John Frieda Mayfair Salon Experience

In the heart of Mayfair sits the John Frieda Salon, not oblivious to anyone who might happen to be walking past with no signs to attract your attention and no window display screaming out an offer of the day. What you see if exactly what you get, it's stylish, it's intimate and it is incredibly welcoming as though you are greeting a long lost friend.

Stepping inside to what looks like a small snug salon is in fact just the beginning, it is huge. With a cloakroom bigger than my bathroom to rid yourself of unwanted outer garments, everyone is just so welcoming and friendly, as though they can spot a newbie a mile off and that of course is what I am, this is my first visit to this salon, the receptionist immediately introduces herself . Then as my coat is taken, I have a quick discussion about the weather as my gown is put on, I am shown to a seating area where I sat listening, as you do, to the conversations around me, the salon felt as though I could have been at a coffee shop or Airport, it is like a meeting place for old friends to be reacquainted, catching up on their news and lives.  There is a very personal touch about this salon which I rather quite liked.

Having sat down to wait for Natasha who would be my colourist, I had a wide selection of the latest magazines to read (though I was too busy people watching) and then having been introduced to Natasha and then Oliver who would be cutting my hair, I am taken to the seat that I would occupy. The one thing I loved about this experience was being made to feel at home, welcomed and then asking for and being given advice, with the feeling I had been listened too rather than talked into something I knew I wouldn't like or want. I explained that I was slightly nervous of having my hair coloured in any way due to a previous bad experience where the highlights looked more like tiger stripes and it took forever and a day for it to grow out and be corrected.  So putting me at ease,   Natasha went off to mix my colour, I was given a pot of tea, something I always enjoy more at a salon and left to read my magazines.  

A few minutes later and Natasha was back and she explained to me how the process would work with the foils and adding the colour, giving me an opportunity to ask any further questions.   We had decided that my new colour would be something that was natural and would blend with my own natural hair colouring rather than something new, bold and striking particularly as my fake tan has worn off and I am back to being quite pasty again.  Once all of my foils has been done, I was left to relax for 25 minutes and it was absolute heaven.

After those 25 minutes ended I was taken to the tidiest washing area I have ever seen and was treated to a lovely shampoo, condition and gloss treatment.  I absolutely love having my hair washed by someone else, I find it incredibly relaxing and again, everything that was being used on my hair was fully explained as to what everything was so that I was aware and attention was really paid to the temperature of the water and whether it was too hot or cold.

Then it was time for Oliver to work his magic.  Before my foils and colour, Oliver and I had a good chat as to how ideally I would love my hair to be, so I explained that it needed to be something that wasn't high maintenance and would take hours for me to style because I don't have the time most days to do it when I am working, so if I felt the need to shove up in a ponytail I wanted that option and if I didn't then I could straighten it.  So it was decided that there would be a few inches taken off the length to tidy up layer which had now grown out and for those which remained, work them into a new workable style which wouldn't flick up and stand out and this is what happened!

So before Oliver, my hair, which is naturally wavy, was quite unruly and had layers which had grown out and needed to be sorted.  It had got to that stage where it was a nightmare to style.  I have mentioned before that my hair is quite fine but there is a lot of it and there is a lot of weight at the back of my scalp, so all of these issues have now been addresses ensuring fluid movement within my hair when I move about and swish my hair.  As for the colour, it has gone from being dark blonde, which I actually like, to a shade lighter in parts to give it a sunkissed look, nothing that stands out boldly shouting "I've dyed my hair" which I absolutely love.

I spent over two hours at the John Frieda Salon and every minute I loved, I never felt pressured into leaving, none of the stylists were in a hurry and given that it is a very busy salon the one thing I didn't notice was the constant sound of hairdryers, though they were in use.  This was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had at a hair salon and one where I have felt more at ease than anywhere else that I have been and a salon that I highly recommend visiting.