Suedey Salon by Mark Alexander, Bloomsbury

I exited Suedey salon with two things: beautiful, glowing, much improved hair, and a lovely new friend. Mark Alexander's new salon is a treat, a petite corner shop with charm and character aplenty.

Suedey is located in Bloomsbury / King's Cross, an area of London that is seriously up and coming. The whole street is just delightful... I'd absolutely love to rent one of the unused properties for a creative pop-up shop, or just as Thoroughly Modern Milly headquarters. Very tempting.

Owner and creator of Suedey, Mark Alexander has been working from home for the last eleven years, opening this salon a couple of months ago after spotting the adorable venue whilst cycling by one day. He acquired it that very day, a few weeks later and he's open for business.

With an impressive list of fiercely faithful clients, the salon is always buzzing with friendly faces and happy customers. Mark has been rushed off his feet, and after visiting I can understand why... thanks to the simple concept and his caring, friendly personality it is a joy to spend time here.

He is dedicated and talented, not just at hairdressing... but at making delicious (spicy ginger) tea, decorating the main room (with blooming tangerine coloured roses) and creating a lovely ambience (with an intriguing playlist, and subtle scent through the air).

But of course Suedey is primarily a salon, and at this it excels. Sure, it is still a little rough round the edges - for instance, the sign still needs to go up outside, but there is plenty of time for the finishing touches. Mark was refreshingly thorough with his analysis of my hair, bringing out drapes of violet and red material to gather information about what tones and colours suit me naturally. We agreed that my hair had an excess of ash tones, a khaki green hint that needed to be eliminated. Examining my roots and ends, he decided on an interesting method to increase the brightness and creaminess of the blonde. First a brighter tone was put carefully through my hair in foils, then the remaining hair was painted with a pretty shade of blonde. Though the method is lengthy, the time flew by as Mark and I discussed everything and anything, and I drank endless cups of tea!

The results were glorious: a much brighter and fresher looking colour, more Marilyn-esque and generally a hue that suits me much more.

You will understand if (or should I say when) you visit Suedey why I think it so exemplary. Mark Alexander is a brilliant hairdresser and host, and I cannot recommend him highly enough.

More info here, website coming soon.

A vintage up do at The Painted Lady, Shoreditch

A vintage updo is a sure-fire way to sweep away the gloom of January and the post festive blues that seem to be casting a shadow over London. Shoreditch is the place to go, with new shopping mall BOXFRESH up and running and plenty of quirky shops, cafes, exhibitions, and salons; it is heaven.

On Saturday morning I paid the east a visit. The Painted Lady on Redchurch Street was my destination, a vintage hairstyle makeover my objective. I went to see Belinda Hay who started the salon two years ago - it is flourishing. It is an adorable place with vintage décor and furniture, a little squashed but with tons of character and charm.

Belinda is a vintage goddess, her book ‘Style Me Vintage’ is a must for all retro wannabees, illustrating carefully how to create each of the typical vintage hairstyles for yourself at home. We decided on a forties/fifties style, ‘The Marilyn Set’ for me, Belinda thought it would work particularly well with my newly blonde short hair.

Belinda used authentic techniques to create my Marilyn hair… no electric curlers, good old-fashioned rollers were pinned into my wet hair, and then I sat beneath an antique looking dryer for thirty to forty minutes before having the curls brushed through and arranged in place. I absolutely loved my hair, so unique and glamorous. A vintage updo can change your entire look; I highly recommend it for a special night out.

I felt straight out of the musical Hairspray - I had to quickly arrange some evening plans so I could show off my new hairstyle!

Visit The Painted Lady website to book here.

Daniel Hersheson salon, Conduit Street

When I think of Daniel Hersheson I think of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, the stunning model with gorgeous hair pictured in many of the adverts for this fabulous salon. Hairdresser extraordinaire, Daniel Hersheson has gained epic success thanks to his talent and entrepreneurial spirit. The Daniel Hersheson brand has become very highly regarded with salons in Conduit Street and Harvey Nichols, and several additional blow dry bars.

