Just a few weeks in the past, our wonderful British summer time determined to abruptly take a break and down got here a few month’s price of rain in a couple of hours. Clearly this was after I had deliberate a visit into Central London to go to the fellows at Stay True London in Soho’s Wardour Road, so my timing was good. I arrived early, wanting like a grumpy drowned rat, and gave the salon a name to see if they may see me any earlier, which fortunately they may, so my late afternoon appointment acquired going as quickly as I arrived.
The Stay True London salon in Soho is a difficult one to pin down relating to describe it; I need to name it form of “Camden Grunge” however that makes it sound much more different than it’s, as while the fabulous stylists and colourists had been most positively dressed to impress, the clientele gave the impression to be pretty conservative/laid-back and typical for the realm. The salon itself has that fashionable, deliberately worn look (suppose uncovered piping, cool metals and delicate neon lighting including pops of icy color) and the companies span over two flooring (word to anybody who struggles with stairs, there’s a winding metallic staircase that’ll be just about unavoidable for any remedy since all of the sinks are downstairs) with a piece away from the remainder of the salon that I believe could be out there for personal therapies.
I used to be booked in to see Flora, a unbelievable French stylist who was stylish, approachable and completely charming; she smiled and quietly sang to herself the entire time and simply appeared like she was actually having fun with doing her factor. We had a chat and agreed that we’d go fairly a bit shorter to a size that’ll sit under my ears and graduate a bit of, with layers so as to add texture, quantity and depth. For the color, Flora really useful we simply concentrate on brightening up the general blonde, giving it an excellent carry with a Balayage method that’s softened and blended with toner therapies. I defined to Flora that I lived alone with my 8 12 months previous son who begins his day speaking and doesn’t truly cease till he goes to sleep (and generally not even then) so I hoped to politely learn and take pleasure in a little bit of peace, which she (fortunately!) utterly understood.
I don’t suppose I’ve ever had color that was so meticulously utilized. Flora actually took her time making use of ever foil rigorously and cautiously to make sure the outcomes had been precisely as she needed. The entire color course of took about three hours and Flora dried every strand of hair earlier than making use of the color to make sure it was flat and would take the color evenly, a method I haven’t skilled beforehand. I used to be then moved downstairs to have the color eliminated, then toner utilized, together with an Olaplex remedy that was used each throughout the earlier color utility to guard my hair, and through the washing course of to reinforce and defend my color.
As soon as the color was performed, we moved again upstairs to do the minimize and end. Flora took the identical care together with her chopping as she did with the color (I needed to hold very nonetheless, which I’m soooo dangerous at, sorry Flora!) and as soon as she reached some extent the place she was glad, she dried my hair to see how it might look earlier than fine-tuning it a bit of extra. The ultimate step was a blow dry which was tremendous, though I actually by no means like the best way stylists dry my hair and I don’t suppose I’ve ever deliberately booked a blow dry as a result of I appear to lack the flexibility to speak what I would like. Consequently, I at all times decide a brand new hair restyle by how I prefer it after I’ve washed and dried it myself and in equity to Flora, my hair appeared thick and glossy, but it surely was very neat and I by no means like neat – I believe most stylists are simply programmed to offer you a tidy end, whereas I simply need to chuck a load of salt spray at it and go mad!
I at all times prefer to try to give a balanced evaluation on visits like these, though I might actually battle to seek out something particularly unfavourable to report. If I’m to be actually fussy, I might say that the refreshment choices are restricted (though my appointment was very late so they might have simply run out – on the time, all they’d had been a few natural teas or espresso on supply, however no dairy alternate options or snacks) and clearly the staircase is a little bit of a ache for somebody on crutches, like me, however these are nowhere close to dealbreakers – subsequent time I’ll order in a espresso on Deliveroo and I’ll be all set!
So in conclusion, would I return to Stay True London? Completely, 100% sure. The color is superb – I’m utterly thrilled because the tone is spot-on and precisely the form of blonde I like; cool and ashy however nonetheless blonde sufficient that it provides gentle to my face, plus it’s blended so superbly that it appears to be like extremely pure, and consequently ought to develop out fairly inoffensively. I used to be a bit nervous that I’d gone too quick, however as soon as I’d washed my hair and styled it myself I used to be equally thrilled; the feel has been minimize in so effectively that my hair simply appears to be like a lot thicker with minimal effort – I truly sit up for washing and styling it now, which is one thing I by no means thought I’d say! Thanks a lot Stay True London and particularly Flora for the beautiful expertise, my confidence is at an all-time excessive; you simply can’t beat the optimistic influence of actually good hair, are you able to?!
Stay True London have a number of salons throughout London in Brixton, Clapham, Vauxhall and the aforementioned Soho. You may guide on-line which is particularly useful should you’re eager to get an appointment ASAP. Costs on the Soho salon begin at £63 for a minimize and blow dry with an entry-level stylist and £145 for a full head of Balayage with an entry-level colourist. Clearly there are an enormous choice of color choices out there, so try their web site right here – hyperlink – for more information.
Disclosure: unpaid advert – PR appointment
