It’s fair to say that brows are having a moment. If you have good brows, everything else will just fall into place.
It’s not just a look, but a whole vibe. Microblading, henna or lamination. Whatever your brow of choice, Harley Somerville is the woman for the job.
After setting up her own business in her grandma’s back bedroom seven years ago, the 27-year-old has come a long way.
Now the proud owner of Hive + Co on Holburn Street, the former oil and gas worker was determined that other women could share in her success.
From changing the industry for freelancers, to becoming the first salon in Scotland to join The Green Salon Collective, Harley is clearly paving the way.
But what does it really mean to run a beauty business which claims to be eco-woke, where fellow collaborators work alongside each other?
For Harley, it is quite clearly her passion, and she has big plans as restrictions start to ease.
“About seven years ago I did my first HD Brow training, and that’s when I started my beauty journey,” she said.
“I started my own small business in my grandma’s back bedroom, but I was also working full-time in the oil and gas industry.
“It was very male dominated, although I actually loved the banter.
“I missed creativity though, everything is very black and white in oil.”
Fast forward four years, and Harley decided to leave the industry altogether and returned to college to study events management.
“By this point I had moved house, and I was still doing brows in my spare bedroom,” she said.
“It was when I was graduating, and one of my friends asked me if I was going to stop doing beauty.
That was almost like my lightbulb moment, because I realised I didn’t want to stop doing eyebrows.”
Harley had already worked at a handful of salons in Aberdeen, and had learned a few lessons along the way.
If you step into Hive + Co, you’ll notice that it feels laid back, complete with gorgeous interior design.
This was a deliberate decision for Harley, who didn’t want customers to feel that they needed to look or dress a certain way.
“I think working in salons had showed me what a salon should and shouldn’t be,” she said.
“I felt there was a lack of community for freelancers. As someone who has rented space, I know what that feels like.
From my lightbulb moment to opening up a premises, I think it was done in about 10 weeks.”
Harley originally opened Hive Beauty at 257 Holburn Street, with three collaborators coming on board.
The team soon outgrew the site however, and Harley rebranded to Hive + Co during lockdown.
“Our new premises turned out to be just across the street; I knew there was scope to take things bigger because there was already a lot of hype around Hive,” said Harley.
“There’s now eight collaborators who all rent a space here, there’s a very chilled vibe.
“I’ve got a massive passion for interiors. I think once you work in a creative field, you can push into other fields.”
That passion is very much evident, from the array of plants to the light-up sign above the hair wash station.
“The plants were to promote fresh air; it was really important to me to be eco conscious,” said Harley.
“We were the first salon in Scotland to join The Green Salon Collective, and other salons in Aberdeen have since followed suit.
“It enables us to recycle everything, from chemicals to the hair that comes off your head.
For me, the whole aspect of Hive + Co was to change the industry in Aberdeen for the better.
“Lots of people feel they have to dress a certain way to go to a salon. But you shouldn’t have to wear make up if you don’t want to. We tell clients to come in their PJs if that’s how they feel comfortable, it doesn’t bother us one bit.”
With restrictions gradually easing, Harley is now hoping to focus on events at Hive, with exciting plans for hair and beauty tutorials.
“You can transform someone’s whole face by shaping their brows, and give them the confidence to go out without make-up,” said Harley.
“I’m thinking of events like a cocktail and curls night, where you can come along and learn how to curl your hair and have a few drinks.
“Or if you have alopecia or have been having cancer treatment, an evening where we can talk through the options and collaborators can give back to their clients.
“I’m quite a spiritual person, so I want to look into wellbeing events.
“I never imagined that Hive + Co would do so well.
“It turns out that leaving oil was the best thing I ever did.”
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