Milk salon boss off to Hollywood after style contest victory

He is the cowboy crimper whose success has lassoed him a trip to the States.

Roy Rogers, 41, opened up a Wild West-themed salon in Mid Calder, West Lothian, just last month and has already seen the customers – and plaudits – roll in.

It is a case of hair today, Hollywood tomorrow for Roy, who is jetting off to Los Angeles after winning a nationwide hairdressing contest.

His salon, named Milk, has a life-sized sculpture of a calf outside the door and decorative trees set in milk churns on either side.

“The salon seems to have been a real talking point,” said Roy. “It’s been going down a treat and I’ve been fully booked all week. People have been gathering around the window having a look.

“All the services we offer have cow-related names – I’ve got the Stuck-up Cow for an up-do, a Cowboy for men or a Rodeo for those who want to go really short.”

Roy, from Pumpherston, came up with the theme as he shares his name with an iconic 1950s film star.

American singer and cowboy actor Roy Rogers starred in more than 100 films alongside his wife, Dale Evans, horse Trigger and dog Bullet.

“I thought because I share my name with a cowboy, and given that the salon is next door to the Black Bull pub, it was a great idea to have a cowboy theme,” he said.

Roy’s styling expertise saw him win Face Off 2012, a contest run by men’s styling product firm American Crew.

As a prize, Roy heads to Hollywood today to style a photoshoot featuring the American Crew artistic team at a famous salon which, bizarrely, is also called Milk.

Roy said: “It’s going to be the first time that I have ever gone to Los Angeles.

“One of the things I want to do is to have my picture taken on the Walk of Fame at the Roy Rogers star. The rest of the time I will be in the salon doing my photoshoot.

“The finished picture will be put on display in my salon.”

Roy spent 17 years styling hair in Saks in the Capital’s Jeffrey Street and combined that with working and training staff in the Glasgow salon of the same name.

He’s no stranger to glory having, in 2011, won the Scottish heats of the L’Oréal Professionnel Colour Trophy.

COW WOULD YOU LIKE IT?

Roy’s arrival in Wild West Lothian makes a range of cowboy cuts available for all.

Gentlemen can choose from a Cowboy or, for a closer shave, a Rodeo.

For the pretty little lady, there’s a Snippy Cow, Cow’s Lick, Stuck-up Cow and, for brides-to-be, a Silly Cow.

Young ones in need of a cut are known as Little Calves.