As someone who has deceptively thick hair, taking care of my locks when I go away can be a bit of a challenge. Firstly, I *have* to completely blow dry my hair thoroughly after washing it, using a concentrated nozzle and a barrel brush to smooth it out. Otherwise, it will not dry for hours/gladly impersonate Wurzel Gummage. Washing and styling is fine at home, but becoming a make-shift mobile hairdresser when you have limited space in your weekend bag, can be a bit of a nightmare.
This is where Hershesons Blow Dry Bar comes in, at £25 for a wash and finish. Conveniently located in Topshop Oxford Circus (as well as a few other London locations) it's the perfect solution to avoid bad hair/loads of hassle, when you are away for the weekend in the capital, or just fancy a treat.
To use the service, you simply book online, choosing both the time and day of your choice, as well as preferred stylist if you have one.
When you turn up on the day, the first thing you do is choose one of 12 styles pictured on the wall for the stylist to re-create for you. I went for the half & half (after first asking if I could have them all hehe). There are a real mix of experimental/on trend styles, as well as a couple of updo looks to choose from. It is definitely in-keeping with the Topshop environment, although I feel there is a style to suit everyone, as they are each quite individual.
Once you've chosen your look, next comes the obvious washing part (using Kérastase products no less!) I have to admit at first it was a bit strange having my hair washed in the middle of Topshop's flagship store. The store itself was understandably heaving what with it being a Saturday, although the Hershesons salon offered a little private sanctuary from all the madness (even if it does face one of the escalators!)
My stylist was fairly thorough yet gentle when washing, (which is a relief because some hairdressers treat my scalp like they are sanding a floor with their nails).... Afterwards, she patted my hair dry with a piece of cotton like material to dry off the excess, before moving me over to one of the sleek salon chairs.
Before going in with the Hershesons own brand hairdryer and brushes, my stylist applied some Kérastase Bain De Force throughout. My hair was then rough dried without a nozzle, before the nozzle was then applied and a small barrel brush was used on individual sections of my hair. Each section was wrapped around the brush, and my stylist went over each section with the hairdryer, giving it volume and lift. After each section was completed, it was pinned into a curl and secured using a metal clip.
After my hair was all dried and pinned, my hair was sprayed with Elnett and left to cool for a couple of minutes. The clips were then taken out, and I was told to tilt my head back as my stylist ran her hands through all the curls to make it look a little less "done". Then, my look was complete and all was left to do was pay.
As you can see I then took a shameless selfie in one of the mirrors in Topshop as soon as I got out. I was really happy with the finished look, as I was feeling a little unwell that day with sinus pain (hence the face - sorry!), and was dreading having my hair done incase it made me feel worse. Surprisingly, the experience genuinely took my mind of it for a little while and made me feel a little better. I was also releaved that I didn't have to head back and wash my hair at the end of the day for once!
The only negative thing about my experience, was they seemed to use the dryers on full heat which felt a bit too hot when the dryer came too close to my scalp. I know I have quite sensitive skin, so this could just be me but it's worth bearing in mind that this is a quick turn around service, and if you have very thick hair like me, they have to get through it very quickly in order to be able style it. I can understand why, but it was a little uncomfortable at the time. Nevertheless, it was mostly a very positive experience, and it hasn't put me off returning, as the pros well outweigh the cons for me!
I also want to thank my stylist (I'm sorry I didn't catch your name!) for being so kind as to let me photograph the salon for this blog, as well as giving me a magazine with all the styles to take away with me for my Cousin, as we are looking at getting some treatments done in London for her birthday.
For £25, I think you definitely get your money's worth in the products used and styling tools alone. Although the curly ends did drop as the day progressed, it still looked like my hair had been done professionally, and was definitely alot neater than the bun I had left the house in.
Overall, it was a great experience and I will be sure to return as it's definitely a huge convenience, with some very talented staff at it's helm. There are also some other styles you can have done that involve clip in extensions - meaning no matter your hair length or style preference, there's sure to be something you can enjoy at Hershesons.
To find out more and to book, check out the Hershesons website.
No comments:
Post a Comment