The Fashion Closet Archives - Page 20 of 29

Categories: The Archives, The Beauty Cupboard, The Fashion Closet

SHOW BEAUTY HAIR FRAGRANCE

Show Beauty is the brain child of billionaire heiress Tamara Ecclestone. Dreamed up by the model and mum of one as a range of beautiful products that would allow women everywhere to tap in to the luxury hair market and feel like a million dollars when using them.

Ecclestone is a shrewd business woman, I’ve met and interviewed her three times now and whilst she’s every bit as beautiful as the images you see in the press, she’s also a super clever lady. She had originally intended on calling her range of hair products Formula One but was refused the use of the name by her father and the godfather of Formula One, Bernie Ecclestone which spurred her on to come up with something equally as fabulous.

After years of research and development, in which Ecclestone was very hands on, Show Beauty was born and a luxury aesthetic developed intended to up the game of bathroom shelves everywhere. Show Beauty is a range that’s designed to be seen, not confined to a dark cupboard. The signature black and gold bottles with cut glass detailing are reminiscent of dressing table perfume bottles in the fifties and the products have real weight to them.

The range has grown considerably since it’s launch with Ecclestone focussing on one customer need at a time and perfecting it so that it achieves everyone of its objectives. From the weightless volume of the Volume LUX range, to the non sticky Moisture range, each part of this collection has been meticulously planned to tackle the most common hair issues we battle on a day to day basis. The best thing Voyeurs? These products work.

Yes, they’re pricey. That’s the first hurdle. If you want luxury, the finest ingredients and the best, most long lasting and delicate fragrances, then you’re going to have to stump up some cash. The luxury hair market is thriving right now Ecclestone sits atop it as Queen. Full sized Show Beauty products start at £28 for a shampoo or £16 for a travel sized version and the most expensive product is a special edition hair oil with a Swarovski crystal adorned lid topping out at £199. Or you could opt for the non blinged out version of this cult product at a more respectable £50.

One of my favourite products in the range is the hair fragrance. Hair fragrance is a pretty unusual product, it’s an unexpected products and my initial thoughts were that hair fragrance is a stupid, useless idea but then Tom Ford brought out his limited edition Black Orchid for hair and I was a convert. The hair fragrance offering from Show Beauty, aptly named Decadence Hair Fragrance is something special. Designed by a Nose in one of Paris’ top perfumeries under Ecclestone’s close instruction, the brief was to create something deep, beautiful and long lasting that would make women feel amazing when their hair released the fragrance.

Image Courtesy of SHOW Beauty

The bottle itself and the packaging it comes in are pretty damn amazing on their own and that’s before we’ve even got to the golden elixir inside. Packaged in a sturdy black and gold box that’s made to be seen, you’ll find this cut glass bottle topped with rose gold. It’s a bottle that wouldn’t look out of place in Selfridges Famous Beauty Hall and it looks like more than the £55 it costs.

Inside you’ll find a golden potion that sprays with a super fine mist so as not to soak the hair. The scent is heavy and on the darker side of the fragrance spectrum, it reminds me of a fragrance called Amber Absolute by Tom Ford which was discontinued after being so incredibly expensive to mass produce. The rose water base is enhanced by Madagascan vanilla, sensual patchouli (always a winner) and soft white musk, combining with the softest top notes of coconut milk, caramel and almond butter to soften the scent as it’s worn close to the face. Thoughtful eh?

It’s not just something that smells awesome though, this decadent hair perfume packs a punch in the treatment department too. Why not wear my ordinary fragrance on my hair you might ask? Well that’s because it’s super drying to hair. Regular perfume dries out hair making it stiff and prone to breakage, hence this new product market for hair specific fragrance. This one is packed out with Vitamin E, aloe vera and Ultracas G20, along with essential vitamins and minerals, which help to fight free radicals and colour fade.

The whole range has been designed with the same fragrance so that they can be layered and combined. Yes, it’s only hair, but you know the feeling you get when you smell your freshly washed and dried hair? Or when your partner tells you that they remember the way your hair smelled on your first date? Well this is all that and a bag of truffles. It’s not the fresh, light smell you associate with drugstore shampoo, this is heady, deep and dark, the patchouli and vanilla combine to make something that can only be described as Rich People Smell. Plus, if you really love it, the hair fragrance is perfectly safe to use as a regular perfume for skin. Winning.

With everything I try from this range I can’t fail to be impressed, from the packaging to the fragrance and properties that make up the product, no expense has been spared and that’s obvious from the outset. It’s a little piece of luxury that will make you feel and smell amazing.

Pixie xo

I was gifted a bottle of Show Beauty Decadence Hair Fragrance to review and this can be bought at the following retailers for £55.

Categories: The Beauty Cupboard, The Fashion Closet

Pre-Vacation Beauty with The Wax Bar

If like me you’re off on vacation some time soon, you’ll know the prep that goes into getting yourself ready. I’m not talking about the endless gym hours (which I didn’t do), searching for the perfect vacation fragrance, or the shopping for cute outfits, I mean the beauty prep. The search for travel sized versions of your favourite products to make space in your case so you can bring back exotic spirits (just me?), the waxing, primping, preening and plucking that goes into making sure your face is as instagrammable as your vacation wardrobe and the gel polish to give you that flawless finish. Yup, vacation season is almost over but I’m shoehorning in one last trip to see my mama in Menorca and that means a jam packed visit to The Wax Bar for The Works. The Salon is cool and modern. With it’s dark, charcoal grey and fuschia pink interior and it’s Ministry of Sound chillout vibe, it’s actually a place that you don’t mind hanging out in, plus the staff are pretty awesome too.

I try to get an appointment as close to the date of travel as possible, in this case, they day before. This gives you the longest life out of your treatments and ensures they’ll last for the duration of your time away.

When it comes to vacation essentials everyone has their favourite treatments, but these are my absolute staples. Here’s my guide to the beauty treatments that will have you looking like a natural beauty on the beach:

1. GEL FINGERS & TOES

Orange Gel Nails The Wax Bar

Gel Pedicure The Wax Bar

Gel Toenails Day 4

Gel Toenails Day 2

Gel Toenails Day 9

A gel manicure is probably a staple for some of you in everyday life and not just vacation season so this isn’t anything revolutionary, however it does make your life a lot easier when you’re on vacation and it finishes off your look perfectly. If you don’t usually indulge, then give it a go right before your next vacation. If you don’t have a Wax Bar salon near you then go by word of mouth; a good salon and a great Nail Technician won’t damage your nails with gel. I always have a gel manicure before travelling, I ask for my nails to be trimmed down short and sweet to avoid snags and tears and also because suncream down the underside of long fingernails is just gross. When I’m taking a Summer vacation I shun my usual black nail polish for something uber bright.

Point of note Voyeurs, if you’re based in either Newcastle or Edinburgh, you’re lucky enough to have some of the most talented manicurists around, right on your doorstep. A gel manicure from The Wax Bar is extensive; cuticles are cut back, hands are massaged, nails are trimmed, filed and buffed, and they’ve discovered the best combination of gel base, colour and top coat to give you the longest lasting manicure you’ve ever had. Trust me, I’ve been there many, many times and my last one lasted six weeks and two days before the fist chip. Yes, I know, mind blown right?!

This time I opt for a sunburst orange with an ocean blue on my toenails. I’m not a fan of anything pastel or bland, I’m either a gothic queen or a Rainbow Bright (if you get this 80’s reference then can we please be friends?) and there’s no in between. Short, sweet and super sassy, I feel like if a mermaid had toes, this is what she’d wear on them.

2. LVL LASHES

LVL Lashes Immediately Before & After

Wearing mascara on vacation sucks. The air is different so our eyes can be prone to watering more, we’re dehydrated so our eyes are more dry and to be honest it’s just a pain in the ass putting on a full face of makeup when you just want to look like a boho fairy. What if I told you there was treatment that would leave you with thick, dark and luscious lashes negating the need for mascara completely?

LVL Lashes are bomb and The Wax Bar are bomb ass at doing them. The procedure is simple and should be the same no matter which salon you go to. The objective is to Lift, add Volume and Lengthen. Simples. It’s a 45 minute treatment that’s completed with your eyes closed whilst various solutions are applied to your lashes to achieve a soft, natural looking bombshell effect.

