Quite disappointing! What was meant to be a straight forward trim ended up as an all round disappointing experience. Firstly the salon layout is crammed and it was a constant gust of cold air blowing in every time someone opened the salon door behind us.
After not much of a consultation of the current condition of my hair (being curly) and what I wanted to achieve. During the process of washing my hair, the neck-resting part of the basin kept moving to an uncomfortable angle and even when I mentioned I had neck problems, the stylist didn't think to move me to another. Instead I had to prop my hand backwards and under to keep it at a comfortable angle as she carried on. The work station she showed me to (bearing in mind there were two other empty stations) was covered in hair clippings from a previous client; I had to ask her to have it cleaned before I sat down. She was good though at describing two cutting approaches and I agreed to her recommendation out of the two to achieve a more fuller looking result, as long as I could more or less keep the length (due to work-related requirements). As she cut away I voiced my concern that more length was being cut off, but with a cheery attitude cut me off assuring me it wasn't much and it will still look great and that my fragile hair was broken (so shorter) in places which meant evening out was required - which I accepted and left her to do her job with expertise.
However after she had pointed out the fragility of my fine, highlighted hair herself, I rightly panicked when she started blow drying with no heat protector or serum product application, nothing for a super high heat (she could already tell I was finding the temperature too hot to begin with). I insisted that she put some protecting product on my hair before continuing, especially at that temperature. After having to express my concern a few times, she finally obliged and came back with an "amazing product just for [my] type of hair" and proceeded to unevenly literally soak my hair in it. (As feared, my roots were greasy within 12 hours and I had to wash my hair again - I'm used to salon blow dries that last three days.)
The hair cut itself was okay when it had been fully dried straight, a little shorter than I wanted (but it will grow and she advised that the cut would settle in 15 days and look better anyway... this is new knowledge to me). However when I asked her to slightly retrim small a part of the sweeping fringe a little bit more to frame my face the way I liked it, she point-blankly refused saying it was fine from a side profile. I look at my face in the mirror from a front profile like people will do when I talking to them. Anyway I just found it best to just ask for my coat, thank her, and even put my cap back on. Unfortunately my appointment had been paid up front so I counted my losses and left. Not that I had felt I was genuinely listened to through the experience and given the expected customer care, although she maintained a smile throughout. I have moved to the area recently but it looks like I will have to keep making the journey across London to my brilliant Spanish hairdresser in SE1! In the very least I get offered a drink and get listened to there.
The room was a bit run down, but it served its purpose. Fatima did an excellent job of scrubbing me. She was friendly and chatty, checking that I was comfortable at all times. My legs feel smoother than ever.