The Blurb:
A short walk from Ladbroke Grove and Portobello Market is 10500, a bustling unisex hair salon now celebrating its 17th year. Its edgier vibe helps 10500 stand out against the other local offerings, and after reading a reviewer rave about how they had turned her teenage daughter’s hair purple, I decided it was my kind of place.
As one stylist told me, it’s certainly not the type of salon where everyone has to dress uniformly in black. There’s a strong emphasis on individuality and creative expression, which can be felt in the décor of the salon itself, where giant, colourful prints by Danish artist Kristian von Hornsleth adorn the walls. There’s even a little terrace where one can have a quick cigarette in peace and be spared the dreaded indignity of standing on the street with hair in foils.
The Process:
I emailed Magda, the salon’s charismatic owner and artistic director, to discuss the look I was after: a very contrasted dip-dye, with my naturally brown hair turning light blonde in the lengths. When I arrived for the appointment, Magda started with a cut, working quickly and skilfully to trim and add some layers to give definition to my hair. As someone rather dedicated to my long locks, I was relieved that her ‘two inches’ off the ends was very modest, and left it looking much healthier.
The lightening process should have been simple considering that my hair has never been bleached, but little did we know that it would prove to be particularly stubborn. It took around eight hours, including five washes, three bleaches and two rounds of toning before my hair was blonde, and by the end of the day almost every stylist had been involved. The lengthiness was partly due to the ammonia-free (and cruelty-free) bleach used by the salon, which is less harsh than more chemical offerings, and thus slightly slower in processing. Although I’ll admit that by the final blow-dry I was very ready for dinner (and falling asleep in my chair), I appreciated the unwavering dedication and enthusiasm of Magda and the other staff throughout the whole process.
The Result:
While I certainly hadn’t planned to be in the chair for quite so long, it did mean that I could sit back and observe a day in the life of 10500. From the trio of long-time clients that caught up over a bottle of rosé, to the newcomer who had heard of Magda’s status as a curl-aficionado (and who left with hers looking fabulous and bouncy), the salon was full of life and happy customers. Even a young woman who came in in tears (I can’t say I understood why, her hair looked great) was handled by a stylist with calm professionalism. The atmosphere in the salon was light-hearted and fun, and the staff caught up with clients like old friends.
Thanks to the more gentle bleach, my hair is still shiny and far from fried, despite the multiple applications. Magda also kindly gave me some purple conditioner to help maintain the colour and counteract any brassiness that may develop. There are a few slightly golden tones in places where the colours blend which I may brighten a little in the future, but aside from that, I love the finished look. And if the 150 ‘likes’ on the picture I put on Facebook is anything to go by, it’s a big hit with everyone else, too.