When you’re done you sometimes get that momentary sting that you get after a tint but the difference is amazing. The reason the treatment works so well with your own lashes, is that whilst our lashes often point straight ahead, the LVL solution breaks down the bonds in the lash hair, changes the shape of the natural lash to point upwards instead of forwards, and then reseals the bond. Et voila, instant doll eyes with no crunchy lash extensions or fiddly strip lashes. Straight after the treatment they can ‘clump’ together a little but this is temporary and the day after treatment you’ll look like a freaking Barbie doll.

If you do indulge in a spot of pre-vacay LVL remember that they’re just like Gremlins: you must not feed them after midnight, do not expose them to bright light, and never get them wet. Actually only the latter is true, for 24 hours you gotsta keep those lashes dry so no washing, no crying and definitely no jumping in pools until your 24 hour settling period is up. Follow these rules and all eyes will be, errr, on your eyes.

3. BROW TINTING

Feeling Smug with this Brow Game

Brow Tint 5 Days After

Thanks to Cara Delevingne (and me of course – maybe…) we now live in an age where brows are king. A wise and beautiful lady once appeared in my mirror and told me that a good set of brows can open many doors and it’s actually true. After a painstaking gazillion years of growing them back in, I am now the proud owner of a set or brows to rival Ms Delevingne and I do nothing at all to them except a fortnightly tint.

I’ve had my brows tinted at many, many salons up and down the country and The Wax Bar is home to one of the best. Different salons use different brands of tint and they often switch up their brands regularly in order to find the best one for their clients. If your regular salon uses a tint that doesn’t last very long then tell them, they’ll appreciate the feedback and have access to many different suppliers so you’ll be doing them a favour. I opt for the deepest brown with the tiniest touch of black because my natural brows are very dark.

Take a wax pencil with you on vacation and if it starts to lighten up towards the end of your trip, you can use this to fill in the gaps and create the shape under the arch. My top pick and handbag essential is Tom Ford’s Eyebrow Sculptor in Espresso which costs £42.

4. LYCON BIKINI WAX

The Aftermath

Totally Worth It

Put down the strip wax, this isn’t the 90’s and step away from the Veet, there’s only one way to wax your bikini area these days and that’s with Lycon Hot Wax. If you’re a virgin to hot waxing then read this, it’s an indepth review of hot waxing that will tell you all the benefits. Basically you’ll get a smoother finish, no redness or irritation and way less ingrown hairs. What’s not to love? There are a whole range of options with Lycon waxing, you don’t have to go sans bush like me, you can opt for a little off the sides, a landing strip or even a lightning bolt. Whatever your waxing jam, do it with Lycon, nobody wants an itchy foof on vacation. If you find a great Waxer then follow her, they’re hard to come by, mine is formerly of Newcastle Hair & Beauty Clinic and her name is Gemma if you’re thinking of booking in with her. I’ll follow her to the ends of the earth until my dying breath. Oh, and I’m not anti-bush, if you wanna rock the full Jackson 5 then that’s ok too.

These are my top picks, the essentials I wouldn’t go on vacation without because they make things so easy once you’re out there. There’s no ongoing maintenance with these treatments, except maybe having a nail file on standby for emergencies, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t wear makeup on holiday so LVL just gives me a bit of polish.

There are other treatments I occasionally book if I can find the time pre-vacay, I like to book in with my chiropodist in the week that I’m travelling to get my tootsies in tip top condition. There are foot clinics in every major town and city who will be happy to give your feet the once over and you’ll leave feeling like you’re walking on air. Sadly my schedule didn’t allow this pre-vacation, so I’ll be doing this pre-London Fashion Week instead.

I’m off to Menorca, I’ll see you on the flip Voyeurs..

Pixie xo

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

Primark’s New Season Shoe Drop

I’m not one to jump on the Fast Fashion train quite so readily without assessing the durability of a microtrend first and I usually steer away from the cheaper end of the high street, however more recently, I’ve been enticed back…

We all have our own systems for managing the turnover of fashion trends. Some people don’t by into runway filtered trends, some people live and breathe them and there is a small proportion of people who monitor and turn over microtrends like their lives depend on it. This Voyeurs, is where the high street is your best friend. Everything you wear is dictated by the global runways. Whether you know and accept it, or believe that plain white tee you picked up from George at ASDA is anti-fashion, everything in your wardrobe is runway fed.

