It’s always a treat to get my hair done. I tend to leave it until it’s looking very two tone, with roots way too dark, so it’s with relief that I step through the doors into the calm environment of the Kensington branch of Daniel Galvin.
Above: Evie Collier, Below: Lola Plado
One thing I really like about visiting Daniel Galvin in Kensington is the friendly welcome everyone receives, and the fact that the staff seem so content. Most of them have worked here for years, which is always a good sign, and today I’m seeing one of the salon’s rising stars, Colourist and Daniel Galvin graduate, Lola Plado. The students are certainly put through their paces, it’s an intensive three year in-salon training course, so I know that Lola will take care of me.
Beginning, as all good consultations should, with Lola asking me what I’m hoping for from my appointment, we talk about shades and maintenance and after I mention that I don’t like to colour my very fine hair too frequently, she suggests some different tones of blonde highlights that will grow out gradually, so I should be able to extend times between appointments. The best thing is that no bleach is used, therefore protecting the condition of my hair, but still giving me the honey highlights I’m hoping for.
Lola is friendly and efficient and we chat away as she applies my highlights, in fact she works so fast I barely have time to open a magazine before they are being washed out. She tells me why she decided to specialise in colour, and explains how every day is different, and helping people transform their styles with different shades is so rewarding. She’s even keen on the challenge of colour correction, so no-one should feel embarrassed about any at-home-hair disasters, Lola’s got you. I speak from experience here after a disastrous pandemic home-dye job! Once the highlights are out, Lola applies a golden toner which will help blur the highlight line at the roots, along with a deep conditioning treatment and gloss, so I feel my winter hair has been given a full MOT and service.
It’s now time for a trim. There’s not a huge amount of artistic expertise that can take place with my fine-haired bob, but Evie Collier, another brilliant graduate of the academy, does such a lovely choppy style that even my mum comments “it’s very on-trend”, so I’ll take that, thanks Evie and Lola!