Feeling very insecure about the shade of my newly blonde hair, I went along to try out the smart Conduit Street branch for a luxurious colour makeover and blow dry. It was a beautifully sunny, crisp December morning as I walked along Bond Street, I was hugely excited to be visiting this famous hairdresser’s boudoir. It was the day of my Christmas party and so the pressure was on for my stylists to create a suitably pretty hairstyle and colour. Understanding my dilemma about the yellowy tint to my blonde hair, my lovely stylist talked through a few options. I had brought along a photo of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and asked her to recreate a similar honey hue for me.

To start, my hair was covered with a dark blonde semi permanent colour all over. This was washed out after twenty minutes and my stylist used a new highlighting technique to add a natural glint into my hair. Balayage (from the French meaning 'to sweep') is a revolutionary new method, abandoning traditional foils in favour of simply painting colour onto the hair, resulting in less noticeable regrowth and a more subtle result. The secret success of Balayage comes from fading in the colour at the root, making it heavier through the lengths and then saturating the ends, if you haven’t tried it, I can highly recommend it.

The blow dry was the best bit… each stylist has a young helper who stands beside them handing out the utensils and assisting, I felt very special being pampered by two stylists at once! After flicking through some magazines, and spotting a particularly lovely fashion shoot with none other than Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, I decided to go for a sixties look, with big luscious curls framing my face. The styling was gloriously glamorous - I walked out feeling so dazzling I’m sure I had noticeable bounce in my step.

Daniel Hersheson is a divine salon where the hairdressers are true artists. As I had my hair dried, I sat next to Daniel who was immaculately cutting a client's hair, it was amazing to watch. It became clear that his salons have become renowned not just because of his talent but because of his drive and expertise.

Visit the Daniel Hersheson website to book here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 78

This post is all about beauty products that I have tried and tested. Recently I have had the pleasure of sampling a variety of brands, pampering my skin and hair to discover which are the hottest products on the market.

Jane Iredale: make up – These are healthy mineral cosmetics that focus on benefitting the skin. As a fake lashes addict, I am the perfect candidate to try the Jane Iredale Professional Faux Lashes and latex-free adhesive. Applying and removing fake lashes can put a real strain on your natural lashes, and the glue used often pulls away your own hairs, with the latex in the glue often causing irritation. Jane Iredale’s lashes are skin friendly and I can promise look very glamorous. Use with the PureLash extender and conditioner cream to ensure natural lashes look as healthy and full as possible. Buy here.

Gielly Green: hair products – Until I was eighteen I hadn’t coloured my hair at all, and the condition was perfect - long, glossy and healthy-looking. However as I get older and colour my poor hair more and more, the condition is definitely suffering and I need something to nourish it. Gielly Green offer a brilliant range of hair products to revive tired, weak, dull hair. After using the luxurious Repair shampoo, the Argan Rescue is a lifesaver, just add a few drops of this non greasy remedy to towel dried hair and comb through; it will strengthen hair within a few days. I have also tried the Repair Mask (basically a face mask for hair!) which adds instant moisture to damaged hair. After I rinsed it out and blow dried, I felt like I’d stepped out of a salon… this is definitely worth a try. Buy here.

Estee Lauder: skin care – It was my mum who introduced me to Estee Lauder’s Daywear cream. This tinted moisturiser gives SPF 15 protection and brings oil free moisture to thirsty skin, while giving you a healthy glow. Strangely the cream doesn’t seem to have fake tanning product in it, it is a grey granulated cream texture and works wonders on every skin type, adding a boost of colour and pep to every skin tone. And an added bonus – it has a deliciously fresh cucumber smell. Buy here.

Need a few stocking fillers? These tried and tested beauty products are sure winners.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 72

Beachy hair is almost impossible to obtain and maintain unless you are actually on a beach and have access to the sea. Then there are the models in magazines also possessing the perfect tousled hair, and ever since I can remember I have wondered how I too can achieve this laid back and pretty state with my badly behaved locks.