If you consider yourself a fully fledged Fashionista you probably already look to the more expensive end of the high street when it comes to the seasonal shift and the bi-annual trend forecast. With the rise of see now, buy now fashion in the industry, the high street can turn a trend into a full affordable capsule collection faster than you can blink and with global fashion month happening twice per year, you have time to plan for it.

But when we talk about microtrends, we mean short lived trends that were born as an Insta movement, maybe something your favourite Digital Influencer (obviously that’s me) has worn, or something you’ve seen an influx of younger girls wearing and championing. This is where the cheaper end of the high street really shines. Think that weird fishnet waistband poking out of your best ripped jeans that everyone did in May and June of this year – that right there is an Insta-born microtrend.

If you want to tap into fast fashion and microtrends, look to places like Primark, MissGuided, Little Mistress and those places that seem to have new stock in every month. These are stores which focus on turning over microtrends alongside seasonal trends, the places that can spot the durability and popularity for a microtrend and turn it into product the next day. You’ll have seen me championing the perfect transitional shoe from none other than Primark (if you haven’t then read this), and it’s about to get a whole lot better for all of you shoe fanatics out there because the first new season shoe drop from Primark is a doozie.

Whilst everyone else is going freaking bats for Primark’s Beauty and the Beast range and the Harry Potter merchandise filtering into stores as we speak, fashionistas everywhere are quietly enjoying the amazing offerings in the shoe department.

Here are my top Primark shoe picks to ease you into Fall 2017, all of which are available to buy right now (in addition to the ones that started it all):

1. Following on from the previous Primark Bee Flats I told you about in July, they’ve introduced some velvet slip on sneakers with a similar motif. This one features metal thread embroidery and beading so for £8 they’re a total steal and they’re available in deep burgundy as well as black.

Primark £10

2. These giltter ball boots slip on easily like a sock and the block heel makes them way more comfortable than a regular stiletto. They’re soft, super irridescent and available in black, silver and purple. Wear them with everything from jeans to dresses and booty shorts to playsuits, these have enough life in them to see out the full Fall / Winter trend for disco so they’re well worth a punt.

3. My absolute favourites. The deep V front on these shoe boots is a strong footwear trend for FW17 and something that was on so many of the big runways in February. The oriental printed satin has rich tones of orange, purple and red and they’re comfortable considering they’re a pretty high heel. Wear with black opaques when the weather inevitably turns. Eye-catching for all the right reasons.

4. These oriental ankle boots with patterned heel fasten with an inside zipper and they’re similar in shape to a cuban heeled cowboy boot. They’re available in regular and wide fit and up to a UK size 9. They’re super comfortable too – I wore them out all day on a shoot in Newcastle and they gave me no problems but threw up loads of compliments from passers by. #winning.

So, if shopping at the cheaper end of the high street isn’t your thing then maybe now you’ll at least consider a look at some of the Fall Winter trends and how you can spin them at a much cheaper cost. If you’re a fan of fast fashion then hot foot it to Primark right now to get a head start on FW17 shoe shopping, they really are ahead of the game this season.

Pixie xo

Categories: The Archives, The Beauty Cupboard, The Fashion Closet

Retinol – What is it & Why Should You Be Using it?

If there’s one ingredient that can pimp up your skincare routine and tackle all those niggling little issues you have, it’s retinol. Praised for it’s ability to combat the signs of ageing and stimulate cell turnover, retinol is one of those ingredients that people either rave about, or are terrified of. Well I’m here to tell you that retinol is nothing to be scared of, in fact quite the contrary, embrace it, use it, love it and reap the benefits! Sure, there are some guidelines to follow, but as long as you’re using it correctly there’s no reason why retinol can’t be incorporated into your routine effectively. I LOVE retinol, like most Dermatologists I’m of the opinion that retinol should be a regular part of our regime and after having tried a gazillion retinol products from ‘budget’ to ‘blow the budget’, I’m going to share my favourites with you, and a little more on how and why you should be using them.

Firstly, what is retinol?

Basically, it’s Vitamin A and it’s super effective and scientifically proven to improve the appearance of your skin. Retinol is a weaker and more readily available version of a prescription only product called Tretinoin. Tretinoin is strong, hence only being available via prescription. It can’t be tolerated by everyone because it can be drying and can cause irritation. Retinol is much weaker, it works in a similar way to Tretinoin but it’s more tolerable.

