Review: Karine Jackson Hair and Beauty

Hair really defines a person. I asked on twitter whether anyone would be willing to brave a pixie cut. Most of the replies were a resounding NO. It seems when it comes to style, we spend years and years growing it, brushing it, and dying it, only to get bored and chop it all off. Well, that's what I did earlier this month anyway. My hair wasn't particularly long to start with, but at shoulder length it was long enough to be able to twist and tie into cute plaits and scruffy buns. Despite this I wanted a change. With Anne Hathaway and Miley Cyrus sporting perfect pixie crops, it's given women the world over confidence to be daring and try something different. That blow dried bonce might be great for Kate, but it's a bit too bland for me.

So off I went to Karine's, who promised me a stress-free pixie cut experience. I was placing my faith and trust in one woman's literal hands.

The salon is right next to Leicester Square tube, just on the cusp of Chinatown and right in the heart of theatre land. It's set over three floors, with a mezzanine area for dyes and a dark, relaxing basement with sinks and basins. Karine herself hails from Australia and, after chatting for a good few hours, it's evident she's worked hard to be a master of her trade; her salon has won countless awards, she speaks as an expert at trade shows around the world, she was London Hairdresser of the Year, and numerous celebs book in cuts and colours with Karine and her team. What more could a nervous client want?

Consultation 

I was greeted by a friendly receptionist and shown to my chair. Having settled in, I was offered a selection of drinks, from Bucks Fizz to tea. As it was a Friday afternoon I had a cheeky glasses of wine. Because, y'know, having your hair cut is a stressful experience. Or something.

The salon wasn't busy, and after a while Karine came over and introduced herself. She's a friendly, chatty person and immediately put me at ease. Explaining my new look was easy - 'I like Anne's hair' - but I had two strict requirements: I wanted my ears and forehead to be hidden. Karine was happy to oblige and started with a colour consultation. She brought swatches and checked them against my skin to make sure they wouldn't make me look washed out. She also checked the condition of my hair, which was appreciated. I wanted to go short, not bald. Colour agreed, it was time for transformation.

Hair colour

Karine's salon uses Organic Colour Systems which contain naturally derived ingredients, so no harsh ammonia. Foils were applied for a few highlights as well as a secondary warmer colour, and after half an hour I was ready to go under the heater. By this time another of Karine's regulars had arrived. It was nice to see how she interacts with everyone. When my time was up I was led downstairs by one of Karine's apprentices, fellow Essex girl Georgia, to have the colour washed out.

Hair wash

Who doesn't love this part of a hair cut? Seriously. Georgia was fantastic, considering she was only just turning 18. The wash itself was lovely, and lusciously scented products made the experience that bit more dreamy. Then the head massage. Oh the head massage. It was divine. After a good fifteen minutes Georgia wrapped me up and took me back to my chair.

The cut

The most nervy part of the experience by far. One false move on a cut this short and it would be tough to rectify. Karine started off conservatively, taking off a few inches here and there while making sure I was happy. After getting a basic shape to the style she advised that, although I wanted my ears covered, taking a bit more off the sides would look much better and would stop any tufts and would mean that if my hair was slightly curly, it wouldn't be a problem. I was in a quandary. But trusting her experience, I asked her to do what she thought was best. Her face lit up, and she started shaping the cut into something softer, multifunctional and more aesthetic.

Once Karine had finished working her magic, it was time for the blow dry. She offered me handy tips on how to maintain my new style (dry from the back, change parting every now and then) and spritzed in  texturising spray.

the result

It was a shock! Gone were my limp locks, and in their place were chic, very trendy tresses. I'll admit I loved that just-out-of-the-salon look, but I did start to worry if I had what it takes to keep that going day in day out.

I kinda feel like this review is too perfect. Surely something must have gone wrong, or been a bit rubbish, right? Whenever I'm writing about a service I tend to be a bit of a finicky customer, asking for things (like that extra glass of wine and to adjust my seat a few centimetres) to see how staff respond. But it was a seamless experience. There wasn't even the hard-sell afterwards with receptionists egging me to buy a product that'll be sat at the bottom of my hair kit for years. It's a salon full of people who genuinely love their trade. The juniors and apprentices realise how fortunate they are to work with someone like Karine, so they were busying themselves rather than huddled in the corner looking like a bunch of bored monkeys. All of them were more than happy to help.

I can't recommend the salon enough. I totally trust Karine with my hair, and I'll definitely be back to see Georgia for a wash and blowdry.

Three weeks later...

I needed time to get used to this style and figure out how to make the look my own. At first I was intimidated. And I quickly realised that going to bed with damp hair is NOT a good idea. But after three weeks, I can honestly say I love it. It's weird not having much hair to work with, but the cut is so easy to maintain (forget washing every other day, I can go four days without washing it and still wake up in the morning, give it a quick tousle and go. Words can;t describe how overjoyed I was on discovering this). The colour hasn't faded at all and has left my hair in great condition.

And even better, friends and family have all said the pixie cut suits me. I do miss styling my long hair, but this cut is just so much easier. That's the great thing about hair though, it grows back (although I think I'll be keeping it cropped for a while!)

Karine Jackson Hair and Beauty |  24 Litchfield St, London, WC2H 9NJ | 020 7836 0300 
Cut and blow dry start from £37.50, wash and blow dry £15, colour £33. Book an organic colour in August's Colour Craze and get a little extra treat, from a £25 hair treatment to a facial.

By Laura.