Senegalese Wins Softsheen.Carson Golden Scissor Award

Ms Seye Salimata, a Senegalese hairstylist and Ms Tamara Anderson from Ghana were last Saturday adjudged winner and runner-up respectively at the SoftSheen.Carson Golden Scissor Award which was held in Accra, Ghana.

For her prize Ms Seye Salimata, owner of Complex Saphir Salon in Dakar took away $2000 and $500 worth of Carson products and an airline ticket to South Africa as a celebrity in their Golden Scissor Award 2004 while Ms Anderson took $1000 and $200 worth of Carson products.

The night saw two hairdressers from Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ghana showcasing their skills in bridal and Avangarde hairstyles.

They were Mr Jean Michel Togou, Mr Koffi Dedi from Cote d'Ivoire, Mr Aderire Ogunneye, Mr Daniel Omotuyole, Nigeria, Ms Seye Salimata, Ms Seck Diodio, Senegal and Ms Tamara Anderson, Ms Mavis Mensah, Ghana.

Mr Aderire Ogunneye from Nigeria got the award for Best Bridal hairstyle while Ms Seck Diodio, from Senegal took the Avangarde Award.

Ms Seye Salimata, in an interview with the ADM said she was very confident she was going to win because she really worked hard towards the competition. "I spent lots of sleepless nights to get to this day. I love doing my work," she said.

She revealed that the SoftSheen.Carson Golden Scissor Award was her first international competition. Ms Seye Salimata said that she hoped she would be able to expand her salon to enable her to move to a higher level in hairdressing.

Finally, she thanked SoftSheen.Carson West Africa Limited for hosting the competition. Ms Tamara Anderson from Tammayss Hair /Beauty Salon at Tesano, Accra who was so overjoyed told the ADM that she had plans of taking part in next year's competition.

Mr Jerome Camus, Chief Operating Officer, Carson Products West Africa Limited (FZE) said his company has always appreciated the important role professionals played in uplifting the hairdressing industry. He said the award is a tribute to the talent and creativity that abound in the professional ethnic hair care industry.

In answer to a question on what his company plans to do for Ghanaian hairdressers, he said the company has a Hair Training Academy where weekly training is done for the hairdressers. Again, he said the finalist from Ghana would have her salon re-designed to meet modern hairdressing salon standards.

Starting in South Africa seven years ago, the SoftSheen.Carson Golden Scissor Award has grown successfully year after year and now includes hairdressing skill competitions in Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mauritius, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Europe and South Africa.

MZBEL, Wilbert Dennis and Slim Busterr and the Dance Factory entertained the audience to some of their latest hits.