From dullness to firmness and everything in between, this super ingredient really packs a punch; but it’s best known as an anti-ageing product. Walk into any branch of Boots and you’ll find the shelves brimming with anti-ageing products, in an off the shelf product, retinol is the only ingredient worth looking for when it comes to turning back the clock. There’s no magic wand, we’re not talking ‘Death Becomes Her’ here but Retinol stimulates cell turnover and collagen production and results can be seen in as little as 4 weeks with the right product.

Who can use retinol?

It’s not suitable for everyone and it won’t agree with everyone’s skin. The difficult thing with retinol is finding a product with the exact measure that your skin can tolerate and with so many products available, there will be one out there for you. Advice from the US states that whilst there is no evidence to suggest that retinol is harmful, products containing retinol and retinoids should not be used when pregnant or breastfeeding and this relates to the amount of vitamin A in your system at any one time. Also, if you’re going on vacation to somewhere sunny, I’d recommend you stop using any retinol product 7 days before you leave to ensure you’re not more susceptible to sunburn.

What are the benefits to using retinol?

Where do I start? Retinol boosts skin’s natural collagen production, it stimulates cell turnover which evens out discolouration and it works a treat on blocked pores and acne or breakout prone skin. It’s hailed by many Dermatologists as a wonder ingredient in skincare and more and more retinol products are hitting the shelves every month; it’s a super effective and scientifically proven skincare ingredient – when used correctly.

When should I use retinol?

Retinol is perfect for a night time skincare routine. If you already use a specific night cream before bed, then consider replacing this with a retinol based cream or serum 2 – 3 times per week or as a sleeping masque once a week. There are some products that state that they can be used during the day but you need to check the dose, retinol encourages cell turnover and this delicate new skin needs to be protected when exposed to sunlight. Most retinol products are intended for night time use however there are a few creeping through for day time use too, personally, I only use it at night.

How do I use retinol?

There are LOADS of retinol products readily available. You can pick up a retinol product on the high street from as little as £10 and prices can go right up to £250 for something from an aesthetic specific company. It’s a very personal choice, one not so much determined by your budget and more what your skin can tolerate. I’ve tried lots and lots of different retinol products and narrowed it down to my favourites, the ones I use over and over and can see visible results with, without irritation.

Once you’ve selected your product, start using it once a week on a night on clean skin. I wash my face with a simple Clinique soap, tone with Murad‘s spray bottle toner, I use Peachy Fox Marine Collagen Eye Gel (literally the best eye gel ever, read my review here) and then use my retinol product right before I go to bed. Once you’ve gotten used to your product you can think about increasing the frequency to maybe 2-3 times per week, depending on its potency. contrary to what you might think, retinol is particularly effective around the eyes.

One thing to remember when using any retinol based product is to wear sunscreen during the day. I use a specific facial SPF40 product from Elizabeth Arden’s 8 Hour Cream range but any city block with SPF 30+ will do the job. You’ve spent time and money investing in your skin, now look after it!

How do I select a retinol product?

Again, it’s a choice you’ll make based very much on your particular skin needs and it may take a few tries to find your personal blend but there are a few things you should be looking for when you’re scanning the shelves. Retinol and other vitamin A derivatives break down rapidly when exposed to the elements. Skincare products containing retinol should be in an opaque or completely covered tube or tub and should always come with a pump dispenser, they typically have a shelf life of 6 months or less before they lose their efficacy.

Ready to give it a try? Here are a few of my favourite retinol products, some of them I’ve only just discovered and some of them I’ve been using for a long time. None of these are top budget products although I have used more expensive retinol products from Exuviance and Skinceuticals which really didn’t work for my skin, they left it feeling irritated and red despite the £200+ price tag. Most importantly though, nobody has paid me for this review or to choose their product over another, this is an unbiased and personal review based on my own skin, some of the products in there were gifted to me in the first instance and some were purchased.

1. Peachy Fox Aloe Retinol Serum £12.97 Amazon

This is a lovely product to use, it has a lovely fresh and natural ginger scent and you only need one pump for your face. I concentrate on using it around my eyes and then distribute what’s left around my face. As with any retinol product, it can break up if you rub it too harshly so pat it gently until it’s soaked in. In Spring and Summer I use this three times per week although the directions state that it’s suitable for daily use given it’s concentration. This organic skincare brand is becoming a firm favourite amongst Bloggers and Influencers.

