Destino Says...
You can always tell when a location is a beauty stalwart: there’s an air of calm, understated yet refined luxury, and staff tend to treat you like a regular even if it’s your very first visit. Ridiculously, despite years working in the beauty industry, I hadn’t found myself in the Michael Van Clarke salon before, but even after one visit, I hope to return.
Tucked in the centre of Marylebone, it’s a visit that has left a lasting impression. From the flower-filled reception (a welcome change from the usually bland, if non-existent, waiting areas in hair salons) to the ridiculously good haircut and conditioning treatment I trialled.
Van Clarke’s approach to cutting is what’s made him a go-to for the last 25 years. Everything here is about preserving (and if needs be, resurrecting) hair health. He therefore cuts hair dry, explaining as he does so why wet cuts leave hair harder to style, and lamenting the current tendency of other stylists to make longer hair hang limply due to the shape of the cut. “Get a cut right,” he explains, “and it should feel healthier, have more volume and bring a hairstyle to life.” It was interesting watching him work: it felt both random and meticulously planned, but the result was remarkable. Without using any product or restyling, my hair went from flat to looking more like its thick old self – from dry, scrappy ends to looking as though I’d already had a blow-dry. It’s no wonder he calls this his Diamond Dry Cut. Afterwards came their in-salon Lifesaver Treatment: hair coated in a deep conditioning cream, some luxurious relaxation time under a gentle steam hood (giving me time to devour a restaurant-worthy avocado on toast from their in-house kitchen), followed by an excellent blow-dry.
In the days and weeks afterwards rather than break off, my hair continued to grow past a point that I’d been trying to reach for years. His at-home haircare range, including the best-selling Cashmere Shampoo, Conditioner and Lifesaver Treatment is amongst the best I’ve tried and easily rivals (and surpasses) more well-known luxury brands. Side note: the Lifesaver Treatment is so good I’ve happily repurchased it and slather it onto dry hair twice a week.
A cut with Michael doesn’t come cheap (£455 at the time of writing) but it truly transformed my hair. If super-edgy styling is your thing, this may not be your place – but if you’ve been battling to get your hair healthy, want a classic cut that sits well with minimal styling, or a cut that seems to outlast others without sacrificing more length than you wanted, this is where to come. Van Clarke also hand-picks and trains every stylist in his method, so you’re in safe hands whoever you see. The team’s colour work is said to be equally good – we’re yet to try it – but expect a natural approach that nurtures and preserves the health of your hair.
It isn’t often that a place surpasses all expectations. This one did.
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