While at hairdressers Pimps and Pinups the other day, I was introduced by my stylist to Kevin Murphy’s range... assuming they would just be more useless, over priced and sticky products I took no notice while she applied them to my new haircut. However even I had to admit the results were pleasing, and the products smelt delicious.

The Kevin Murphy range was developed from a simple philosophy: moisture, strength and regeneration. The website is clear and concise and explains what is best for different types of hair. I’ve heard a few people mention how brilliant the shampoo’s and conditioners are but I only had enough to buy the styling products used on my hair. I bought HAIR RESORT (£15), used to add body and texture to hair, strong but weightless. This should be crunched into hair when still wet for the best results. Then my favourite stuff is the EASY RIDER (£16.50) product used to defrizz and activate the natural curl in your hair. It can be applied to damp or dry hair and will add vitamins and minerals to treat the hair while also styling it.

I am so glad to finally find a hair brand I can trust and rely on every day, and at last I seem able to create a bit of that unattainable beachy hair look.

Visit Kevin Murphy website here.

Pimps and Pinups, Hair Salon, Spitalfields

Pimps and Pinups, I'm not sure about the name, was the venue for my much needed makeover last week. Feeling revitalised by the autumn sun, I decided on shorter and blonder.

This wacky hair salon is located in Spitalfields, East London, an area of our city that is perhaps over-populated with trendy salons, though I immediately felt there was something different about P&P. Most obviously the pricing, there are no levels with the staff here, everyone is considered to be of the same standard, regardless of age and years of experience. It is a simpler and less fussy way of doing things and this, in turn is certainly reflected in the lovely atmosphere in the salon.

On arriving, I was enthusiastically greeted and offered a glass of wine or beer, before my flame haired stylist Anita came to collect me. We chatted briefly about what kind of thing I wanted, and I handed over a photo I had found of a desirable cut. She seemed to understand instantly and we were away at once. First the hair was backcombed and painted with the light bleach, the dip dye technique I had previously experienced. The sweetest boy came over every ten minutes to check if I needed a drink refill.

After my the bleach had performed to Anita’s satisfaction it was over to the sinks for Toner, Shampoo and Conditioner, and an absolutely heavenly head massage... it is debatable whether it is worth going to the hairdressers just for the massage. Though the cut didn’t seem too extensive (a few inches off), the style change from shoulder length to proper bob seemed quite drastic to me. Anita was nifty and chopped away with precision and speed until a little while later I was all done and being prepped with sweet smelling products. She kindly offered to trim my fringe free of charge whenever I need it. I skipped out the salon feeling lighter and prettier with my new East London bob.

Reasonably priced, laid back and super cool, this is a salon that will make anyone and everyone emerge feeling good.

Visit the Pimps and Pinups website here to book. Or if you’re in New York, there is a branch there too...

Taylor Taylor Salon, Spitalfields: cut & colour revamp for Thoroughly Modern Milly

Right, listen up you trendy guys and girls - it's time to ditch Toni & Guy, Headmasters and the rest of those other boring standard hairdressers... Rock up to Taylor Taylor, the hippest hair and beauty venue in London, where summer cocktails and sweets are just part of the service.

I went along to try out this cool salon last week. It's located on Commercial Street next door to Spitalfields market, an area reminiscent of Soho in New York, edgy and quirky, the place oozes style. Inside I was reminded more of a chic Parisian boutique, all floral and pretty. There is a very special feel to this salon with the bespoke chandeliers, lizard-skin covered chairs, and a gorgeous candy striped staircase that reminded me of Coco Chanel’s boudoir.

