On the weekend, I was invited for a blow-dry at Jamie Hill salon.
Based in the up-and-coming Swansea Marina waterfront, the hair salon opened in 2010 and has quickly established itself as one of the leading salons in the area. It has a number of accolades to its name and has recently won South West Hair Salon of the year 2014 at the Welsh Hair & Beauty Awards.
The owner and head stylist Jamie has worked with many of the top hairdressers across the UK and has won a number of top hair styling awards during his career, including the L’Oreal Talent Spotting Regional Winner and L’Oreal Mens Image Award Regional Finalists. No stranger to celebrities, he’s styled hair for Pixie Geldof, Abbey Clancey and many more. He’s also an expert columnist for national publications and has a unbridled passion for the art of hairstyling. So I felt like I was in more than capable hands.
My experience began as soon as I walked through the door. I was greeted by Jamie, who was very friendly, welcoming and full of energy. Dressed in jeans, Adidas trainers and a RUN DMC tee, he reflected the look of his salon – cool, fresh and modern. I had arrived 10 minutes early but was guided to the reception area, which had a large antique Chesterfield suite and a large choice of recent magazines. Jamie asked whether I wanted a drink and to my surprise, offered a selection of herbal teas. I’m a huge fan of speciality tea but find it’s not offered in many salons. It just goes to show that Jamie has his customers’ needs in mind.
While I waited briefly until my appointment slot, I took in the salon interior. It had a spacious and contemporary New York warehouse feel and the walls are decorated with Jamie’s personal and innovative tattoo style designs. Colourful, quirky and fun but tastefully done.
Arguably, the standout feature was the reception desk which has been constructed from the rear end of a Mini car with Jamie’s initials on the number plate. It was nice to see a salon look a bit different from the rest!
I waited less than five minutes before being greeted by my stylist Charlotte, dressed stylishly in skinny jeans, a yellow blouse and edgy leather ankle boots. She sat me down and asked me what I wanted to achieve rather than her getting on with it, which felt reassuring. I asked for a bouncy blow-dry with lots of lift and thickness. “Not a problem,” replied Charlotte. So far so good!
I was then led to have my hair washed by apprentice Monta, who was lovely. I usually dread washing my hair as its so long but she made the experience much more pleasant by giving me a head massage. It was so relaxing, I could have fallen asleep!
Afterwards, I sat back down and was placed in Charlotte’s hands again. With several years of salon experience under her belt, I was looking forward to seeing her work her magic.
Firstly, my hair was spritzed with Unite 7 Seconds Conditioner, a leave-in spray with protein complex and UV protector which detangled my hair effortlessly. Charlotte told me that the salon is the only Unite stockist in Wales, which gave them an exclusive feel – it was exciting to try out a new haircare brand!
Next, UNITE Blow & Set Lotion was smoothed into my hair, a heat-activated styling/setting lotion which is designed to create hold and promote volume. Just want I needed!
Charlotte then used the UNITE Boosta Spray which enhances texture and builds body. She blow-dried my hair in small sections, using round brushes which she rolled into my hair and left for a few minutes before unwinding, thus creating fullness at the roots and soft curls on the ends.
Lastly, Charlotte sprinkled UNITE Expanda Dust into my roots which gave me amazing volume and texture. It is a must-have if you worry about having flat hair, like me!
By the end of the session, my hair looked thick and voluminous. It was full of body and bounce with a slightly mussed up texture, which I liked as I don’t like my hair looking too perfect.
“I love undone glamour,” smiled Charlotte, as she added the finishing touches. My hair is naturally very straight and struggles to hold a curl but the blow-dry lasted well despite heavy rain and wind all weekend. I was given a goody bag of products at the end too, thank you so much Jamie!
All in all, the Jamie Hill salon was a joy. I think Jamie and his wonderful team realise that its not just service they provide but experience. Despite going on a Saturday morning, they couldn’t do enough for me and I felt really looked after.The atmosphere was fantastic and the staff were all extremely friendly, welcoming and energetic. An impressive salon, which is well worth your time.
To get in touch with Jamie Hill salon, keep updated with news and see services/prices, visit their website. Consultations are free and you can even book an appointment online, ideal when you’re on the go!
You can also follow the salon on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram .
