Hairstylist of the Year winner aims to bridge racial divide
JOBURG – Hairstylist of the year 2017 winner, Arion Bezuidenhout, has high hopes of bridging the racial divide in the South African hairdressing industry.
Hairstylist and makeover specialist, Arion Bezuidenhout, recently won the Twincare International Hairstylist of the Year 2017 award following the submission of his outstanding portfolio and live stage performance.
“The judges choose the top five in the country to compete in the finals, which is a live stage show,” said Bezuidenhout.
He began his hairstyling career at the age of 19 in Durban. “I trained at a salon in Durban called Sloane’s Hair Company,” he explained.
While working as a waiter at a restaurant in Durban, Bezuidenhout had come across a job advertisement in the newspaper. “I stumbled across this little advert that literally just said ‘hairdressing apprentices required’ and the phone number,” he said.
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“So I decided to try, even though I had never thought of doing something like this – and 23 years later I’m here. Hairdressing encapsulates everything about myself that I really love. I love people and beautiful things.”
Bezuidenhout considers himself to be a nurturer, which is why it is no surprise that being a makeover specialist is his favourite part of the job. “I love helping people see the positive aspects of themselves and then interpreting that into a ‘look’ based on their personality type, their facial shape, their hair texture, their skin tone and their lifestyle.”
He Bezuidenhout believes that the work of a hairstylist is often undervalued. “People love the idea of looking different but often, when they make a big change, it’s too much for them to handle. It’s also people around them that make them feel negative about it because people struggle to adjust to change.”
He advises that it is important for you to change something about your look at least once a year to become used to regular change. “If we get used to seeing ourselves in a slightly different light frequently, a big change is not such an emotional crisis when it does happen.” Bezuidenhout is moving on to his next goal, which includes bridging the racial divide in the hairdressing industry. “I want to try my hand at the Dark and Lovely Golden Scissors competition, which is an Afro hair-styling competition. One doesn’t really find multi-racial salons, so I want to try and encourage unity in the industry in South Africa.”
What do you think about Arion Bezuidenhout’s achievement and future dream for South Africa’s hairdressing industry? Share your thoughts with us by emailing the Rosebank Killarney Gazette on rkg@caxton.co.za
