The Blurb
Gielly Green says: ‘Our Flagship salon, in the bustling streets of Marylebone offers a haven of calm and indulgent luxury, together with an inspiring energetic and creative environment. Founder Shai Greenberg leads a highly experienced team of stylists, colourists and beauty experts, many who have worked on the international stage, to create an outstanding experience and exceptional level of service to clients, whatever their requirements may be.’
Great Lengths say: ‘We only source ethical, traceable human hair from India and make it become 100% Remy and Double Drawn, which means that all of the natural hair qualities are preserved by undergoing a specific and unique production process in our factory in Rome… Hair strands of different shades are expertly blended by hand to add depth to the colour and mimic the natural appearance of our clients’ hair’
The Process
I met Lauren a few days before for a colour match and chat about the result I was after. Lauren’s been doing extensions for over a decade and picked out three tones to blend in perfectly and match my natural roots and highlighted lengths. I opted for an additional inch, along with a manageable yet substantial increase in thickness. With extensions, you can go crazy thick, which has its appeal, but for someone who does Pilates most days and likes to wash their fine hair every other day, all the associated drying and styling could be a shock to the system (!)
I returned three days later for the fitting – the lovely Lauren had split each extension in half so as to make them even finer (and therefore less visible), she painstakingly affixed many small strands across the head, carefully leaving a section around my parting to allow for a T-section of root highlights at some point before the extensions would need removing and/or refitting.
After a couple of hours, I was transformed! My fine straggly hair is now thick and luscious and a couple of inches longer.
Next for the cut, Jordan had to take an inch off the longest strands to blend the lengths placed lower on the head in with the ones placed closer to the parting, but the resulting extra inch or so left after this has been transformative. Extensions offer incredible thickness at the ends, unlike most processed hair that typically withers, tapers and thins between trims.
Lauren used Great Lengths extensions, which not only use the highest quality hair but can be fitted using a less damaging cold fusion bond. A futuristic ultra-sonic wave gun affixes the hair using vibrations to mould a keratin seal to your own strands. Not only is this technique less damaging than the classic thermal fusion technique but it also allows for a more discreet, flatter root connection.
I’ve written before about how beautiful and unusual Gielly Green is as a salon, but to synopsise; it’s incredibly high-end, retains the personal touch, and everything they do is with customers’ comfort in mind. It’s unusual to find such a high-end salon without an ego – they don’t tell customers what they (think they should) want, the staff are all improbably pleasant and nothing is too much bother.
The Result
These are definitely the best extensions I’ve had. I’ve tried a few over the years – liking most of them – but these really stand out, both in terms of colour and cut. The texture of the hair is better than most, and the placement and cut means that they blend in and look totally natural. My best friend came round for supper the evening I’d had them done and – until I mentioned it – said she’d just thought I’d had a great blow-dry, which is exactly the result I was after!
My hair is much thicker, but not so much as to be unmanageable, and looks in better condition, longer, and, most importantly, is much, much more flattering around the face.
The Details
Gielly Green; 42-44 George Street, London W1U 7ES; 020 7034 3060; www.Giellygreen.co.uk Prices for extensions vary, but the price for the services reviewed here was £1,025.
