Daniel Galvin Jr must be fed up of being compared to his famous hairdressing father – his glamorous Belgravia salon couldn’t be more different to the huge venue his father owns in Marylebone. This stylish boutique exudes charm and elegance, decorated in a smart black and white colour scheme, it reminded me of a Parisian salon. It is cool and slick inside, pretty people sit flicking through magazines while their hair is rejuvenated.
A host of celebrities sing Daniel’s praises and his Belgravia salon is a regular hangout for the Made in Chelsea gals so I knew I was in for a treat when I arrived on a Saturday morning for a colour and cut. With the sun finally reaching our London skies, I felt ready for a few highlights and a shorter bob… lighter and brighter for the hotter months.
Daniel calls his staff the ‘Dream Team’ and after my experience I couldn’t agree more, the hairdressers here are professional, friendly and knowledgeable. It was obvious immediately that the health of the hair comes first… and when I suggested dip-dying to my colourist Olyvia, she shook her head declaring it too damaging for my hair. It was refreshing to have a hairdresser who was brave enough to assert her experience and offer her opinion. I was impressed throughout with how personalised the service is at Daniel Galvin Jr, I truly felt like my stylist and colourist cared about the health and look of my hair. Together we decided on a half head of scattered highlights, only slightly lighter than my natural colour to offer some warm honey hints. The time passed quickly as Olyvia filled my hair with silver foils and we chatted enthusiastically.
Everyone was incredibly efficient and before washing out the foils, a junior colourist came by several times to check on the developing colour, washing out the relevant dye from various parts of my hair as and when it was needed. The salon is surrounded by designer shops and cafes and lucky for me they have a deal with the Ottolenghi cafe round the corner serving up the tastiest salads ever for reduced prices. You can order your meal from the menu and someone will fetch it for you while your hair dries. I ordered numerous coffees which arrived promptly and were deliciously roasted and rich, each cup accompanying by a sweet and yummy Bonne Maman Coconut Madeleine.
After an energising wash downstairs (sadly no head massage) I went to have my hair cut. This was sharp and speedy, again the stylist (the brilliant Natasha) checked constantly that I was happy with the length and style and then blow dried my hair quickly before using GHD straighteners to add defined messy curls throughout. It felt so much fresher and bouncier.
A week later and my hair is still feeling soft and natural, transformed from its previous distressed over-coloured state. At Daniel Galvin Jr they promote healthy organic products which ensures that your locks are kept in good condition long term rather than just as a quick fix. Aside from a superior haircut and colour, Daniel Galvin Jr is a gorgeous salon to spend time in. You don’t just go to Daniel Galvin Jr once… this salon becomes a way of life.
Visit the Daniel Galvin Jr website here and follow the salon on twitter @danielgalvinjr