.
What has been your proudest moment and biggest accomplishment so far as a business entrepreneur?
I have had many proud moments in my career – winning numerous awards for the salon and my products, my collections hitting the covers of some incredible international magazines, and being profiled in Harper’s Bazaar U.S. as THE go-to colourist in Dubai. I hope there will be many more.
What advice would you give clients and readers on maintaining their hair style, color and strength?
Use products recommended by your colourist. Don’t go for supermarket shampoos as these will strip the hair. Get a filter for your shower to soften the water. Cover your hair when going in the sun. Make sure you apply a protector or deep conditioning treatment when swimming. This will help to maintain your colour.
You run your own distribution of hair products, can you specify what they are?
I have a selection of mariadowling products that I spent a lot of time researching, testing and making sure I was 200% happy with them before I started selling them in the salon. Currently we have hair straightening irons, a selection of brushes and the mariadowling Hair & Scalp Detox, which is a completely natural hair detox clay that cleanses, soothes and removes all the daily toxins and product build up from the hair and scalp, leaving the hair soft and easy to manage.
To make a hair appointment with you, how many months is the waiting list?
It all depends on the time of year but generally I advise my existing clients to book at least 2-3 months in advance. My team are all amazing colourists and have a very packed client book but there are always opportunities to get appointments. My only advice would be to PLAN AHEAD!
Images: Maria Dowling
Follow Maria Dowling on:
Twitter: @mariadowling_m
Instagram: @mariadowlingdubai
Facebook:@Houseofmariadowling
