A hairdressers has had its own make over and a change of name — and Liv Hair and Beauty has added a range of new services as well.

Now the salon, formerly Cabelo, offers treatments using the top-selling Dermalogica range in a new beauty area.

“We’ve renovated and upgraded the salon — it’s been a few years since we had beauty services, so we’re now a full service salon rather than just a hairdressers,” said owner Sharon Livingstone.

She took over full ownership of the salon, in Hamilton’s Park Road, at the start of the year after her business partner left to pursue other interests.

She added that, after the Renaissance salon on Queen Street shut up shop earlier this year, she signed up Dermalogica expert Susan Gibbons and hairdresser Lucy Camara, taking the total staff to six, plus part-timers at peak times.

Ms Livingstone said the salon offered manicures, pedicures, facials, massage, electrolysis, microdermabrasion and eyebrow threading, an Indian technique to shape eyebrows.

She added: “Eyebrow threading is a walk-in service, so there’s no appointment needed for that.”

The firm offers Dermalogica products as well as a barber for male grooming, and L’Anza haircare products.

Ms Livingstone said that since the new look salon opened last month business had been good, despite the recession.

“This time of year between Christmas and Easter is a slow time, but it was a good time for a transition.”

A 30-year veteran of the industry, she said: “We are all very well-established here and we’ve been here for a very long time and we all have a very loyal, steady clientele.”

She added that tough times meant people were more prepared to indulge themselves with less expensive treats like hair and beauty.

“It’s definitely a pick-me-up to be able to treat yourself and for many women it’s an essential part of their maintenance programme because for work you have to look a particular way.”

She said that facial treatments, manicures and pedicures had maintained their popularity.

“My existing staff are doing well and the two from Renaissance also have very loyal clients who have come with them.

“It’s also a good location and its easier for parking around here.”

Skincare therapist Ms Gibbons said she offered a free 15-minute “face mapping” before prescribing various skin products depending on the individual types from the Dermalogica range, created in California in the 1980s and now sold around the world.

She added: “It’s going wonderfully, I couldn’t ask for more. People were asking where Dermalogica had gone after Renaissance closed, but now we’re here with more than 20 products. We’ve got something for everyone.

“Dermalogica concentrates on what goes into the product — things like botanical extracts and vitamin extracts. It’s concerned with the health and fitness of the skin.

“We can also do a chemical peel, which is very effective. It’s gentle, but very effective.”