The Hair Salon Review: GA, Wimbledon, London

 

Review: Jamie Roberts 

Lets start with the Gennaro Dell’Aquila philosophy…

“At GA salons, we believe in creating beauty through nature. Our sole aim is to guide our clients on a journey to rediscovering their natural beauty.” – Gennaro

This amazing outlook resonated with me in a huge way. As a vegan and wannabe environmentalist, how could I not be excited by the idea of a salon that prides itself on such a passion?! Award-winning stylist Gennaro Dell’Aquila has a career to be envious of. In 2015 he opened his first salon in Wimbledon offering up his amazing vision. He was against the damaging effects of the overuse of chemical processes in hairdressing and set out to develop a 100% natural plant-based alternative to enhance the natural beauty of his client’s tresses. How could I not be excited by a salon that boasts no parabens, carcinogens, synthetic fragrances, nanoparticles and most excitingly no animal testing!! Gennaro I salute you!

 

After a warm greeting from Gennaro and his team at the beautiful Wimbledon salon, I was sat and cloaked in the most luxuriously silky branded GA robe. The back wall was like something out of a high-end delicatessen- I wondered what the dispensers were filled with. Gennaro then explained the development of their natural plant-based treatments. Believe me when I say that this man is extraordinary- every individually selected plant is scientifically picked- this is not just about nice smells and vibrant colours. Gennaro creates the blends based on the pH, neutralising the acidic damage of the hair strands and enhancing natural moisture deep into the follicles, for not only an instant shine and thickening but also a long-lasting nourishment.

Even my cup of tea was a perfectly presented piece of art, dried petals adorning the teak tray and filling me with a feeling of zen. Whilst I sipped my tea Gennaro set to work selecting my individualised mix of herbal blends to treat my dry scalp, bleach damaged ends, and thicken my thin limp hair. Each blend is made to order, ensuring the freshness and effectiveness of the product. The only product made ahead is their daily fenugreek solution which needs to be soaked for hours to extract mucilages that hydrate the hair and protect it. The drama of the mixing process was a sight to behold, each product dispensed into beautiful coconut shell bowls and slowly mixed to create thick creams that would give my Insta-worthy smoothie bowls a run for their money! Amla, an Indian plant rich in vitamin C was selected to make my hair glow, purify the scalp and improve my hair growth, as I had told Gennaro I am aiming to grow my hair to mermaid-like lengths.  Altea, a neutral plant that doesn’t colour the hair, was chosen for its volume and shine enhancement and protection against my daily exposure to London pollutants. Together with the fenugreek, these were literally mixed in a blender to create the most delicious green smoothie bowl. I wanted to pick up a spoon and sprinkle on some cocoa nibs!

I was then almost sent to sleep as Gennaro carefully lathered the smoothie onto individual sections of my hair, ensuring every strand got full attention, and my head was then gently wrapped in cling-film and a beautiful silk turban to enhance the work of the conditioning treatment. A gentle heater circulated to open the hair follicles, and the magic was left to work for half an hour.

With my feet up for the luxurious hair wash, overlooking GA’s private courtyard, I again was almost sent to sleep as my head was massaged and all traces of green were carefully washed away. Before the application Gennaro and I had discussed trimming the ends of my hair to improve the condition, aiming to keep my length as I am so keen to grow it. However…30mins of herb-based wonder later and my condition was the best it’s been in years! An expert blow-dry later and my bouncy wavy hair didn’t need a trim, nor did it need any finishing products- the shine was all real and all mine! A miracle!

The blow-dry was also the best I’d ever had- I have fine hair that lacks volume and is so straight that hairdressers always resort to the irons to create waves. Gennaro on the other hand expertly used his brushes to create a naturally waved bounce that held, without the need for harsh heat or hairspray. Our parting was emotional- I had to hug him- the man is a master of his trade. Ladies and gents do yourself and the planet a favour and go natural- Gennaro is the future of hairdressing.

www.gennarodellaquila.co.uk

GA SALON

154 Arthur Rd | Wimbledon | London | SW19 8AQ