The highlights that were the perfect caramel complement to tanned skin back in June have now been sun bleached to a brassy blonde that does nothing for my winter complexion, I’m hankering to return to my brunette roots (by which I mean childhood hair colour, my actual roots are sadly now grey). Who better to entrust a colour correction job to than the experts at Jo Hansford? Celebrating her 28th year in business, Jo herself has been described as the “first lady of colour” by Marie Claire and “best tinter on the planet” by American Vogue, and she has built a team of the Capital’s best colourists. Up until late last year they worked exclusively from her Mayfair salon, but November marked the opening of a second, luxurious new salon in Harvey Nichols, and I’m as keen to check it out as I am to get my tresses tended to.
The space is surprising – open and bright, it features a wall of big windows that flood the salon with natural light. And it is huge, spreading expansively across 3,200 sq ft, and boasting two private rooms (for clients who prefer their privacy), pedicure stations and a treatment room offering traditional beauty services like spray tans and waxing. It is seriously impressive – easy to forget that you’re in the middle of one of the UK’s busiest department stores.
My colour is being seen to by Alex, who, having worked with Jo since the age of 18, is one of her original colour angels. She agrees that the highlights need to go, and recommends a glossy, warm brown tint, through which the highlights will peep, giving the look of beautiful balayage. In no time at all she has mixed up the colour and set to work. Colour off, it’s on to styling. I’m booked in for a cut with Jessie, whose own sleek, long locks indicate that I am in safe hands. I am not disappointed, she tidies up the ends, giving me a blunt technical cut, with long layers around the face. The result is glamorous, glossy and gorgeous, a new look for the new year. LSJ
Tint/vegetable colour from £130, cut and blow dry from £120. 4th Floor, Harvey Nichols, 109-125 Knightsbridge, SW1 (020 7112 1493; johansford.com)
