HAIR
In a city like London, the choice of hair salons is overwhelming. That’s why so many people rely on reviews to know which places to trust with their locks. Allow me to introduce STIL in Notting Hill.
A salon with a reputation as good as theirs gets predictably busy, so planning bad hair days or a much-needed spruce in advance is essential. If you’re having your colour done (and you should – it’s their speciality), expect to have a patch test and colour consultation around a week prior. When arriving for mine, three things struck me straight away. Firstly, they have a whole wall of awards proudly displayed like Oscars, secondly that the space is light, bright and bustling, and thirdly that despite its rather affluent locale, the staff could not have been more welcoming. Then came the consultation. As a blonde who has been to literally hundreds of salons over the years, I was surprisingly impressed. Colourist Anna talked through my complexion, eye colour, past hair colours, hair type, the seasons and what I wanted from my colour in order to decide on a course of action for my mane. Her confidence and experience put me immediately at ease; knowing I was in the safest of hands.
A week or so later as I sat down for my appointment, Anna briefly re-capped what we had discussed to confirm I was happy, and then set to work. I’ve had some questionable colour experiences in the past so was eager to see the results of her in-depth analysis. She even held a chart up to my eyes to assess the depth of colour in my eyes, which she explained has a significant effect on how your final colour looks – who knew?! Proving they really know how to get the most from your colour, I was also treated to an exfoliating treatment that removes residue from previous highlights and rids hair of that dastardly London pollution. My favourite part by far however was the heavenly head massage using my choice of essential oil, and a nourishing hair mask that left it feeling silky smooth.
Back at the mirror, it was then time for the cut. It took another fairly lengthy discussion about what I pictured and what they’d recommend, but finally my stylist began to snip. I didn’t request anything fancy (a few inches off and a re-shape around the face) but I was very happy with the results; even more so when they began blow-drying and my new colour was revealed. Overall, it was the best salon experience I’ve had. The results were exactly what I had asked for, if not better, and the place itself is lovely – unpretentious, clean, bright and buzzy. Oh, and in case you needed one more reason to go: their salon dog Bertie is simply adorable and scampers around the Scandinavian-designed space demanding strokes and snuggles. Ready to book? Yeah, we don’t blame you.
£
Buy now