Happy New Hair!

I've been toying with the idea of having a new hair cut and colour.  I'm bored of looking at me in the mirror everyday, it's cheaper than botox, and if it goes wrong well it's only a few months until it grows out and hats are very fashionable...I think?

Having visited Joshua Altback's hair salon in St John's Wood last month for some party styles I really was genuinely impressed.  I tried the blow-dry express service and 45 minutes later left the salon transformed into a party diva ready for Christmas drinks. A few days later, I had a sleek and chic chignon for Christmas Eve dinner.  The staff were attentive, friendly and above all professional and left a lasting impression, and the hairstyle lasted too.  I had plenty of compliments and my experience made me think about a new me!


So the New Year was beckoning and so was this hair cut.  I called the reception team and booked in for New Year's Eve.  After all, if I was going to show off a new me, then that had to be the right date to do it!  I booked a hair colour with Nick and a cut with Josh and blocked out a few hours of my diary to enjoy my afternoon at the salon.

On arrival, I was greeted by reception and put on the black gown, gathered an armful of women's magazines (from drivel to fashion - mind numbing stuff!) and Nick took over.  After a chat about what I wanted (what I definitely didn't want) and what he thought I needed - I was assured I would be over the moon with the results.  You do have to put your trust in someone, which is why it helped me that I had already visited the salon a couple of times - I'd seen customers walk in and walk out looking amazing so I was fairly confident!


So with Nick tending to my hair with silver foil galore and pots of golden creamy potions, my magazines and a steaming hot cup of tea I sat and let him do his stuff!  An hour and a half later, Nick helped the junior wash my hair out, spending time checking the colour and adding a vegetable toner.  In Nick's words "This will give you a nice honey sheen and slowly comes out over 8 washes".  I had a Keratin treatment too, to make my dry hair soft, silky and shiny and I sat back to enjoy a head massage too.  So far, blissful!


Over to Joshua's capable scissor hands for my cut transformation.  Already I could see that my (wet) hair had a honey-caramel hue with fine golden lights - and that was before the blow dry!  Excitedly, I don't even think I batted an eyelid when Josh mentioned chopping into my hair to give me layers, bounce and body!  Three inches of hair was cut off, there was a nervous churn in my tummy but Joshua was confident and spent plenty of time on my hair.  He definitely is precise, careful and not slap dash like many hairdressers I've met.  At the end of the cut, he dried off my hair so it really did "move" on it's own, like those shampoo commercials!  So there you have it - I left the salon looking like a billion dollar movie star, with honeyed hair as if I'd had two weeks sunbathing in St Lucia (except I didn't have the golden tan to go with it!)...


Already booked my next appointment and left the JA salon with an armful of shampoo's and conditioning treatments to keep my hair looking healthy...


Recommend?  Oh most definitely!

Any which way AND loose

It’s Christmas party season again and this year, I want more than just a new LBD to wear or the latest fashionable PVC leggings with sequinned tunic – this year I want to really transform myself.  You see I am bored with the same old hair; it either hangs limp around my shoulders or gets swept up in a dull, but practical pony tail – allowing me to dance all night without getting too hot and bothered.  I try every time I have somewhere exciting to go, to make my often non-descript hair into something more interesting but because I’m no great shakes with a hairdryer and have no clue how to use bobby pins and hair grips, my efforts tend to resemble what I used to do with a Girl’s World toy I was given many years ago.  Aged 8 I might add.

As I said, this year, I am determined it’s going to be a different story!  I have found the perfect anecdote to the party hair problem and it won’t blow the bank or take too much time out from my precious lunch hour.  What have you found?  You may ask – a genie in a bottle with a pair of GHD’s, curling tongs and some pretty hair slides?  NO!  I have discovered a brand new “Blow-Dry Express” service in my neck of the WOOD, St John’s Wood.  A notoriously expensive street, you may well imagine that you would pay through the nose for this service but again, NO, this service is not an arm, or a leg or even a head of hair, it’s really great value.  At just £18 a blow dry I can change my image for all six parties I have been invited to during the festive period.  A genius idea and it’s from my favourite hair salon too, Joshua Altback. 

I suggest you cruise down St John’s Wood High Street (NW8 I might add) where you will see a very cheerful sign outside the fabulous contemporary Joshua Altback salonadvertising the Blow Dry Express service, offering a number of terrific style options, for short and long hair alike.  One of the best bits?  A Blow Dry Express will take only 45 minutes of your time, costs around £18 (dependent on hair style but really a couple of extra pounds is neither here nor there when you want to look your best) the only trouble is, choosing which of the styles for which party!  Let that be the hard bit – I can’t wait for my chic chignon for Christmas drinks at my boyfriend’s office party.  Nor the Cheryl Cole bouncy curls for a night out with the girls in the West End.  Maybe something sleek and sultry for Christmas Eve and as for New Year’s Eve, well, Joshua Altback’s salon have these great new Feather Lock Extensions, just gorgeous feather like hair extensions which are easy to pop in or out of my hair – at only £10 for one or £25 for three, I’m going for the latter, guaranteed to make an entrance and really get me in the mood for a party!  Plus these incredible little gems last up to 8 weeks, helping to brighten up an otherwise dull January.  Of course, the best thing about all of it?  I can buy 6 blow dries for £100 leaving me plenty of change for Christmas drinkies!!!  I’m so ready to party!  Happy Christmas everyone…