3thirty Salon Review & Final Transitioner Cut

In my three years of posting I've written just one salon review and that was for Darren Scott, quite simply put my past times haven't seen too many great salon experiences e.g. the trim that turns into a cut, relaxer left on for way too long whilst stylist does someone else's hair, using a tail comb to comb through my hair, you name it, it's happened! So when a salon contacts me to come in for a treatment I read reviews, look at their treatment list and even give them a call to see how friendly they are as well as ask a few cheeky styling questions, you know to see if they can really handle my transitioning hair! I'm not trying to leave any salon bald so don't judge me!
When contacted to review 3thirty there were a few things that worked in the salons favour having not been before:

1- Keysha Davis [Blackhair Magazine Editor] had reviewed the beauty area of the salon and had good things to say

2) The salon interior = #drool

3) I had read a fair amount of 'good' reviews

So my appointment was booked and I went in for my treatment. The salon was absolutely stunning and literally a no more than 5 minute walk from the station. It was exceptionally clean and I was given a warm welcome upon arrival.

Nikki the stylist introduced herself and we discussed my hair and what I wanted to have done [Wash, Moroccan Oil Treatment & Cut].
The process was extremely quick, Nikki shampooed my hair twice and then followed up with conditioner before then going on to apply the infamous Moroccan Oil treatment, we'll get to my thoughts on that soon! Unlike during my Argan Oil treatment at the Darren Scott salon I did not go under the dryer, instead my hair steamed under a huge thick towel for 20 minutes. Upon rinsing out the product I found my hair was no where near as soft as when treated with the Inoar Argan Oil. My thoughts were simply that the treatment did nothing for my hair, whilst also that a natural heat tool such as my trusty HairTherapyWrap would have been more ideal in creating a non-artificial warm environment. Either way my verdict was Moroccan Oil is overrated and I have no desire to give it a second chance... £30+ a pop for an oil treatment is a tad bit too pricey in my opinion.
All in all Nikki was great and took her time to detangle my hair with a wide tooth comb, finishing off with a scalp massage that almost knocked me out and had me forget about how unimpressed I was with the oil treatment.
Styling was also a breeze, Nikki told me all of the products she would use on my hair which were from the Mizani range, and then parted my hair in small sections and began to brush blow dry, applying a heat protector to each section of parted hair. She then straightened my hair and before I knew it we were done! Definitely the fastest wash & style experience I have had to date, it was pretty much effortless and I was very happy with the results.

Now the main question... 3thirty or Darren Scott? I personally can't chose, it would boil down to my location on the day as both are located in very different parts of London.

 Finally here are some pics including my third and final transitioner hair cut, I was relieved to see my hair was still intact and healthy!

Life of a transitioner!!!

Third & final cut since transitioning

Avec amour... Fiona
Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest

Darren Scott Salon | The Official Review

Okay so this 4 week fabulous straight hair story/review is one too many weeks late, but if it's any consolation it has allowed me to document my results over 4 weeks, which means the results most certainly speak for themselves!

So here's the lowdown... in October Pelumi of CareForYourHair visited the Darren Scott salon, wrote a review, dropped us some pictures and had just about everyone hopping on the 'I think I got me a new salon' bandwagon, myself included! So I gave the salon a call and turned up for my appointment in Maida Vale one early Saturday morning.

P.s. For those of you who don't know, Darren Scott is a qualified hair and make-up stylist/artist who has several celebrities in his portfolio, and who was called to style for the P&G Salon during the Paralympic Games.

Now back to the review!

 I arrived early Saturday morning and was given a very warm welcome. I was then seated, offered a cuppa and introduced to James the lovely stylist who would be doing the first half of my hair treatment. Despite having my hair cut and styled by a white hair stylist before, I have to admit I was a tad bit nervous about James doing my hair, simply because I wasn't sure if he really knew what he was getting himself into! Natural hair is one thing, 11 month transitioned hair... a different ball game entirely! 

 However not too long after I was to discover that this wash by James would be ♫Drake- the best I have ever had♫. I was too busy snoozing to remember every fine detail, but to summarise let's just say a quick shampoo, loooooong head massage and nose alluring deep conditioning treatment [I could have eaten the air, it smelled so good! - picture of products below]. 
 
Part 2 of my wash experience then followed by James taking me back to the styling seat and telling me I would be going under the dryer. Now let's pause ladies and resume to Picture 3 below! If this isn't how to give a hair loving nerd a heart attack, then what is?! All I could think was dry this, under that? No way... tangle central and early big chop? I don't think so! Yet again a few seconds later James returned to prove my doubts wrong with some Argan Oil and what appeared to be a plastic bag... I was going to have my hair steamed!

Just to fast forward, the rest of my experience at the salon speaks for itself via the pictures below. Darren styled my hair and gave me a flawless cut and finish, the type that leaves your hair dancing in the wind [literally] and feeling like silk. The results of my treatment at the Salon have lasted 4 weeks, without the need for an extra touch of heat. Shoot I even threw in some pictures below right up until recent to show how good my hair still looks!

So on that note I'll finish and say I would give the salon a 10/10 because I can and because my hair tells me too! The salon is NOT just for black hair in fact far from, it caters to European, Asian and Afro/Caribbean hair textures. The prices are more than reasonable considering the quality of service and expertise, and hey any transitioners breaking combs and using one bottle of conditioner per wash, this may just be your fix!!!


Do check out the salon site or give the salon a call if you want to find out more about their services, and don't forget to proof the pics below!

I love me some interior design... check out the eyes! Hand painted skills!

Darren, James and Laurence in work mode

Picture 3 | Peep the scary mop that poor James had to work with! Now do you know why I was nervous!!! Post shampoo hair!

That lightbulb moment when I realised I was going to get my steam on!

Yep that's right... chop chop chop! A few steps closer to the BC!

Fresh cut... even the sunshine was appreciating!

Products : Mizani Thermasmooth Shampoo and Conditioner, Mizani Supreme Oil Conditioner, Mizani Supreme Oil,
Mizani Thermasmooth Anti-Humidity Spritz, Inoar Argan Oil, and Shu Uemura Shusu Sleek Smoothing Treatment [not in photo]

Just some photos of me enjoying my hair! 

Avec amour... Fiona     Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest