Profile / Sustainable Hair
Extremely Wearable Hair, Created in a Sustainable Salon
In a quiet corner of Cardigan, Mark Hayward has built something rare: a salon where the hair is as considered as the footprint it leaves behind.
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There is a particular kind of confidence that comes from hair that simply works. Not the stiff, over-styled kind that demands constant attention, but the sort that falls naturally, moves with you, and looks as good on day three as it did leaving the chair. That is the philosophy Mark Hayward has built his entire practice around.
Tucked into the fabric of Cardigan's high street, Mark Hayward Hair is the kind of salon you could walk past without noticing from the outside. Inside, it is a different story. The space is calm, deliberately unhurried, and designed around a simple idea: that getting your hair done should feel like a respite, not a production.
Mark's approach starts with listening. Before a single snip, there is a conversation about how you live, how much time you spend on your hair each morning (be honest), and what you actually want versus what Instagram told you to want. It is this grounded, practical approach that has earned him a loyal following across West Wales and beyond.
The best haircut is the one that makes you forget you even had a haircut. It just becomes part of you.
Mark Hayward
Services & Expertise
MH
What sets Mark Hayward Hair apart from the average high street salon is the deliberate absence of rush. Every appointment is booked with enough time not just for the technical work, but for the consultation and the drying time that actually lets you see how your hair behaves in the real world, not under a salon dryer with a round brush holding it in place.
The service list is intentionally focused. Mark does not try to be everything to everyone. Instead, he has honed a core set of skills to an exceptionally high standard: precision cutting, considered colouring, and styling that you can actually replicate at home with your own two hands and a diffuser.
Colour work is approached with the same philosophy. Rather than dramatic, high-maintenance transformations, Mark specialises in tones that grow out gracefully, complement your skin tone, and do not demand a six-week return visit to avoid looking like a different person.
The salon also offers a considered range of treatments, all chosen for their proven effectiveness and their environmental credentials. Nothing is stocked purely for marketing appeal. If a product does not work and does not align with the salon's sustainable values, it simply is not on the shelf.
C
Signature Service
Precision Cut & Consultation
The cornerstone of Mark's practice. An unhurried consultation followed by technically precise cutting that respects your hair's natural movement and texture. Blow-dry finish included.
From 42
60-75 min
B
Colour
Balayage & Freehand Colour
Hand-painted colour that mimics natural light. Grows out beautifully without harsh regrowth lines. Perfect for low-maintenance clients who want dimension without drama.
From 85
120-180 min
T
Colour
Full Colour & Toning
Root-to-tip colour application using sustainable, low-toxicity products. Strand test required 48 hours prior. Includes bespoke toner and cut if combined.
From 58
90-120 min
R
Treatment
Repair & Restore
Deep conditioning and bond-repair treatments using sustainably sourced products. For over-processed, heat-damaged, or naturally dry hair that needs bringing back to life.
From 20
20-30 min add-on
G
Gents
Men's Cut
Sharp, modern cuts with the same consultation-first approach. From textured crops to classic styles, each cut is tailored to face shape, lifestyle, and how much product you are realistically going to use.
From 22
30-40 min
S
Styling
Occasion & Event Styling
Weddings, proms, parties. Elegant styling that lasts from ceremony to last dance. Trial sessions available. Bridal packages include day-of and trial appointment.
From 45
60-90 min
The Sustainable Approach
Sustainability is not a marketing badge here. It is built into every decision, from the products on the shelf to how waste water is handled. Mark was one of the first salons in West Wales to take their environmental impact seriously, long before it became fashionable.
746
Facebook followers who believe in the mission
Product Philosophy
Every product in the salon is chosen for three criteria: does it work, is it ethically sourced, and can the packaging be recycled or composted. If a product cannot meet all three, it does not make the cut. Clients are advised on home care routines that minimise waste without compromising results.
