With the exposure to the global visual and print media, awareness of proper grooming and personal beauty culture has come into prominence in the Sri Lankan society today.

Therefore, in its endeavours to further upgrade and enhance the skills of its members, the Sri Lanka Association of Hairdressers and Beauticians - or SLAHAB as it is more popularly known - joined hands with L’Oreal Professional to get Toni & Guy down Toni & Guy right here to Sri Lanka.

""Hitherto, those in the hair and beauty industry had to travel to the Toni & Guy Educational Academy in Singapore, spending a considerable amount of money, hence this is a once in a life time opportunity to watch and be trained by David Mercer who leads the Toni & Guy Academy Singapore as its Principal Director, and Melroy Dickson, the creative technical director of L’Oreal Professionnel, said Nayana Karunaratne.

The workshop which was held exclusively for SLAHAB members at the Galadari Hotel Colombo receive and focused on the latest trends in cuts and colours from around the world. David Mercer (Toni & Guy) created cuts and styles and Melroy Dickson (L’Oreal Professionnel) complemented with the latest hair colouring techniques.

David Mercer started his hairdressing career at the age of 20. Joining Toni & Guy one year into his career he was appointed assistant to the creative driving force and image designer of Toni & Guy - the eminent Anthony Mascolo.

He progressed to a stylist position and eventually became artistic director of the Sloane Square Salon. David gained promotion to the Toni & Guy academy as an instructor and later was to become European educational director.

Leading the Toni & Guy academy as its principal director, David gained extensive experience and travelled throughout the world conducting seminars and shows, visiting more than 30 countries.

In 1995 David Mercer relocated to Singapore to bring Toni & Guy hairdressing to South East Asia. In 1998, assisted by his Singaporean partner, Diet Koh, together they opened the Toni & Guy Educational Academy in Singapore - catering to the South East Asia hairdressing industries’ demand for Toni & Guy education.

During his extensive hairdressing career with Toni & Guy a select list of the shows and seminars that David Mercer has performed in are - Salon International Shows UK, Cosmoproff Shows Italy, BBSI Shows in Las Vegas, Long Beach and California, World Championships Paris and Italy, IBS Shows New York, Chicago and Canada, Hair Expo Shows in Australia and Hongkong, Toni & Guy The Event Show at the Alber Hall London and Toni & Guy International Art Team Show amongst a many others in the USA, Europe, China, India, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Japan.

Melroy Dickson, on the other hand has been in the hair dressing profession for the last 15 years. He has travelled across the world getting training with the best - Toni & Guy, Saks, Guy Kremer are some of them. Today he is widely accepted as one of the most creative colourists and one of the best hair colour trainers in this region.

L’Oreal Professionnel Paris, the salon division of the L’Oreal group, is the number one supplier to the hairdressing industry worldwide. L’Oreal professionnel not only provides high quality, innovative products but also takes a leading role in training and advising hairdressers in new techniques and styles. L’Oreal currently trains over 1500 hairdressers per week across five continents.