2. Retinol Youth Renewal Serum £65 Murad UK

This serum packs a punch and it comes in two different sizes so this one is great for travelling. Use it once a week and use it sparingly as a little goes a long way (overloading on retinol products can cause redness), this has a lovely smoothing consistency and skin looks fresher and visibly renewed the next morning. It’s light enough that you can use your usual night cream on top once it’s soaked in.

3. The Ordinary Retinol Emulsion £6 Beauty Bay

I’d finished and thrown away the tube by the time I came to writing this post so don’t have a picture but the packaging is clean and simple and so is the product. At 1% it’s a decent amount of retinol and the tube lasts for ages, this is a great budget buy that packs the same punch as some of its more expensive rivals. It’s a lovely smooth product and you can see a visible difference after around 8 weeks of use.

4. Image Skincare Ageless Total Overnight Retinol Masque £80 imageskincare.com

This is a must have when it comes to retinol – it’s one of my favourites for a reason! It comes with a “press & pump” dispenser so there’s no mess and no fuss, one pump does your whole face and it’s thicker in consistency than the other products as it’s intended as a moisturising masque. Skin feels more plump and renewed and you can feel the difference when you wash your face the next morning. This one is safe to use three nights per week but I’d recommend you start with one night per week if you’ve never used retinol before. You don’t need a night cream on top of this one, you get the anti-ageing properties and a hit of hydration in one awesome product. (read about the Image Skincare O2 Lift Facial here).

5. Peachy Fox Collagen Retinol Moisturiser £12.98 Amazon

Another one from all natural and organic, cult skincare brand Peachy Fox, this moisturiser is deemed suitable for daily use and also for use morning and night due to the more tolerable retinol strength, however my personal preference is to stick to night time use (I know other Influencers who use this product during the day and have never had any irritation or issue). This one is tricky to get to grips with when you first use it but persevere. It has a different consistency than most skincare products but once you figure it out it really is a lovely product. You tap this one all over your face and then very lightly pat it into skin, it needs to be fully dry and absorbed before you put anything else on your face otherwise it can pill and ball, if it does – you haven’t used it properly. This one delivers an immediate glow after use, you’ll notice a difference in your skin from the first time you use it.

So now you know all about this must have skincare ingredient, go, armed with this knowledge and treat yourself to something that will compliment your existing skin regime and when the compliments start rolling in, pass it on and share the joy!

Pixie xo

Categories: The Archives, The Beauty Cupboard, The Fashion Closet, The Glorious North East

Boilerhouse Hair Ouseburn

If you live in the North East and more specifically Newcastle, then you’ve probably heard of Boilerhouse Hair. Their flagship salon stands proud at its Jesmond site and its industrial, steampunk styling is synonymous with the brand. Well they’ve since opened up a second salon over in the uber trendy Ouseburn end of town just around the corner from Ernest.

When Felix, the owner of Boilershop Ouseburn contacted me about a collaboration, I told him all about my hair disasters (you guys are well versed in my traumas by now but if you want to catch up then head here for the skinny) and he was very reassuring telling me that customer satisfaction is at the top of their agenda. Felix booked me in and I’ll admit, despite feeling worried, I kind of felt that I was in safe hands.

The salon itself is gorgeous, it’s everything you’d expect from the Boilerhouse brand and more, the signature industrial styling shines through but the Ouseburn salon has a distinct rustic vibe to it. With exposed wood and plants on show in a variety of glass bottles and planters, and a 50’s style pink SMEG fridge, it has some serious Instagram credentials. On the day of my appointment I had Plankton with me which could have been a complete disaster but the staff there are fantastic and there was one apprentice there who spent all day making sure he was happy. Kudos guys.

I was teamed up with Saskia who is the Technical Colourist and responsible for training all new Boilerhouse apprentices, for a full head of highlights and a very reluctant trim. Now if you follow me on social media, particularly Twitter, you’ll know that I’m participating in an Influencer project with Nature’s Bounty on hair growth and that I’m super precious about my hair given that it stopped growing completely for 16 months. You’ll also know that I’m held to ransom with my hair a little given my work with L’Oreal during Fashion Month and the fact that the Nature’s Bounty project limits how much I’m allowed to cut during the active project time frame – as part of the project it’s measured every three weeks.

