The one where my hair goes pink…

There comes a time in her life when a girl decides she’s bored of saying “oh, just the usual” during a routine trip to the hairdressers. Life is a bit too short to have an inch or so trimmed off with a colour top up; so while most people were setting New Year’s resolutions to do something different or challenge themselves, I set my hairdressers that task. The lovely guys at Joe’s Salon were well up for the challenge and boy did they deliver!

Before my hair makeover, my hair had an ombre colour – natural(ish) dark brown roots and lighter lengths and ends. The aim of ombre is to offer gorgeous, subtle face framing colour without the laborious upkeep of getting your roots done. I hate my natural hair colour so I’ve been a slave to highlights and although the caramel shades looked great, the upkeep and dark roots were just too much hassle for me. When Natalia at Joe’s introduced me to ombre, it was like a hallelujah moment. She explained that with a really good ombre, you only need to get your hair coloured a couple of times a year to lighten or top up the colour, perfect for the super busy. No wonder it’s become the celebrity colour of choice. Alexa Chung has been sporting ombre locks forever and  Rachel Bilson, Sarah Jessica Parker and Victoria’s Secret Angel Lily Aldridge are also ombre babes.

I loved my ombre locks but Rex from Joe’s suggested I take it a little further and said she would love to see me with light pink/white blonde pieces. During my January consultation, Natalia told me that it would be a heck of a job to get my hair that light and it just wouldn’t be able to handle it…but the look could be achieved with extensions. After a quick chat with hair extension specialist Bianca, we settled on a light pink/peachy tone. A week later, I was back to see Natalia for a pre-extension colour and she managed the impossible, I left with honey blonde tips! This is literally the best my hair has looked in 27 years and I was absolutely thrilled with the result. I would have been more than happy to keep my hair like this, but we had bigger and better plans….

I actually had tonsillitis by the time my appointment came round, some said I was crazy for heading to Joe’s but I knew it would be better for me than staying home. The stylists are all incredibly talented but what makes Joe’s stand out for me is the superb service. I always feel welcome and often pop in when I’m in the area for a chat, it’s sort of like popping in to see a friend. On this occasion, I actually left feeling a million times better than when I walked in. The fantastic hair helped, along with endless cups of green tea and the usual banter with Joe. Bianca is an artist with extensions. She spent a couple of hours weaving her magic and the result is perfect: subtle pale pink flashes which blend in with my own colour. The extensions are super comfortable and aside from taking a bit of extra care when brushing and washing my hair, it’s pretty much business as usual. I’ve been experimenting with simple hairstyles like plaits and buns, the flashes of pink seem to give me the power to make the ordinary extraordinary. I’ll stop gushing but in a nutshell: I adore my hair. I want to say a special thanks to Joe, Rex, Natalia and Bianca at Joe’s Salon for my fabulous new do.