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Original poster

Can anyone recommend a good hairdresser in London for CURLY hair?

49 replies

themothership · 27/03/2006 20:26

I've been on maternity leave for nearly a year and look a complete state Sad

Need to act quick before the rot sets in, but going to the haidresser is such a lottery because no one ever seems to understand curly hair. Unfortunately haven't found anyone I like since my Austrian goth hairdresser went awol 4 years ago. Anyone got any recommendations in London?

OP posts:
MagicGenie · 02/04/2006 14:11

Hello fellow curly bonce - I know exactly how you feel and can tell you plenty of places not to go! It's so hard finding somewhere decent, especially since the only way to try is to get a dreadful hair-do in the process.

I've recently moved from South London into Surrey and stand out like a sore thumb amongst all these women with their neat, straight bobs-with-fringes, not helped by the fact that all the salon staff come and coo over my curls as I leave!

Anyway, you don't say where in London or what your budget is. The best haircut I ever had was at a place called The Fourth Floor (Holborn tube, I think) but it was a bit steep and the bloke who did it may not be there now.

Headmasters in Wimbledon are good, but again, a bit on the steep side for an experienced hair dresser, plus they're in the village rather than near tube/train stations. I've also tried Headmasters in Croydon, with mixed results.

If you had the time/inclination to venture into Surrey, I'd recommend my current hairdresser very strongly (£45). Let me know if you want details, or recommendations for who to go to at Headmasters in Croydon if that suits. x.

PrincessPeaHead · 02/04/2006 20:55

hari's on fulham road at brompton cross. go to hari himself. he is fab, not too expensive, and does my (VERY) curly hair excellently. And every time I go he says "have I ver told you that my daughter has exactly the same hair as you?"!!! He is lovely.

And you can go to Joseph afterwards Grin

Original poster
themothership · 05/04/2006 13:57

Hi there

Thanks for the tips! I'm in Hackney, so either east or central London is good for me. Don't know whether I'd realistically make it as far as Surrey, but am glad that you've found someone who does your hair justice MagicGenie Smile

PrincessPeaHead - how much does a cut with Hari cost?

Thanks very much!

OP posts:
bundle · 05/04/2006 14:01

themothership, a friend recently gave me her hairdresser's number, he's in exmouth market iirc, would you like his details? (she has long wavyish hair but says he's excellent)

PrincessPeaHead · 05/04/2006 16:08

£90 or so. I think. Cut and highlights around £160, don't know how much the cut bit is. Call them and ask - 020 7581 5211

Original poster
themothership · 05/04/2006 21:15

Eeek, that's probably a bit steep for me (have shortish hair, which is why cut is even more important, but also means a cut every 4-6 weeks).

Exmouth Market is v easy for me to get to, so details would be fab.

Thanks!

OP posts:
cod · 05/04/2006 21:16

hari who si in the times?

hoxtonchick · 05/04/2006 21:18

i have curly hair & live in hackney! i usually go to identity uk, right at the bottom of kingsland rd (under the bridge). get tony to do it, about 50 quid. he always does mine really well. hth.

hoxtonchick · 05/04/2006 21:19

oooh, & can we discuss curly hair products on this thread?!

Original poster
themothership · 05/04/2006 21:47

Ah, I hadn't thought of Identity UK - been past it loads and looks very nice inside. Will give that a go, thanks very much Hoxtonchick!

Re: products, atm am using L'Oreal elasto-curl curl defining cream which is fab, but then realised a bit too late the L'Oreal test on animals and I'm not particularly comfortable with that, so am going to have to switch back to Aveda's B-Curly. Which is oddly tempremental. Or maybe that's my hair.

OP posts:
hoxtonchick · 05/04/2006 21:53

oh i like the aveda stuff, it smells yummy. i'm using dreaded frizzeze (sp?) serum, with umberto giannin scrunching gell & some cobella stuff i found in superdrug.

i've discovered that letting 9 month old dd play with all the varied stuff in the bathroom cabinet keeps her happily entertained whilst i'm in the shower :o.

where are you in hackney themothership? we're in london fields.

PrincessPeaHead · 05/04/2006 21:57

best stuff is the paul mitchell "the conditioner". You leave it in, so it keeps the curls together. But it feels like there isn't anything left in your hair at all, unlike practically every other product I've used which makes it feel heavy or crunchy or generally yucky....

and it is dead cheap

hoxtonchick · 05/04/2006 22:07

oh good, dd's going to have some nice new bottles to play with.... bumble & bumble conscious curl creme is good too, but £££.

PrincessPeaHead · 05/04/2006 22:12

you see I think the bumble and bumble one leaves my hair feeling sticky and a bit sort of greasy (which is a new concept for me, my hair is like straw)....

MeggLeVache · 05/04/2006 22:13

Have to say that the Bumble & Bumble stuff is very good (got some for Xmas) and as is the Elixir leave in conditioner. I'm always struggling to find stuff that keeps my curls separate/unfrizzy and bouncy - I like the sound of the Paul Mitchell stuff!

MeggLeVache · 05/04/2006 22:14

PPH, is your curly hair not very porous? That could be the reason it doesn't work for you - mine is so thirsy it's ridiculous.

PrincessPeaHead · 05/04/2006 22:15

oh and paul mitchell doesn;'t test on animals

PrincessPeaHead · 05/04/2006 22:17

it is incredibly porous, it eats up those deep nourishing oil things. Don't know why the B&B doesn't work for me Sad

hoxtonchick · 05/04/2006 22:19

did you get any topshop maternity clothes mtv?

MeggLeVache · 05/04/2006 22:27

Hmmm will be watching this thread with interest as I hate to spend an absolute fortune on smelly hair sludge. My hair is very porous too but I tend to find that it looks great when it's washed, conditioned and product'd but after a few hours it either dries out or goes a bit limp. I'm ever looking for the perfect hair product!

Hoxtonchick - I spent so much money and now I want to go to the Oxford Street store so I can actually see more than two rails. I bought a fab pair of jeans (I would never have tried it on but you mentioned them on another thread and they were super)and a gorgeous red linen fitted tunic with puffy sleeves.

On a naff note I also bought a royal blue/white polka dot smock which I thought made me look very hip but when I tried it on at home I realised it made me look like a very fat oompah loompa!

hoxtonchick · 05/04/2006 22:37

linen top sounds fabulous. apparently topshop are bringing out baby clothes but i have yet to find them....

MeggLeVache · 05/04/2006 22:50

That's funny HC as I was just thinking yesterday when they'd bring out baby stuff. I would expect it to be quite like the H&M stuff.

fishie · 06/04/2006 10:17

if you have any way of getting it from america, \link{http://www.ouidad.com\this is the most brilliant wonderful range ever for curls} i ordered some but got really done on tax. almost run out of shampoo and don't know what to get instead. b&b just far too expensive.

Original poster
themothership · 06/04/2006 19:36

Booked my appointment at Identity UK - am v excited!!!

HoxtonChick - I live in Lower Clapton, near Sutton House. Used to live in London Fields...

Will be trying 'the conditioner' too. Thanks again everyone for all the tips.

OP posts:
hoxtonchick · 08/04/2006 08:30

let us know how it goes :)