The 27-year-old, who lives in the city's West End, had worked at Toni and Guy for years and expected to be there forever.
But she had no idea that losing her livelihood three years ago was the best thing that could have happened to her.
Now she styles hair during global fashion weeks, as well as for designers' campaigns, and has dreams of opening her own hairdresser and wig bar in Glasgow.
"I thought it was all over," said Lou, as she prepped models' hair styles at a fashion shoot in the basement of the £10 Thrift Store in Great Western Road.
"I was working in the St Vincent Street salon and thought I would go all the way.
"I came in to do my normal clients on a regular day and I was told I was being let go."
Lou was devastated. She had just passed the hairdressers' latest exams with distinction and had no idea the company was reducing the number of staff.
"It was awful," she said. "I remember going out into Buchanan Street and I phoned my husband Paul and burst out crying.
"But it was a turning point for me. It was one of these moments when I thought I would sink or swim."
She threw herself in the deep end and decided to combine her love of hair and colour to launch her own firm.
Lou worked seven days a week and assisted designers on shoots without charge in an attempt to establish herself.
She said: "You have to be realistic. You have to assist and give up your Saturdays, your Sundays and your nights.
"Being my own company and not in a salon is fun and exciting. It was amazing getting to where I am, but it was hard work.
"So many times I thought I should give up and go get a job in a cafe."
As well as editorial work and catwalk styling, Lou has her own hair clients and covers weddings, plus other events.
Recently, she styled the 1940s hair for the launch of the Glasgow Vintage Festival, in the Merchant City, along with friend and stylist Greg Milne.
The pair organise seasonal fashion shoots, like the one we joined them on.
Greg, manager of vintage shops We Love To Boogie and the £10 Thrift Store, said: "We always like to interpret what we see in the fashion weeks. We get together and discuss what we can take out of it and do something in Glasgow."
Lou also collaborates with several designers, including Lyndsay Pagan and Jenn Coyle, of Glasgow label Obscure Couture.
"My favourite people of all time are Obscure Couture. They are home grown.
"I have done all the hair for their look books. They were the first designers to properly give me a chance.
"Lyndsay is definitely my all-time hair hero."
Lou's work crosses over into her own style. Her tumbling black curls look –and feel – real. But she is actually wearing a head band with synthetic hair attached.
It is her speciality and she wears different wigs in dozens of candy colours.
She said: "These hair pieces usually take about 10 days to make but they last for months.
"I wear them every day. I think my favourite is a lilac wig. The bigger hair the better. More is more for me."
And does she think wigs can really take off?
"It's time to get over this weird phobia we have with wigs," said Lou.
"Katy Perry, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj and Rihanna have different hair every time we see them. That's because they are wearing wigs. No one has their own hair any more."
Lou hopes to open her own hair salon with a wig bar in Glasgow in the future.
She said: "My one love in life is hair. I think hair can be really artistic.
"I would love to open something right here in Glasgow. I love London but we are so much braver up here.
"It would be for all ages and you could come in, try different styles, try on different wigs, it would be all inclusive and fun."
rachel.loxton@eveningtimes.co.uk
LOU'S TOP HAIR TIP:
"Never colour your hair at home.
"I know money is tight, style your hair yourself, cut your own fringe. But keep colour professional.
"Good hairdressers are trained as professional colourists for a reason."
