I have an Iranian friend who seems to sport red carpet worthy tresses no matter what time of day or night. Tousled, glossy, rich chocolate-colored locks that have that enviable bounce. No wonder she smiles so much—wouldn’t you?
After months of asking her which shampoo, conditioner, and masque she uses (and even making a mental note of what she eats whenever we meet), I managed to pry the real secret. It’s the Pace e Luce hair salon, tucked away in the Al Manzel Mall in Dubai.
I went to the salon to investigate further. This must be the busiest blow dry bar in town. Behind a veritable wall of shampoo, I counted eleven ladies having their tresses turned into glossy manes, with an additional two having head massages at the wash station. And it seemed that each lady, no matter her hair type, left with glossy locks and a smile. After having my hair washed with Kerastase, I briefed my stylist (Zeina) who got to work to create the soft 1970s style waves that frame the face and make you appear visibly younger.
The do-it-yourself (DIY) curl is a tricky business. GHD blow dryers produce irregular results, and curling irons can give that spiral effect that looks too doll-esque. But if going the DIY route, the answer is to run the hair dryer over your lengths using a large round bristle head brush, and then create a curl around your fingers and pin the curl atop your head. As the hair cools, it sets into place.
Now, back to the salon. In just fifteen minutes the pins are out and I tip my head upside down as the stylist runs her fingers through the lengths, adding a misting of L’Oréal Elnett Hairspray. Et voilà: perfectly un-done waves that last for three days.
Pace e Luce, Al Manzel Mall, Downtown Dubai 00971 44201165
Pace e Luce, Shangri-La Hotel, Abu Dhabi 00971 25098912
Pace e Luce, Golden Tulip Hotel, Manama, Bahrain 0097317533600
Pace e Luce, 25 Damascus Street, Maadi, Cairo 0020 (0)2 27507555
