Mayfair may seem an intimidating area to get your hair cut, but the expertise and the knowledge of the staff make all the difference at the John Frieda Salon. They all are super friendly, the salon is beautiful (think minimalist marble and black leather) and naturally I was super excited to get my hair cut by Jake Davis.
Jake has been in the business for almost 30 years having worked at Vidal Sassoon, Michael Clarke, and John Frieda. He also works at fashion week shows and events as well as presenting on QVC from time to time.
Jake will give you a completely bespoke hair cut. We discussed what I wanted in terms of my cut, he carefully listened (which I’ve found isn’t always the case with hairstylists) and he also told me what would look good on my hair, depending on my hair texture and typical style. I am growing my hair out (constantly!) so wanted to clean up the split ends without taking much of the length off. He also added a couple of layers in the front to frame my face better.
“If you don’t get your hair back to its purest form it’s not gonna react as you want it to react. It’s like putting more and more and more makeup on and never taking it off properly.” Jake told me about the importance of properly cleaning your hair.
Jake said: “start with cleaning the hair, you need one shampoo nothing else – the shampoo shouldn’t deposit anything on the hair.” That means any shampoo that says ‘volumising’, ‘anti-frizz’ etc, is an absolute no-go. So are sulphates.
Jake used the ColorWow range on my hair, starting with the shampoo, conditioner. He also used the ColorWow cocktails on my hair, Dream Coat and the styling cream to finish off. Jake explained that these go on as a hair supplement and they can also be mixed together depending on your needs. Your hair needs will constantly change, that’s why these cocktails are great. They are heat-activated but can be used on their own too as a nourishing treatment, when on holiday for example, where our routines tend to simplify.
TIPS for healthy hair from Jake:
1) Trim hair at least every two months. You will enjoy it much better, the condition, internal shape and framing on the face and much more 3D
2) Shampoos should be just for cleansing your hair
3) Use a sulphate-free shampoo, as this won’t contain a lot of extra agents. Hair has to be fresh and hydrated – no built up!
4) Only wash hair twice a week, washing more often dries hair and scalp out
5) Keep the hair hydrated – putting masks on for example
6) Letting your hair dry naturally (can use the ColorWow Dream Coat curly)
7) Find a good hairdresser to take you on your hair journey and keep visiting them.
8) Your hairdresser should know the trends – eg. now it’s all about less layers.
9) Get out of the habit of over-drying your hair and using your natural texture, and get to know your hair and its best bits, while learning to work with those
10) Instead of using heat constantly, you can do a top knot, or add hair accessories, which are an easy way to make hair nicer and more put together. Anyone can do it, learn a couple of basic styles and you are good to go.
You can book directly with Jake on the John Frieda website, email the team on aldford@johnfriedasalons.com and check out Jake’s Instagram here.
Visit them: John Frieda Salon, 4 Aldford St, Mayfair, London W1K 2AE,
+44 (0)20 7491 0840, Monday – Saturday: 9:00-18:00
