Review: Kathryn Lewsey
Hiro Miyoshi’s philosophy is all about the omotenashi experience – and that’s just what I had from my visit to this gorgeous salon. Omotenshai is a Japanese word that means to ‘wholeheartedly look after guests’ – which is something I experienced as soon as I stepped through the door.
Located on Curzon Street, amidst the fancy Mayfair shops and buildings, this stylish salon is one of two that Hiro Miyoshi has. Hiro’s got years of hairdressing experience under his belt – with plenty of celeb clients and a wealth of barnet knowledge – so it made sense to create his own salon.
With its chic minimalist interior, serene atmosphere and gleaming white walls, I instantly felt at home as I sat down with the lovely Madaline to discuss my hair. The long bob I’d had was out of shape and the straggly ends were in desperate need of a snip. As for colour – my dark roots were out of control and the creamy blonde I once had was now a brass yellow.
The short of it? My barnet really needed some TLC.
Perfect for the job, Madaline lept into action. With so much grown-out hair, she started cutting first. Chopping off the ends to reshape my hair into a blunt length that sat just above the collarbone.
During this, I was handed a drinks menu to browse, opting for a delicious green tea and settling into the comfy chairs. Cool, acoustic tunes were playing in the background, which helped to ease away any stress from my journey on the tube.
Madaline then mixed up the bleach, before returning and painting onto my strands with expert precision. Foil after foil was wrapped around pieces of my hair to bring back the golden blonde barnet that had faded away.
When the final top ones had been applied, the bottom ones had developed, so I was whisked away to the sinks where they were taken out and washed. And once the top foils were washed out, Madaline applied a toner to neutralise the colour and blitz away any brassiness.
Once the toner had worked its magic, my locks were washed again and treated to a replenishing mask which gave my damaged strands the nourishment they so very needed.
Back in the chair, Madaline worked a stunning Oribe serum through the newly-coloured barnet. In fact, there was a whole host of hair products on the table that would be every beauty editor’s dream, including plenty of Oribe goodies (probably the best smelling hair brand in the world!).
After a generous spritz of heat-protecting spray, my hair was blow-dried – with ease and speediness – into a sleek and shiny ‘do. Madaline then used trusty GHDs, gliding them through my locks and leaving them super smooth.
Finally, Madaline brought out the scissors, perfecting the cut into a razor-sharp finish and getting rid of those pesky split-ends.
Throughout my whole time, I was made to feel extremely welcome. Every staff member went above and beyond to create an experience where I was at ease and getting the hair results that I wanted. Sometimes salons have a frosty, unwelcoming vibe, but that couldn’t be less the case here.
Walking out with my new hair I felt like I’d been seriously pampered – and made up with the buttery blonde bob that I was now sporting. They say nothing beats the power of a good haircut – I can safely say they’re right.
Hiro Miyoshi | 63 Curzon Street | London | W1J 8PD