100%
Cruelty-free product range
Community Roots
Cardigan is not just a location; it is community. Mark is deeply embedded in the local fabric, supporting Welsh suppliers where possible and contributing to a town that values independent businesses and the people behind them. This is a salon that exists because of its place.
SA43
Proud Cardigan postcode
What Sustainable Actually Means Here
Not greenwashing. Not virtue signalling. Real, daily practices that make a measurable difference.
W
Water Conservation
Low-flow basins and mindful rinsing practices reduce water consumption per appointment by up to 40% compared to industry average.
E
Energy Efficiency
LED lighting throughout, energy-efficient dryers and processors. The salon's carbon footprint is actively monitored and reduced year on year.
R
Recycling & Waste
Hair clippings are composted. Foils are recycled. Product packaging is chosen for recyclability. Chemical waste is disposed of responsibly through certified channels.
P
Product Sourcing
All products are vegan or cruelty-free. Preference given to UK-made brands with transparent supply chains. No single-use plastics in client-facing service.
L
Local First
Where possible, supplies are sourced from Welsh and UK businesses. Supporting local economy is part of the sustainability equation.
T
Towel Programme
High-quality, long-lasting towels washed on eco cycles rather than disposable alternatives. Small changes, meaningful impact over thousands of appointments.
Price Guide 2025
Transparent Pricing
All prices include consultation. Combination services available at reduced rates. Please ask for details.
Cutting
Cuts & Restyle
Ladies' Cut & Finish
from 42
Restyle / Transformation
from 50
Gents' Cut
from 22
Children (under 12)
from 14
Fringe Trim
from 8
All cuts include wash, consultation, and blow-dry finish
Colour
Colour Services
Full Head Colour
from 58
Root Touch-Up
from 40
Balayage / Freehand
from 85
Half Head Highlights
from 60
Full Head Highlights
from 80
Toner / Gloss
from 25
Strand test required 48hrs prior to all colour services
Styling & Treatments
Finishing Touches
Blow Dry
from 28
Bridal Styling (inc. trial)
from 70
Occasion Up-Do
from 45
Deep Conditioning
from 18
Bond Repair Treatment
from 25
Treatments can be added to any cut or colour service
What Clients Say
Mark genuinely understands what 'wearable' means. I left with hair I could style myself the next morning in under five minutes. That never happens. I've been going back for three years now and every cut is as considered as the first.
I drove from Aberystwyth specifically because of the sustainable approach. The fact that the hair is also brilliant is a bonus. Mark takes the time to explain everything and there is never any pressure to add services you don't need.
The best men's cut I've ever had, and I have been to salons in London and Cardiff that charged three times the price. Mark is the real deal. No fuss, no pretension, just genuinely excellent cutting.
My wedding hair was absolutely perfect. Mark did my trial a month before and remembered every detail on the day. I felt incredible and the style lasted through hours of dancing. Cannot recommend highly enough.
About Mark
Mark Hayward's journey to opening his own salon in Cardigan was not the conventional one. After training under some of London's most exacting stylists, he spent years refining his craft in salons where speed was prized above all else. He came away technically excellent but philosophically uncomfortable.
Moving to West Wales was not a retreat. It was a deliberate choice to build the kind of salon he had always wanted to work in: one where every client gets the time they deserve, where the products align with his values, and where the work speaks for itself without the noise of city-salon marketing.
Today, Mark Hayward Hair is quietly one of the most respected salons in the region. The 746 Facebook followers are not bought or incentivised; they are people who walked out feeling better than they walked in and wanted others to know about it. That is the only kind of marketing Mark is interested in.
His speciality remains what he calls "extremely wearable hair". It is not a tagline created by an agency. It is a genuine description of what walks out the door every day: hair that works in real life, for real people, in a Welsh coastal town where the wind has its own opinions about your style.
Mark's Approach
- Philosophy Hair should work for you, not the other way around
- Training London-trained, West Wales by choice
- Speciality Wearable cuts and natural colour
- Values Sustainable, ethical, community-focused
- Language Welsh and English welcome