My lovely colourist Amy chatted away to me while painting my hair. I was having the dip dye effect - the roots are dyed darker, and then blended in with backcombing before the lower hair is lightened; the result is basically grown out colour and dark roots, a look I have always admired but never quite had the courage to attempt before. As a serial hair changer: light, dark, short, long, layered, straight, highlights but not necessarily in that order, I get bored easily and it seems my hair is the easiest feature to alter about myself. Dip Dye was clearly a logical next step for me.

After the colouring was complete, I was left for twenty minutes, for the colour to take effect. I read Vogue and gladly accepted a second cocktail. Soon it was time to venture to the luxurious washroom area to have the foils removed and my hair rinsed. Amy and I decided on an appropriate tone; the toner was added to my hair to secure the final colour. She had done an amazing job, the colour is quite a radical change and yet using her clever technique it looks natural and summery, as you can hopefully see from the final photos.

I was more scared about the cut, but felt reassured immediately by Frederico, my stylist. He offered his opinion, and without knowing that I am a massive Alexa Chung fan, suggested a cut a little similar to her look on a recent Vogue cover. I felt confident he knew what he was doing so left him to it. He snipped away with precision and speed and once finished blow dried my hair using a rounded brush to create a beachy look. I felt so much better, more seasonal, and much lighter headed; he had given my hair the lift it so desperately needed. The cut also really accentuated the new colour.

The cocktails here are absolutely divine - special concoctions developed for T&T, so good I'm wondering if they'll let me come back with some friends, just for Friday night drinks. They are delivered on a silver platter with a dish of moreish salty peanuts! There were four individual cocktails to choose from: I tried the Rose Bellini first, beautifully presented in a champagne flute with a cherry at the bottom, the drink was a beautiful pinky coral hue with an enticing scent (rose water, peach syrup, Champagne and a splash of cranberry). Then for a second I went for a Moscow Mule (Classic vodka and Old Jamaica ginger beer, with a burst of freshly squeezed lime juice and a sprig of fresh mint) - this was served long and was wonderfully refreshing.

I didn’t want to leave this sweet smelling boutique salon, and promised Amy I’d return soon for another hair makeover... I’m already flicking through magazines trying to find an excuse to return!

For more info and booking, visit: www.taylortaylorlondon.com

Hot on the Highstreet Week 11

You may have already heard about Moroccan Oil... It is the hottest new hair product, and it really, really works.

I was introduced to it only recently by one of my most stylish friends, who incidentally also happens to have the most luscious locks. We were on holiday in Croatia, and out came this magical little bottle. I was sceptical, many a time have I been conned into buying a pointless hair product. However this oil made an enormous difference to my hair.

In summer hair can get dried out and tired from all the sun, sea and salt. Moroccan Oil should be applied after washing your hair and while it is still damp. Put a drop on the palm of each hand, rub together and smooth over hair. And it’s as simple as that.

Check out all the products on their website: http://www.moroccanoil.com/index.php. A 100ml bottle costs £29.95, with free delivery from here. One bottle will probably last you a lifetime.

I promise it will transform your hair.

Float like a butterfly... Sting like a bee...

Pearl and Ivy (Carly Beischer and Samantha Neary) are a dynamic duo who create the prettiest of hair accessories. I first spotted them at Portobello Market a few months ago, back when their feather headbands were one of a kind. Strongly influenced by the fashions of the 1920's and '30's their hair ornaments are ethereal and yet have a fierce bold quality. They definitely make you stand out from the crowd.

Sadly as Pearl and Ivy's ideas flourished others began noticing their inventive products and started creating cheap copies, and now brightly coloured feathered creations appear round every corner of the West London market.

The products from Pearl & Ivy show real artistic flair, and a beautiful attention to detail. The feathers are selected and arranged with the upmost care, so that each headband has its own individual charm. They seem delicate, but are in fact quite sturdy and mine has lasted well through many dancing nights out! They are also incredibly versatile and can be worn in a huge variety of ways, some of which are demonstrated on the website - http://www.pearlandivy.co.uk/

I wear my headband with every and any outfit, it adds spice to my look but above all makes me feel regal and glamorous, which is how every girl should feel.