Review: The Strand of London

Have any of you had some of these problems with your hair colour?

• Moved house and can't find a local hairdresser as good as your old one?
• Have kids and don't have the time to have your roots done regularly?
• A few greys starting to peep through?

I've been up against all 3 of these over the last few years and I had pretty much lost hope. I'm sure I must be a difficult customer, as much as I want a low maintenance hair colour, I still want to be blonde. I thought I'd found a solution with Balyage, but left the salon thinking why the hell have I just spent £100+ only to still have roots. Does this sound familiar to you?

Well if you live in or near Poole the problem has been solved! 

The award winning (Best Salon in Dorset 2021), Strand of London in Ashley Road are one of the only salons to offer 'The Hollywood Colour Blend' and no this Hollywood doesn't mean removing all of your hair like it does in a beauty salon.

The method is pretty technical and Michael and the team there do seem like miracle working scientists but in laymen's terms, you end up with natural and glossy colour - like Balyage - but without the obvious difference in colour on the root and ends (the blending is seem-less). 

Michael, the general manager of The Strand of London trained directly with the creator of the course - Catherine Bowden and you have to pass to be able to advertise and offer this particular method of colouring - which is why we're so lucky to have Michael and The Strand of London here in Poole!

How is the natural look achieved? The Hollywood Method is done in 3 stages and is completely customised as everybody's hair is different. A demi-permanent all over colour is applied in stage 1 to give a blank canvas, then your hair is washed and conditioned.

Stage 2 - the hair is highlighted using foils - but in a completely new way I have never seen or heard of before; my hair was back combed for each foil which is the key to really natural non-stripey looking colour. The bleach is then rinsed and then the magic all comes together in step 3 when the different coloured toners are applied. They're left for 10 minutes followed by a rinse and hair treatment. They use Olaplex and Muk products and I'd joked to Michael that I was expecting to leave with Jennifer Aniston Hair and I actually did!

I know this must all sound like it isn't particularly low-maintenance and the first time you have a Hollywood Colour you can expect to be in the salon for about 5 hours (Michael and the team are such good company though I only felt like I was there for a few hours), BUT the beauty is that the look you achieve is so natural and the way the colour is created, you only need maintenance appointments every 8-12 weeks at an around an hour each time. So although there is a large investment in time and money for your first appointment you will save this hugely for future appointments.

I cannot thank Michael and the team at The Strand of London enough. As well as finally achieving a low maintenance look I love. I had a really lovely afternoon there and enjoyed the whole experience - from the company and service, to the choice of refreshments, friendly environment, and the location on Ashley Road, which is super convenient with lots of parking nearby.

They also get another brownie point for their PETA approved vegan and cruelty free products.

I'm so pleased I've finally found a salon I will be sticking with long-term and if you are on the hunt for a new hairdresser then I strongly recommend Michael and the fantastic team at The Strand of London.

Take a look at The Strand of London's website for more information and don't miss their fantastic special offers which include 25% OFF your first appointment and a refer a friend scheme. And you can view examples of their work on their Instagram.