Author: Neville Tucker

In a time of uncertainty like today with an impending recession, wars, debt crisis, inflation, energy and food shortages, as well as a disrupted supply chain, holding on to our hard-earned cash is a priority for most.

Choosing where and how to invest has become a necessity and a reality that applies also to our beauty routine.

I have been working in the hair and beauty industry for over 20 years and have noticed over that time frame, that beauty consumers invest in the service (whether it be a good colour or hair cut) but then fail to invest in the routine that will permit them to maintain and extend the lifespan of their hair investment.

Whether it’s picking up a supermarket shampoo or skipping the much-needed maintenance conditioning treatment out of ease or lack of time, we omit that these actions have drastic consequences to our hair and counter the effects of the initial investment.

In a world where we are buying the correct products for our cashmere sweaters to maintain its quality and softness, why do we not have the same approach to hair?

Take supermarket products for example, which are often white labelled, they are cheaper for sure, but the quality of active ingredients in these products are poor. In order to nourish the hair, it’s important to use products which are catered to your hair type but are also dense in active ingredients. The more active ingredients your shampoo contains the more expensive the product will be. It’s important to remember that you should treat your hair with the same care and attention as you would your skin. Ultimately, you need a product that repair the hair from the inside out as opposed to just coating the hair shaft. You will also notice that when using a better-quality product of superior quality, you won’t need to use as much of the product and will notice that your hair will improve vastly over time.

I often think of supermarket products as band-aids for the hair, they cover the scar, but they don’t really help diminish it. Amongst the best active ingredients on the market, I favour macadamia, aloe Vera and pro-vitamin B-5 amongst others. These help the internal structure of the hair by restoring strength, elasticity and shine, which are vital components of healthy hair. The ingredients we should avoid at all costs are formaldehyde, methylene and sodium chloride, I call them hair-nemies.

With that in mind, at Neville Hair and Beauty we have created a bespoke 3-step approach to help you get the best out of your hair.

The Chelsea Cut

The Chelsea cut at Neville Hair and Beauty lasts for much longer than the life-span of a butterfly! This cut offers more than just a re style - the cut is a health cut for hair, giving you an opportunity to refresh lifeless hair but without taking away the length.

Also, if you are stuck in a hair rut but want to spread your wings by adding some Va-Va-Voom the Chelsea cut is for you. The cut is a versatile layered hairstyle.

Neville Hair and Beauty stylists are famed for taking a slice of hair history and refreshing it with a modern edge. The Chelsea cut is a nod to the 90s shag but a versatile cut, where the layers are placed to flatter the shape of your face. The Chelsea cut frames the face but also adds some youth and volume.

The Chelsea cut is carried out using the Thermal Scissors System, a revolution in hairdressing and hair cutting. The state-of-the-art Thermal Scissor System is the hair hero. By cleverly warming the blades, the natural qualities of the hair are preserved by sealing the ends.

Permed, bleached and treated hair can all have a slice of this new scissor action and will be totally transformed into healthy hair.

This cutting tool provides a two-pronged attack. You receive a superb Neville Hair and Beauty cut with the knowledge your hair is being treated to a new type of cut, that will heal your hair for good.

The beauty of this cut is that it can be adapted to both long and short lengths and does not compromise the length, so not drastic but more dashing. . A total win-win.

Jack Merrick-Thirlway, Creative Director at Neville Hair and Beauty explains: The Chelsea Cut is a great way to give your hair shape, movement and versatility, without losing length. The most important factor of any haircut is the shape that cuts around the face as this determines whether the look suits or not. The Chelsea cut really is about the face framing layers that we then use to choose layer length and base length to create balance for the overall look.

To commemorate Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Neville Tucker recreated Queen Elizabeth II ‘s iconic look. He has paid homage to not only the Queen, but also Charles Martin who was the Queen’s hairdresser for a large part of her sovereignty. Neville worked with Charles for many years at his salon, Neville Daniel on Sloane Street during the early 90s where he held the Royal Warrant.

Here is a step by step guide of how to recreate Her Majesty’s iconic look put together by Neville Tucker, owner of Neville Hair and Beauty and Jack Merrick-Thirlway, creative director. The true beauty of this look stems from true, authentic, old fashioned setting and dressing using only hair brushes, rollers and a hairdryer and no heated tools.

