“Stylists, stop winging it” says Melissa Timperley, as skills shortage drives demand for cutting confidence.
Addressing the UK hair industry’s skills shortage, award-winning salon owner and educator Melissa Timperley is supporting stylists to learn and earn through her precision cutting course app.
A sharp decline in apprentices entering the profession means salons are increasingly reliant on their existing teams. Here is where Melissa believes opportunity lies. Upskilling through education helps salons and stylists build confidence while also bridging the current skills gap. This ultimately leads to greater earning power for hairdressers and more resilient and valuable employees for salons.
Melissa also understands that education can be costly and time-consuming when stylists need to be on the salon floor. That’s why her MT MasterClass app offers a practical solution to the demand for sought-after cutting skills.
Melissa says: “There is a confidence in cutting crisis amongst stylists today, and this is only amplified by a dwindling pipeline of newly skilled apprentices entering the industry. For most stylists, winging it is exhausting and anxiety-inducing. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Once hairdressers understand the foundations, cutting becomes easier, faster and far more enjoyable, and profitable.”
Sassoon-trained Melissa launched the app as an extension of her sell-out, one-day precision cutting courses, in response to feedback from those unable to attend in person. MT MasterClass delivers quick but comprehensive 15-minute tutorials focused on wearable salon cuts, from foundational shapes to modern trends, and the bite-sized lessons are all designed to fit into a hairdresser’s busy working day.
Melissa had noticed in her own salon that some stylists were avoiding certain cuts due to a lack of confidence. As an educator, she wanted to offer ongoing and on demand support that hairdressers could tap into whenever they need it. This is where the idea for the app came from.
Melissa explains, “We hire talent from all over the country. No matter the level, there was always a cut that had team members racked with anxiety, whether it was short hair, shags, curly cuts, or men’s work. That’s when I realised this wasn’t an individual issue, it’s industry wide. The problem isn’t ability, it’s lack of time, support and accessible education. In-person training is brilliant, but without something to revisit, that confidence can fade quickly. Stylists need support in real time, in real salon conditions, not just on course day.”
Through step-by-step tutorials, multi-angle demonstrations and clear explanations of shape, balance and sectioning, MT MasterClass focuses on helping stylists move beyond copying techniques to truly understanding them.
App users will benefit from two free tutorials (one-length bob and curly mullet) before choosing from ‘Lessons’, which are accessed via a subscription, covering:
- Scissor techniques that improve accuracy, tension and control
- One length, layering and graduation made simple and repeatable
- Fringes and face framing that actually suit your client
- Short hair cutting made wearable and client friendly
- Bobs whether that is one length, graduated or layered
- Modern shapes including shags, bixies and textured cuts
Subscriptions are priced at £9.99 a month or £79.99 for an annual subscription.
As the industry continues to navigate recruitment challenges, Melissa believes ongoing education is no longer optional, it’s essential.
Melissa adds: “Clients will leave if they are not getting the service they ask for. I want stylists to feel confident, current, back in control and equipped to keep those clients, grow their column and charge more because they can deliver more. This industry moves fast, trends change, techniques evolve and if you stand still, you get left behind. The app helps stylists stay ahead in a way that feels easy and achievable.”
MT MasterClass is available to download free of charge across Apple and Android devices, with subscription options offering access to a growing library of precision cutting tutorials, trends and techniques.
For more information, visit: MT MasterClass App.