When I arrived for my appointment at the Gina Conway Aveda salon in Chelsea I was feeling VERY stressed. It had been a long and busy week at work and I really wanted to crawl into bed, but my hair was in need of some TLC and my roots were starting to take on Courtney Love proportions. Usually I like to be in and out of a salon as quickly as possible, but for once I was happy to sit down and let myself be pampered.
And they certainly know how to pamper you at Gina Conway. After being offered a choice of drink including various exotic teas I was given a head, neck and shoulder massage, using essential oils. It was absolutely blissful and I was only too happy to close my eyes.
Then it was time for my colour to be applied. Stylist Saffron explained that she would be using ‘enlighten creme’, which sounds a lot nicer than bleach; Aveda colour formulas are made from over 97% naturally derived ingredients and contain a blend of plant oils including sunflower, caster and jojoba oils that protect the hair during processing to deliver better shine and condition. She deftly applied the lights and then left me to sit back and relax, while I was given a hand massage. At this point I was feeling so chilled out I could quite happily have drifted off to sleep.
The atmosphere in the salon is very calming; there’s a spa if you want to have treatments and the whole experience was just what I needed to recharge my batteries. Afterwards, my hair emerged from the foils, a beautiful shade of natural-looking blonde; Saffron cut my hair and gave me a perfect blowdry.
We agreed to leave my fringe for a little bit so I could decide whether it needed to be trimmed. Two weeks later, when I returned to have my fringe cut, I was recognised by the staff straight away. That to me is the mark of a good hair salon: excellent personal service. I definitely love Gina Conway, and I can’t wait to go back.
*Gina Conway Aveda, 199 King’s Road, Chelsea SW3. There are also salons and spas in Notting Hill, Fulham and Wimbledon.