Opening a beauty salon in the midst of a pandemic may seem like an act of folly. And yet, Suukha - a new wellness space on Sydney's Northern Beaches - has opened to immense success.

Founders of the space Taylah Fogden and Britney Robson seem to have unlocked the secret. They've created a space that is tailor made for our current needs - an invitation to self care. Suukha is a beauty arena that embraces the intentional, the beautiful and the nurturing.

We connected with Taylah to discuss wellness and the secret to healthy hair. She tells us why a holistic approach matters and how feeding our creativity helps achieve balance.

Tell us about Suukha?

Suukha is a sustainably-focused, holistic hair and makeup studio. We focus on inner and outer beauty, with an overarching aim to leave all guests glowing with their best features enhanced. Our services are supported with grounding oil rituals, acupressure head massages and ingestible beauty elixirs.

Our thoughtfully designed studio is an extension of ourselves, a place to house our passions, educate our guests and connect with the community. Born from the desire to create an experience that cultivates the feelings of joy, ease and comfort ~ this is the meaning of Suukha and it is at the essence of our studio.

What would you say is the secret to healthy hair?

Care and nutrition are the two key pillars to healthy hair.

It's integral to set time aside to for the care of your hair, this will see you get the results you want. A weekly ritual is a great place to start but it's really the daily practices that dictate your hair's overall health. Investing in a gentle hairbrush that helps disperse your scalps natural oils evenly without causing breakage should be apart of your morning and evening routine.

The right haircare products will work wonders for your scalp and hair texture. Finding a shampoo and conditioner that is free of parabens and sulfates will gently cleanse and hydrate without stripping the hair and scalp's natural oils. Pairing this with a leave-in hair cream for concentrated repair and protection is the key. From here, selecting a supportive styling product that works with your hair, whether you aim to create volume, texture, shine or smoothness there is a right product for you. We are passionate about educating and empowering our guests beyond the why of which products are carefully selected. We love focusing on the tools and sharing any intricacies and styling tips that will assist in giving them the best results.

Our genetics determine whether we have curly, straight, fine or thick hair, however our nutrient absorption is what helps it continue to grow and strengthen. Often our hair will show the first signs of a nutrient deficiency, we see this if we have been on continuous medication which has affected our gut microbiome or if we have an intolerance to certain foods such as gluten or caffeine. Pure, hydrolysed collagen is a great place to start healing the gut microbiome and ease bloating, from here investing in a probiotic will help to aid digestion and work as a catalyst for nutrient absorption. Working with a naturopath or nutritionist to create a personalised balanced diet will help ensure that you are aware of the minerals your body needs for optimal skin and hair health.

Why does a holistic approach matter?

Holism is a philosophy we are extremely passionate about. We truly believe everything is interconnected, from our thoughts and actions to our appearance and wellbeing.

Through our own wellness journeys we have experienced the link between inner and outer beauty. It's made it important to us to create an environment that aims to support a positive, relaxed, healthy lifestyle, as this filters through to how we look and, ultimately feel. Looking at our clients' lifestyles, personal style and values help us design an appropriate hair-journey plan that not only suits them, but is realistic for them to maintain.

What does wellness mean to you?

Complete balance between body, mind and soul. If we can aim to move our body, educate our minds and feed our creativity on a weekly basis then we will feel balanced and balance = wellness.