Saskia gets to work mixing up a blonde for my highlights using Fibreplex bond builder to minimise bleach damage (it’s similar to Olaplex and Smartbond but made by Schwarzkopf). Saskia is a fast worker and before long I have a full head of foils and I’m chilling out with the perfect Americano and the latest copy of Vogue, but I’m a little thrown when she tells me that due to me not having had a patch test in advance, she won’t be able to tone my hair when the pre-lightener is washed off. Eek. I’ve seen my hair pre-toner and it’s not a pretty sight; also I was never asked to come in for a patch test prior to the appointment.

I’m taken through to the backwash area to have the foils removed; it’s a cute little room with a gorgeous wooden wall and in the time it takes to remove the foils, wash my hair and apply a conditioning treatment, three customers have asked where the wood came from, it’s that cool. Once my treatment is washed off and my hair feels silky soft, I’m taken back through to my section for a cut. Now I hate having my hair cut. I don’t even need to tell you this. it’s my worst thing, I have nightmares about it, my palms get sweaty, my face gets hot and I feel like panic is taking over my body. I just, HATE IT.

I’ve spent the last hour showing Saskia pictures of my hair disasters, some of them funny, some of them damn right shocking, all of them traumatic. For me anyway. She combs my hair and tells me that to get a good straight line and a nice blunt finish she would recommend taking off two inches and shows me in the mirror how that looks in terms of length. I almost faint, literally and before I’ve processed it I’ve already said the words “No way”. She laughs and asks what I’d be comfortable with and I tell her “an inch, at the most.” We agree on an inch off the length and nothing off anywhere else as my goal is to grow it all down to one length. Currently I’m sporting some fugazi layers which are completely unintentional and only there due to breakage from previous, long ago colouring trauma.

After cutting the length for what seems like ages, Saskia tells me that it would greatly strengthen my hair if we trim the shape around the front and I reluctantly agree, not wanting to at all but agreeing that she is absolutely right. After the cut is finished, she shows me the back of my still wet hair in the mirror and internally I’m freaking out, to me, it looks like I’ve had around five inches cut off and I can’t verify as the hair on the floor has already been swept away. It definitely looks a lot shorter and I’ve certainly lost more than an inch. That bastard Hairdressers Metric System has got me again.

AFTER

I opt for my usual beachy waves to finish and when it’s dry I can’t help but notice that there’s a distinct yellow band around the top section where my root regrowth has been touched up and that the colour isn’t as close to the root as I’d like. It’s a real shame about the toner and when I see the final style I make a mental note to go buy toner asap. I’m not so keen on the blowdry but that’s no reflection on the salon, I’m that unusual breed of girl who hates having her hair blowdried and much prefer it when I’ve done it myself, slept on it for 3 days and it’s just the perfect amount of messy/dirty.

When you’re reading this Voyeurs, remember that I’ve been tainted when it comes to my hair. Too many bad experiences have left me treating it like spun gold and with kid gloves, nursing it with treatments and supplements in an attempt to restore it to its former glory. A particularly bad experience left me with very little hair and it’s taken me around two years to get it back to this stage so I’m more damaged than you can imagine when it comes to hair, and way more dramatic than someone else might be. Saying that, the salon knew this in advance of my appointment.

So, the bit you’ve been waiting for, would I recommend Boilerhouse Ouseburn? Well that depends, if you’re someone who likes to be directed by the expertise of your Stylist and you’re not averse to a cut then yes, definitely. The quality of the cut is good, it’s not what I asked for or what we agreed on but I can’t deny Saskia’s skill as a Hair Stylist and she’s got good bants. If on the other hand you’re similar to me in that when you say an inch you mean an inch and no more, then probably not. Boilerhouse is a cool, urban salon in the heart of Ouseburn and it brings with it a youthful team of Stylists and new business to this thriving area. If you’re looking to update your current style and want to act on advice from a Stylist rather than having something specific in mind, then it’s worth booking in for a consultation at Boilerhouse Ouseburn.

Pixie xo