This is not a paid post.
We all know that a professional blow-dry makes us look and
feel better. Another plus is that somebody else does the work. No cleaning out
messy showers, no aching arms, but you need to be careful where you go.
According to hair
guru Michael Charalambous, blow-dry bars are one of the biggest causes of
damaged hair. His Chelsea salon, Michael Charalambous at Nyumba, attracts the
rich and famous. It is also a favourite haunt of journalists because he is
regarded as the best crimper in town. He despairs of the condition he finds
women’s hair in after frequenting some of these places.
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| Beautifully styled by Michael |
“We have so many new clients who come to us with hair that
has been ruined from visits to blow-dry bars,” says Michael. “These places have
a business model which relies on them getting through as many blow-dries in as
short a time as possible. It maybe fine if you have short hair but if you have
a thick mane will the time they allocate you be enough to do a proper job?
“You have to look beyond the price. Will they have the time
to have a proper consultation with you about the style you want?
You have to ask yourself if you are getting somebody who
knows how to work a dryer and brush properly? An inexperienced person can easily damage your hair using
heated appliances incorrectly or using the wrong brush.”
How they detangle your locks is important. Are they using a
wide-tooth comb or a brush suitable for use on wet hair? If they are not
doing this correctly they can tear your precious strands.
“You cannot just blow-dry every head of hair using the same type of brush,” says
Michael. “Metal brushes may be quicker but they get hot and can burn your hair.
You may not notice the damage until you have left the salon. Holding the dryer too near the hair will create
havoc leaving you with breakage and a frizz mess.”
Another problem with small places, Michael points out, is
that they can only stock a limited amount of products so they might not have
the right shampoo or conditioner for your hair type or know what styling products to use.
“Some stylists rough dry the hair too much then go over it
with a brush to smooth it out. Ideally, it should be slightly damp when they
style it otherwise they are applying more heat than is necessary and we know
what that equates to."
A lot of these stylists will hide a bad blow-dry by using
straighteners or tongs when there really is no need for them. So hair will look
flat and dull rather than having a healthy sheen.
“Don’t let your hairdresser cut corners,” stresses Michael.
“For a trim you should be given an hour-long
appointment. For a cut it should be at least one and a half hours.”
Michael will not cut
back when something needs to be bought for the salon or altered. He nips and tucks to keep on top of things. No
filling empty bottles with cheap shampoos as he tells me some places have been
known to do.
He is always asking his clients what they want and if there is anything he can
do to enhance what is already an amazing experience.
As a result he
has recently introduced special packages so you can get a blow-dry, a mini
make-up and manicure for just £100. There are other great offers too (see
picture).
Michael told me that
his friend, Johathan Phang, TV chef and former model agent says: “You
pay cheap, you pay twice.” That is food for thought for all of us.
By Daralyn Danns
For more information visit nyumbasalon.com or follow on
instagram.com/nyumbasalon
