There are two types of people in this world: those who have found their lifelong match, and those who are yet to find it. A perfect partnership is based on love and trust after all, and is a relationship that takes time to build.
Of course, the two halves of this pairing are the hairstylist and the client, and for many, it’s a partnership more than worth travelling for.
Your colour
Visiting Stil in Chelsea starts as one should expect from a high-end salon: a warm welcome, a curated drinks menu, Diptique-scented accents scattered across various surfaces, cleverly arranged lighting, and exceptionally flattering mirrors. It is beautiful, but most importantly, painlessly unpretentious.
I am here to meet expert colourist Christel Barron-Hough to get my blonde from something shy of sombre to the ultimate in Scandi-inspired sublimity. Her 25 years in the UK (after moving from her Swedish homeland) have been busy, and industry-centric. Whilst becoming the authority on clean blonde aesthetic within London, her hands also craft the finest of seemingly sunkissed brunettes and pastel shades that perfectly align kawaii with chic, over the years earning her an illustrious trio of trophies for British Colour Technician of the Year at the British Hairdressing Awards.
Enlightened by a fabulously comprehensive consultation and learning about tailored techniques, terms, and tones, together we look at a variety of seemingly effortless blondes on-screen, with Christel dissecting just how they got to that colour. Spoiler alert: it’s never effortless for the colourist.
Still Salon, Kensington
She takes note of the manner I usually dress, the colours and jewellery I like to wear, and how often I wear makeup. She explains the chroma she sees in my skin, how it can give cooler pink or warmer golden tones and how our hair colour needs to be adjusted to that.
Other important factors include how often I like to visit a salon (rarely), how I usually wear my hair (pulled back up high), then shows me how my hair looks from the side whilst drawn back. It was an aspect I was shocked to have never considered before, at which my current colour placement suddenly looked rather atrocious. After all, ‘Stil’ means ‘style’ in Swedish, and Christel’s approach is the embodiment of how this is an all-encompassing effort.
She had plenty to go on and more to work on, deciding that of all the hues I had seen, it was a dream girl blonde for me. But what does that mean? It’s got a hint of boho-esque cool from the early 00’s, here Sienna Miller is my muse (naturally, eternally). It’s light but dimensional, with hand-painted lighter tones using a hybrid of blended slices and babylights, with a soft root shading added for a lived-in feel. As blondes go, it’s timeless and suited to all seasons, with the option for low-key time-saving maintenance by paying attention to the face-framing sections between all-over colour appointments.
Christel talks about the development of her colour technique, Lumière Lights. Reminiscent of Balayage, this freehand technique lightens hair naturally and effortlessly, incorporating the naturally darker hues in my hair, and even adding a few more darker slices throughout, to enhance the delicacy of the fairer tones, contouring the colour to my cheek and brow bones, whilst keeping my hair as healthy as can be.
An extra little bit of help is applied by way of Wella’s Lipid Booster + treatment, repairing bonds and adding shine, lasting for about five washes. Never, ever skimp on the at-basin treatments.
Overall, not only do I come out feeling like Kate Moss in 2011 (IYKYK), but from the hands of this artist my skin looks brighter and clearer, and dare I say it, my face is a touch more angular and there is an extra spring to my step as I dash to my next meeting.
Sam Bell, the collection
Your cut
Hair at 58, in a leafy suburb of Bristol is already known by its clientele for its comforting presence of a plethora of greenery within their walls. Feeling slightly smug to have this asset within such easy reach of my home, their salon-come-greenhouse embodies everything their flagship natural and organic brand Aveda has to offer in this concept space. Having recently celebrated its 15th birthday, jubilations included the launch of its garden salon room, with four new stations in its sunny courtyard.
Headed by multi-award-winning Sam Bell, her work as part of the Aveda UK styling team sees her travelling globally for fashion weeks for the likes of Stella McCartney, to presentations and campaigns, known for her avant-garde creations employing visionary techniques to combine creative colour, form and texture. At home, she creates exceptional colours and shapes for her clients and is known to the Bristol scene as the most caring yet exciting stylist you can hope to work with.
Her second in command, Paul, takes his 40-plus years of experience and turns this into an exceptionally dedicated service, ensuring time in his chair leaves you with a style that not only looks great and leaves your hair in beautiful condition, but is manageable at home, so you can easily recreate his ultra-luxe finishes day after day. His relationship with their lead brand is enduring, having previously worked with Aveda as the director of in-house training at their institute in Covent Garden.
In turn, the entire team is a well-oiled machine with a lineage of over 60 years of experience passing down the ranks, ensuring that every visit, from a big change to maintaining the status quo, is as sublimely relaxing as it is precise. Even if space in Sam’s books is hard to come by, it’s worth the wait as every stylist I’ve seen in her stead has left me feeling nothing short of wonderful, from perfect cuts and beautiful colour to a fabulous blow dry for an evening out.
Andrew Barton, session styling
Your style
For a refresh of a cut, and to finish with a blow dry, I can’t think of anything I’d value more than to visit Andrew Barton again. The attention to detail by the UK’s industry sweetheart on this fine service is second to none, and his ability to defy gravities effect on each follicle for divinely gorgeous, long-lasting bouncy volume needs to be investigated further by the relevant authorities. His trick? He shared just one with me, finishing with a spray wax like Redken’s Wax Blast, especially for fine, lightweight hair, which creates hold without hampering movement.
For my next London, Aberdeen or even Glasgow event (maybe a visit to Cail Bruich to dine under the hands of Scotland’s only female Michelin star chef) I will ensure to book around Andrew’s availability at House of Keune by Bloom.
Having made himself known to the masses from the hit 00’s show, 10 Years Younger, his co-star Nicky Hambleton Jones remains a friend and colleague, with their upcoming 10 Years Younger Retreat in the Algarve in October their next public tour together. From sunset meditation on the beach, group dining and sunrise yoga, their packed schedule offers a huge range of experiences from relaxing to rejuvenating, with opinions like their skin or makeup masterclasses, or a hormone-balancing nutrition seminar, but equally offers plenty of time for radical rest or reconnection to your inner self with a cohort of like-minded women.
Alongside, a style session with Nikki offers the chance to reconnect to your personality through your wardrobe and a masterclass with Andrew will realign your identity through your hairstyling, with one-to-one consultations available to book throughout the retreat.
