Finding a hairdresser that specialises in colour is a tricky business. I've been through quite a few in my time, and have often been disappointed. There are the ones who'll do a great cut but refuse to experiment with colour 'in case you hate it', ones who claim to specialise in colour but who turn out to be a little too over-enthusiastic with the bleach, and ones that do a great job then charge you so much you never want to go back. In other words, my own botch-job with Nice 'n' Easy has looked like the best of a bad bunch so far.
Having heard a few whisperings about Taylor Taylor being great at colour (as well as having seen the results on friends and colleagues), I was keen to give them a try, so I headed down to the Cheshire Street branch for a colour restyle.
Read on over the jump for my verdict
My appointment, just before Christmas, could not have come at a better time: my hair was still suffering from some peroxide 'experimentation' during the summer; the roots showing through so badly I'd been having to keep my hat on indoors. I didn't fancy the prospect of explaining to my mother that I'd just hadn't had the time or inclination to get them sorted out over Christmas dinner, and knew I'd make a mess of it if attempted a re-tint myself. Also, I was bored of the platinum blonde: the last time it had been dyed was at my local cheapo salon, where I'd wound up in a similar state the first time the roots had grown out. They'd made it look spectacularly brassy, and it was definitely time for a change.
My colour stylist, Clare, was extremely helpful in steering me towards a more balanced colour, and after I'd enjoyed a freshly brewed cup of coffee (it was still too early in the day for cocktails), set about advising me on what shades would work.
As anyone who was born blonde will know, it can be hard to get our crazy little heads around the fact that blonde hair tends to darken with age. I certainly suffer from this delusion, and tend to forget that my natural colour is no longer the sunkissed shade of lemon that it once was. So I initially felt a bit surprised at the muted tones that Clare picked out for me. She told me very gently that the bleached-out look I'd been carrying around for months didn't exactly work wonders, and that a less vibrant shade would suit me far better.
Feeling that I was in capable hands, and opted for a blend of darker and lighter shades to balance out my colour. I'm so used to lightening my hair that the process seemed a little strange, but as soon as I saw the results I knew I'd made the right choice. The dark blonde and ash blonde sections that had been added worked wonders to tone down and balance my colour, and my hair's looked shinier and healthier ever since. A post-treatment toning serum helped boost the colour and sheen, leaving it feeling supple and glossy.
Taylor Taylor is definitely deserving of its reputation as a great destination for colour treatments. You'll come out not only looking great, but feeling it too - with friendly, informative staff and cocktails for those who want them. Better still, your hair will benefit long-term from the experience, as in place of bleaches and harsh chemicals, the salon uses gentle, organic formulas where possible. Prices are competitive, with a half-head of highlights costing £87
The roots in all their 'glory' were soon seen to...
More details at Taylor Taylor's website
