With the wide array of salon choices in London, it’s sometimes challenging to find the right one that suits your needs and provides services for a wide range of hair textures. So, when a good friend raved about Amazon Salon a few weeks ago, I jumped at the chance to visit.
Amazon Salon, the only location worldwide, spans over two floors and is home to expert stylists who have worked with clients at exclusive events, like Paris Fashion Week and the Cannes Film Festival. The salon offers a variety of services from a cut and blow-dry to braids for customers of all ages (adults and children) at a wide range of prices.
Keep reading to learn about my experience, as someone with afro-textured hair.
When I decided to try out Amazon Salon, I booked a free consultation with a specific service in mind: a virgin texture release, which is a semi-permanent straightening treatment formulated specifically for naturally curly hair, color, and cut—to debut a new look just in time for summer.
First, I had a consultation. I had a great chat with Korell, the afro-textured hair stylist who helped me discover exactly what I was looking for—a versatile but low-maintenance hairstyle. We agreed on a texture release and a cut to maintain hair integrity and health. The emphasis on healthy hair was reassuring and I left the consultation even more excited for my appointment.
A week later, I made my way through London's Spitalfields Market to the Salon—the market is filled with a mix of independent stalls, restaurants like The Grocer and Brother Marcus, stores like Coach and Benefit Cosmetics and, of course, Amazon Salon.
At the salon I was welcomed warmly by Vanessa, the receptionist, and since I arrived early, she kindly offered me refreshments.
Vanessa also explained that I could use the augmented reality (AR) color bar or scan QR codes on the display shelves using my phone to order products from familiar brands like Kerastase, L’Oréal, and Redken. The salon has a huge selection of products for different hair textures and although I wasn’t in the market for new hair products , I added a few to my Amazon basket for later.
The AR screen was intuitive and in just a few minutes I was blonde, a red-head, and a brunette. It was also easy to airdrop my favorite pictures to myself for when I decide to color my hair in the future.
Before I knew it, it was time for my appointment, and I was ushered to the shampoo area by my stylist Korell. We had a quick catch-up and he explained step by step exactly what the service would entail.
A texture release takes two hours and comprises three steps outlined by Avlon’s texture release system. First, my hair was washed using Avlon’s sulphate-free shampoo, then Avlon’s dilator was added to expand my curls and finally, my hair was saturated using Avlon’s releasing lotion which enables styling versatility. All these products were then heat-activated using a 360 Degree rotary hair dryer for thirty minutes.
While waiting, I flicked through the magazines available on the Fire Tablet before choosing to watch the first episode of the new Prime Video Original global spy thriller "Citadel."
Thirty minutes flew by, and I returned to the shampoo area for another wash and then to the styling area for a blow-dry and straightening. Korell was patient enough to explain each step of the process, including how he customizes the final step based on the specific curl patterns of his clients. Since I have various curl patterns, he used a technique called mapping to divide them into sections, which helped to identify how each section would react to heat and reduce heat damage. I was impressed by Korell's attention to detail and his commitment to keeping my hair healthy.
After my hair was straightened and cut, it was time for the big reveal! I loved my new look and, importantly, my hair felt healthy. I immediately whipped out my phone to take selfies.
There’s even a dedicated space on the ground floor just for taking pictures complete with a large ring light. I made my way down the stairs to the well-lit space and spent longer than I’d like to admit taking pictures to properly document the excellent service I’d received.
Once I was done, I made my way back upstairs to join Korell for a quick chat about how to take proper care of my hair after the appointment, and when I could return for another service.
I had a wonderful experience at Amazon Salon. Although technology plays a key role in their services, what stood out to me was the expertise and professionalism of their stylists.
