Entering the black door of the Josh Wood Salon in London, nestled just behind the Holland Park tube station, it feels as though I am entering a secret club. It is, in fact, just that: as I sit down, I have the glossy haired Jemima Khan sitting to my right and fashion-journalist-turned-author Camilla Morton lounging to my left. This salon is a hive of activity and has attracted all the swishy-haired members of the Notting Hill crowd. The salon itself looks like a rainforest indoors and is presided over by Josh Wood, the Wella Professional Global Creative Director of Color, who is sauntering animatedly around the salon, comb in hand, cheering on his color-savvy staff.
As I’m seated in the chair, my stylist Heidi (a Principal Technician) talks through my color options. She rattles off the different tones in my hair with such an encyclopedic knowledge that any color-related concerns I had quickly disappeared. I quickly get the feeling that this salon is rather high-brow, but minus the snooty staff—and I like it. I tell Heidi that I trust her—something I have never said to any hair stylist—and relinquish all the color control to her. I am surprised by the amount of color she is going to put through my lengths (Heidi has no fewer than four shades of Wella color pots mixed up and ready to go), but she assures me that I won’t be left with any zebra stripes.
After an hour or so of having the tin foils applied to my head and eavesdropping madly (my favorite part about the hair salon), I notice Marian Newman (the nail guru) in one corner giving one of her infamous pedicures to a lady and warning her “not to scrub the sole of her feet every night as ladies do need a little padding under the foot, for comfort reasons.”
With foils removed and a wash, condition, and head massage all done, it’s time for the blow dry. Looking around, I see lots of bouncy, “set” hair, which looks wonderful on those who are 50+. My stylist turns to me and says, “let’s do a blow dry that looks a little undone—younger and cooler for you.” After the hair dryer turn is complete, I am assured that I was right to let Heidi do her thing, as my new color (although it cannot change your face) has, in short, made me look like a fresher version of me.
Amidst the whispers that Angelina Jolie is arriving in an hour for a little TLC for her tresses, I leave the salon not only impressed with the level of competence but also happy with my new hair.
