Has anybody been to Daniel Galvin?

[GermanGirlinLDN]

My lovely hairdresser has relocated to Vienna and I am looking for a new hairdresser in Central London. Has anybody been to Daniel Galvin and can let me know his opinion?

Yes.Have actually tried it several times as a friend is very keen on it and has been going to Lino there for years ( he also does Anthea Turner and Dave Cameron fwiw).

BUT I've been very disappointed with it each time. Hugely expensive - even the bottled water there is about a fiver and they insisted on putting a ' detoxifying' rinse on I didn't know I needed and charged £15 for it. My last visit with cut and colour and a few highlights cost me around £500.

However I've never found the cut particularly great and - though they are colour specialists - have twice had to go back to have my colour corrected - highlights far too 'ashy' tho I'd said that was just the shade of blonde I didn't want. To be fair, they didn't charge for the return visit.

I also find them too stuffy and traditional.But my friend loves them!

I strongly recommend the Aveda flagship salon in Covent Garden where I go . Great cut and colour and more relaxed, modern atmosphere .

If you want something more trad, I rate John Frieda in Mayfair ( Joel) and, again for a more relaxed atmosphere,, Charles Worthington Covent Gdn ( Jess).

£500? £500? I am astounded! Rarely shocked by anything but that's done it.

I've been going there for quite a few years now. I see a chap called Bobby who started as a junior and worked his way up. All the stylists are more on the traditional side, you're not going to get a super-cutting-edge look, but you get a well-groomed, polished look which is what I am after.

If you want a cost effective way to go there, just ask for one of the younger stylists who are cheaper. They only hire the best juniors and develop them (so their price does go up over time). There is a nice young girl who just got taken on as a stylist over the summer who gave me a gorgeous blow dry, can't remember her name though.

Lino is one of their most established guys so does charge big bucks. There are lots of others at the salon who are cheaper and very good.

I was certainly shocked by the £500 bill (for cut - not with Lino that time but Tallulah - colour, less than half a head of highlights, the 'detoxifying' rinse I didn't want and one water).
I stood out on the pavement stunned!

Obviously if you don't want colour, go to a junior stylist and don't have any of their overpriced refreshments that will bring the cost down.

You'd still have to decide if you liked the general atmosphere of the place.

If I were you, I'd go for consultations at 2 or 3 salons - including DG if you fancy it - and decide which one you 'click' with/ understands your needs.

Sorry I'm flabbergasted that a salon charges for a drink. I have never paid for a drink at a hairdressers ever. If I'm paying £500 or £50 for a hair do, then I want a free drink. Heck my hairdressers give free wine and beer.

Have to say most West End salons do charge but not that much!

At Aveda you get their own herbal tea free.

Also at Worthingtons for a flat rate (£2.00 I think) you get unlimited soft drinks coffee and sparkling wine/ bucks fuzz plus nibbles which is reasonable value.

£500? £500?!!! faints

And I was whining about paying £65 yesterday for my highlights and blowdry....

I'd want a whole new HEAD for that price!!

Well. as I've said, to be fair it wasn't just a haircut but colour - base colour and highlights. But even so ....

Does it have to be central London ? Daniel at pierpoint on archer st is good and I go to lulu blonde in wimbers village. Have done for years. They are brills and costs about £170 for colour and cut

I've been going to DG for 10 years and am totally hooked. Will probably have to stop very soon due to change in circumstances.

I started to go grey very early (around 30). The lady who does my colour is amazing. It has always looked really natural (so people tell me). My hair is a light brown colour and she has kept it from going down the 'blond' route which is tricky when you want highlights to cover the grey instead of an 'all over colour'.

It is outrageously expensive but I cut down on every other area of personal expenditure to maintain it as I wear my hair every day!

I've also had the same guy cutting my hair for 10 years and have never had a cut I wasn't happy with from him. I met him when he was very young. However, a couple of times when I couldn't see him, I've seen a couple of other stylists and didn't like the cut at all. I'm hopeless at describing what I want and so always end up disappointed.

To be fair to DG Ivy my friend's experience of them would echo yours not mine. Their 'chemistry' doesn't seem to work with me and that's why I'm not willing to pay their prices. ( Not that Aveda are super cheap but I'm happy to pay there because so happy with results.)

Also agree with you that, in all salons, some stylists seem to suit and others don't.

Charge for drinks? my salon has a menu and everything is free!

Good Lord,500 quid?

Yes, should say again I didn't know it would be £500 when I went in!!

Apart from the ' extras ' mentioned ( 'detoxifying rinse ' which I assumed would be free when offered and the water ) the main problem was they charged me full whack both for a base colour and half a head of high lights - tho I have short hair and had far less than half a head. The total for these two was well over £300.

Aveda and Worthington both do a 'creative colour' which included base colours and a few highlights round my face for the price of the former ( so under £100).

£500 and you wasn't happy with the results

They've got a brass neck to charge that even in the centre of London! I mentioned once while I was having a colour that I'd missed lunch and one of the juniors popped out and got me a sandwich!

I went to Hemppa at Charles Worthington off Charlotte St for years till I left London about 7 yrs ago. Cut and colour was usually about £160 and I was never disappointed (and I went there for about 7 yrs and went from short to long and back again).

Ps I also went to DG twice, once just before new year when the salon was pretty quiet but when I went back 6 weeks or so later, the hectic pace of the salon totally grated and I never went back.

Thanks for all your replies. I like it 'traditional' and I only need a haircut, as I don't really dye my hair. I will give DG a go after Christmas.

Fwiw, I think Tallulah there is pretty good and not in top price bracket. As said, my friend is very satisfied with Lino, who is certainly 'conservative'/ traditional ( perhaps why David Cameron and his wife go to him).

As you say, if you stick to a cut with no colour and don't order their pricy food and drink, the price shouldn't be too horrific.

If you don't like DG by any chance and want somewhere else 'traditional' I really rate John Frieda in Aldford St, Mayfair.

I used to go to Joel there (10+ years ago )but think he is one of their most expensive stylists now.

If it were me, I'd get a free consultation at both salons and see which you one you were happiest with. But that's just me.

Do you know how much Lino charges for his haircut?

Sorry but one more at £500 for a haircut!

I have full head of multi toned highlights over a tint, at Toni and Guy, it's utterly perfect and only £140 with a cut and blowdry - I can't comprehend spending that sort of money. That's a really nice handbag or a cheap week in the sun! I would have collapsed in a heap as a gibbering wreck if I didn't know in advance how much it was going to be.

Sorry, I'll go and sit on a bench now

Well obviously I wasn't happy,as I said !

Knew how much the cut would be but hadn't reckoned on them charging for all over colour and a half head of highlights ( thought I'd made it clear I didn't need a whole half head).

At Aveda I pay about £170 or so for cut and colour but am happy to do that.

Think you should be able to find Lino's prices on their website, btw. There's a little bit on there about each stylist.