Review: Jas Hairdressers, Salisbury

BEFORE: In this photo you can see my rather dodgy roots & split ends

I don’t usually go to the hairdresser. My daughter is two years old, and you don’t even need the fingers of one hand to count how many times I’ve had my hair cut since she was born! There are always more important things to be doing in my child-free time. I hate the forced conversation, the mirrors where it feels like the whole room is watching  you… while you watch them! I hate ending up with a hair-cut that looks great, but only when they’ve spent twenty minutes styling it, and two weeks later it looks awful and you have to book in for another cut!

Last week though, I went to Jas Hair on New Street in Salisbury. Fed up with my DIY blonde hair, grown-out layers and general mop of a hair do, I decided enough was enough.

My stylist was called Pippa, and she started by asking what colour I would like in my hair. I suggested one colour, and Pippa politely pointed out that since I’m rubbish at having my hair done with anything approaching regularity, it might be wise to have two colours: one lighter, and one my natural colour, so that I don’t end up with horrendous roots as it starts to grow out. I liked her thinking! I have very thick, long hair and it took around 90 minutes to put foils through my whole head of hair. During this time, I quizzed Pippa on the best way to ensure my hair doesn’t begin to resemble a bale of straw again any time soon. Pippa’s top tips included:

• Always wear a sun hat when it’s bright out - the sun doesn’t only damage your skin, and a hat can help prevent coloured hair from becoming too dry and brittle.
• Use a treatment mask once a week. If you don’t have time (or you’re lazy!) you can put a little in the ends of your hair before you go to bed, and it won’t add any more time to your usual routine in the morning.
• Use hair products that are relevant to your hair type: silverising shampoo for blonde hair to avoid brassiness; treatments for coloured hair; oils and serums to protect the hair.
• One very interesting point Pippa made was that I should buy a “time restore” treatment mask for “older” hair - not because I am old, but because once your hair gets to a certain length, the hair itself is old. This is not something I had considered before, but it made sense!
• If you’re going on holiday, use a protective conditioning spray before and after going in the sea or pool

The most important point I took away from my appointment was that it’s better to protect your hair from damage, than to try and repair it once the damage has happened!

When it was time to have my foils removed, the dye was washed out and a treatment put on - all while I had my feet up! I was offered a massage while the treatment worked its magic - and happily accepted! I had a lovely scalp, neck and shoulder massage which was lovely and really relaxing. Suddenly my trip to the hairdresser was becoming a pampering experience! The treatment smelled amazing too, which helped.

Before cutting my hair, Pippa smoothed some hair oil along the lengths and ends, something I’ve never bothered with before. She explained that because my hair has just been coloured, it’s important to really look after it and ensure it is protected against the heat of a hair dryer, sunshine and any other products we put on it. She also used some volumising spray. We discussed possibilities for growing out my layers, and what I could do in the meantime. Unsurprisingly, I probably need to have my hair cut more regularly, if I want it to look better!

Once the cut was finished and my hair dry, Pippa used more oil on my hair before spraying it. The finished result was amazing, and I’m really pleased.

AFTER: No roots!

What I loved about visiting Jas was the attention to detail: a massage while you’re waiting for a treatment to work; magazines with hard plastic covers so they don’t flop over while you’re reading them. Foot rests that don’t wobble; air conditioning on a hot day; equipment stored in drawers next to work stations, rather than displayed on shelves. A mirror as you go down the stairs after your cut. The music is not whatever the person in charge is in the mood for that day, but clearly something chosen specifically to create a relaxing mood. When they bring you a glass of water, it comes with a small glass of grapes. Staff who engage you in a genuine conversation instead of the standard script of questions you often get in a salon. Also I think this was the first time I’ve been to a hair stylist who has worked practically with me and my aversion to getting my hair done properly, to ensure I have a cut and colour that will last without my needing to go back before I’m ready/can be bothered. Ironically, this very detail makes me want to make a note in my diary to return in six weeks for a trim!