SALON REVIEW: SALON SLOANE, CHELSEA, LONDON
Review: Kay Frankland
As I stepped out of Sloane Square tube station early on a sunny, crisp Saturday morning my breath was instantly taken away, I’d forgotten just how astounding Chelsea is. On your door step you have some of the best designer shops London has to offer and you are stone’s throw away from the contemporary and iconic ‘Saachi Gallery’. What more could you want… Well, literally just 1-minute walk from the station you come across this stunning boutique salon, settled within one of the grandiose London Townhouses’. As soon as I entered this modern, chic establishment I was hit with this unbelievable homely smell, Fabi the wonderful receptionist greeted me and my first question was what is that smell? She said it was the candles they used in the salon and I said you must give me the name of it before I leave.
Straight away something told me I was in for a real treat today. I was taken down stairs where I was offered a complimentary drink. As it was an early appointment I opted for the cappuccino, just what I needed to start my pamper day. The atmosphere downstairs was very relaxing but because the room was underground you could see why the owner had chosen minimal interior design. All white décor with a hint of dark wood, simple yet very classy. Fabi then introduced me to Luca and Gio who were there to look after me for the next few hours. Straight away they asked me what I was looking for, I have never had highlights before so I asked Luca what he recommended and he advised me to have a soft caramel colour to compliment my existing beautiful tones. I was always a bit wary about highlights in terms of looking after them so I asked Luca what I needed to do to keep my hair looking healthy. He said because we were not using going to use harsh tones it will be very easy to look after and that I could use my normal products which was a relief for me as I like to keep things simple.
Luca’s friendly persona instantly made me feel at home, the conversation flowed and it felt like I had known him much longer than the 5 minutes I’d been there. You could see by the way Luca applied the colour to my hair that he was clearly a professional, and that he’s definitely been doing this for a long time… so I was very surprised when he told me his age… I then asked him how long the salon had been open and he said only four months which again you wouldn’t have thought. You instantly felt the chemistry between the staff and the clients, you got the sense of ‘family’ when visiting this salon, and everybody knows each other. The Motown classics playing in the background also made this experience worthwhile, Luca and myself caught each other singing along to ‘Baby Love’ by the Supremes which made us both giggle.
Once the highlights had been washed and Luca had given me a very relaxing head massage it was time for Gio to give me the finishing look. Gio is a professional through and through and he really knows how to engage with his clients. He said my hair was already in great condition, so he suggested a simple reshape, taking some of the weight off but keeping my length which is exactly what I wanted.
My whole experience at Salon Sloane was relaxing from start to finish, I was ready to face the rest of my day and looking forward to my evening at a friend’s leaving party.
Oh and I didn’t forget to ask about the candle…Cire Trudon, Carmelite – a must have in every home!
SALON SLOANE
2 Holbein Pl | Chelsea | London | SW1W 8NP