Begin by washing the hair as normal, using shampoo and conditioner. Ensure to use plenty of setting and blow-dry lotion throughout the blow dry process to provide hold. Using a hairdryer, a small brush and small rollers for maximum movement, split the hair into small sections for ideal positioning. Once the rollers are in place, the model is then put under a hood dryer for around half an hour to achieve heat through all the rollers. The elimination of tongs and straighteners at this stage is vital for the iconic, vintage look - going back to basics is the key. Once the hair is completely dry and set, the rollers are removed, and the hair is brushed through. Using a wide tooth comb, the hair is moved into the desired place and silver clips are placed around the curls and waves to keep them in place. Around the back, the hair has been carefully back-combed to achieve volume and hold. Small pins keep the hair tightly in place. The crown is then added at the front once the silver clips are removed around the front and hair covered part of the crown towards the back. Use hairspray to complete the look at to add shine and dynamism.

Spring has sprung at Neville Hair & Beauty

Philip Martin’s colour ambassador Domenico Casella unveils three new colour looks created at Belgravia’s flagship salon

Hailing from Florence, Domenico Casella has brought over his amazing Italian flair to the world of colour. Domenico, who has worked in the industry for almost 15 years, has pioneered his “Hybrid Hair” also known as Shatush; a free hand technique exclusive to Neville and Philip Martin’s using only a cone and his hands; which colours only the hair which would naturally be ‘kissed’ by the sun. Similar to balayage, Shatush is extremely soft and creates the subtlest results. Domenico has created the perfect colour service for those wishing to add dimension to their hair.

With a passion for organic colouring techniques and organic treatments for hair care, Domenico only uses the best quality products, which is why he has partnered with Philip Martin’s to be one of their Global Colour ambassadors and create these three new Spring Colour looks exclusive to Neville Hair & Beauty, available now. Casella says of the new looks; “the inspiration of the looks has arrived after a long research about the trends of the moments, the best trends of the past, and trying to predict what people will like and what our Clients would wear, as a classy, modern and effortless look.”

Fashionable, more youthful but very sophisticated, Peach Bellini celebrates individuality and self-expression. The look combines the updated shag haircut of the 70’s with a Peach coloured rinse for a new and updated shade of blonde. To achieve the look Domenico starts by using his free hand Shatush technique, adding dimension and subtle sun-kissed colour, but the results are softer and more subtle. The foil-free shatush technique is used to add dimension to the hair and frame with a brighter and lighter colour. After the hair has lifted, Domenico washes the hair before applying the new pigment by Philip Martin’s called Colour Split. This is left on for ten minutes before being rinsed in cold water for extra shine. The look is styled to appear lived in.

The classic Renaissance look exclusive to Neville Hair and Beauty developed by Domenico Casella for Philip Martin’s is a luxurious copper tone. The hue frequently found in nature represents the need to take a more natural approach to beauty just like the natural henna colour used to achieve this look. To create the copper tone Domenico starts by face framing the face using his foil free Shatush technique. After a good rinse and shampoo, he applies the copper coloured Colour Split to the roots for added depth. He then without rinsing, applies a mixture of different Philip Martin’s Henna tones to the roots, lengths and ends for 30 minutes. Henna is a natural colour service that tones, purifies, moisturizes, volumizes and offers the best re-pigmentation to faded and brittle hair. The treatment, created with dyeing herbs based on Lawsonia Inermis (in nature Intense Copper) and other herbal blends, allows the creation of a wide range of reflections.

The low-key Money Piece look by Domenico Casella for Philip Martin’s, which was inspired by Elena Lavagni, the owner of Neville Hair and Beauty, consists in very strategically placed colour that creates a soft pop at the front. Designed for international women on the go who are seeking a refined, comfortable and manageable look it was achieved by weaving in highlights delicately around the face to frame your facial features, using the foil free Shatush technique. Domenico then tones the hair with Philip Martin’s new pigment Colour slide and glosses the look with Henna for a vibrant, natural looking and high shine effect.