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.

Whether curly or coily in its most natural state, fashioned into protective braids or twists, or restyled with wigs, the flexibility of textured hair holds no bounds. Where straightening texture hair previously called for potentially harmful chemical relaxers, a newer, more natural technique is surging in popularity, the Silk Press Treatment. The best part? The results are similar, but damage is minimal.

What is a silk press?
To have the option of going straight in a safe way is game-changing. The silk press is a method of hair straightening used on textured hair, which ensures an incredibly smooth and silky finish. The total game changer is that no chemical relaxers are needed and will last as long as you keep your hair away from water, steam or sweat. Using Keracare’s three-step thermal wonder system – which is designed for silk press treatments – texture hair specialist Kash Bishop pre-preps hair with the conditioner, washes it out with the moisturising shampoo, then applies the sealing heat protectant to towel-dried hair.

A silk press is vastly different from the hair scorching torture where hair was left stiff as cardboard. Silk Press is far gentler and more detailed, as each section is straightened in small pieces using a special method which includes slow passes and a paddle brush to further detangle leaving hair soft. The straighteners allow the stylist to monitor the heat more accurately, depending on the coarseness of the client's hair. Minimal product is used, too, which results in the hair having maximum motion.The key benefit is that the technique allows every texture to go straight, regardless of how loose or tight the natural curl pattern is. In the past, women often had to turn to chemical relaxers to achieve this effect, but the Silk Press has come along to turn this on its head.

Men with manes to die for. Look out ladies it’s the men’s turn to do the ‘do’. The Jared Jesus length to the Keanu mid length kinks are key male hair trends but there are certain hair rules to abide by get hair this long looking that good. Time to turn to the Neville Hair and Beauty Barber at the Bulgari Spa for sage advice.

Fadi Rachdi, the Neville Hair and Beauty Barber at the Bulgari Spa has seen his male clients letting go off their short back and sides! My clients have some good reasons why they are letting their manes move South. Less maintenance and less salon visits are needed between trims. Win-win for most men. That doesn’t mean you leave it 8 weeks between cuts as mane-tenance is key.

Fadi goes onto explain, "I have a unique way of cutting long hair for men which is very different to cutting ladies long hair to avoid any long hair disasters where it looks like a man is wearing a wig!”

Fadi’s unique method:

1. A wash and shampoo are imperative pre-cut, so the hair is totally void of product i.e hair gel the with a sticky residue
2. I never section the hair as the cut would be too formulaic, I want the finishes to look undone done!
3. I usually cut the hair dry, post shampoo, unless it’s a specific hair type that needs to be wet. I cut long hair while dry, so I can actually see instant hair lengths & the shape
4. I always try to expose the ears area by making it look slightly shorter than the rest of the hair
5. Also men can’t rely on those short cuts, 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioners. Product is key. I recommend using leave in conditioners and stick to creams and lotions instead of oils you don’t want anything too greasy, so hair looks lank and over glossy. At Neville Hair and Beauty, we adore the Philip Martin’s range. Shop here.

This long hair trend has outgrown the old rock god and surfer vibe. This fast moving 2022 trend is for gentleman - you won’t look quite as clean cut as you once did, so you need to go to great lengths to pull it off. So Fadi focuses on clean edges around the back of his client’s neck and sideburns. If you have a beard, he makes sure it is blended. These are key element to looking groomed and gorgeous.

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.