Wondering what Redken do for your hair?

As a top North West London hairdresser, using the very best quality products is our ethos!  The Joshua Altback salon only ever stocks the very best because we want our customers to have head-turning hair that bounces as they walk, looks soft, shiny and manageable and most of all is in optimum health.  Those are some of the reasons we choose Redken and this Spring/Summer, they have introduced some fantastic new haircare lines taking haircare as we know it to another level. Being official stockists we often get these products into our St John’s Wood salon first.

We do get many new clients coming into the salon asking us what they can do for their dry, damaged and split hair.  Much of their damaged is caused from extensive use of straighteners, perhaps a Brazilian straightening treatment carried out using poor quality or cheap products and another danger, over-colouring of hair.  Many have been trying to grow their hair with limited success because it keeps on breaking due to the aforementioned.  Our award-winning hairdressers will help to restore hair back to health with careful haircuts, replenish lost moisture and bring back colour to a healthy level without using harsh chemicals.  We also now recommend Redken’s Extreme Solutions range.  This is excellent for restoring balance to hair and fortifying it with nutrients.  It will also prepare hair so it can grow without breakage and the Extreme shampoo has anti-snap qualities too.  Results can be seen after washing as hair feels noticeably stronger with more elasticity and over a few months of using it, the benefits really show with hair getting stronger and longer.

For the colour addicts amongst you, the latest product from Redken is called Colour Fanatic which primes the hair and protects the colour from fading.  Not only that, it detangles hair so it is easier to comb when wet therefore avoiding pulling, damaging and snapping.  This product contains a special heat protectant so hair is not further dried out by blow-drying and it makes the blow-drying process much easier so it is less damaging.  Hair is left silky smooth and frizz free with an unbeatable shine!  This is definitely worth investing in.

Redken stock a number of different products to suit every hair type.  There are also great products for all such as Pillow Proof which is a blow-dry spray designed to keep your hair looking as good as when you leave the salon even while you sleep. So if you love that just been to the hairdresser look, this is one for you.

For more information on the Redken products stocked at the Joshua Altback Hair Salon please pop in and see us or call us on 020 7586 2486. One of our specialists will discuss what your hair needs to get it looking picture-perfect.

Springing into Colour at the JA Hair & Beauty Salon

With Spring just days away we thought it would be a good idea to see what our Colour specialists Nick, Paulo and Dror had to say about new trends and techniques coming through for the warmer months of 2015.  In order to help you decide on what is going to work on your hair, why not book in for a no-obligation colour consultation and take the plunge to changing your hair colour entirely? Or you could add in some subtle highlights to give you a new look without the drama!  Call the St John’s Wood Salon on 020 7722 1225 for our professional opinion.

Nick Altback has been a colourist for over 20 years so he knows what he’s talking about!  Trained in only the top hairdressing salons in London, he’s been colouring fashionable girls about town in St John’s Wood for more than 15 years. Both Dror and Paulo have many years of enviable hairdressing experience, participants in hair shows and hair show winners.

Nick has told us that colour for Spring and Summer generally moves towards lighter more sun-kissed shades to complement the season.  If you are considering a lighter shade remember it does depend on your natural hair colour and whether or not a move to blonde would suit your skin tone. Most people can certainly take some light highlights to allow the sun to really show off a new hair colour.

If you are pale skinned, you will always be able to take an ashier shade such as Scandinavian blonde or light gold whereas olive skins are more suited to warmer, honeyed tones setting off complexion and shimmering in the summer sun.   For those of you blessed with freckly and pale skin you will likely suit a warm tone and perhaps even red or coppery if your hair colour sways to strawberry blonde.  What Dror’s noticed coming through are the pastel colour tones such as pinks, blues and greens used as subtle streaks.  Whether this is your preference is entirely your choice but on the right person they can look utterly stunning!  There is definitely a trend for younger women to opt for colourful streaks but there’s no harm in asking if they will suit you no matter what age you are!

Ombre is still big news – this has now been fashionable for around 2 years and plenty of women of all ages are requesting their ends to be lighter (although dip dye is no longer in favour).  As well as ombre, block colour is bang on trend because it gives hair colour a fabulously sleek shine and plenty of body.  Paulo recommends breaking up block colour with some subtle highlights during the summer months as then the hair looks like it has been naturally lifted by sunlight.

When colouring your hair – particularly in the summer months (although all year round too) you must pay good attention to keeping it healthy.  Use good quality products such as Redken or Kerastase to maintain its condition and try a hair mask once a week or even every fortnight.  Try to use products that are additive free (those with additives are the types of hair products found in chemists) and buy from a reputable hairdressing salon.  We promise you it’s worth spending a little extra on decent hair products as they will maintain your hair colour, keep your hair healthy and help reduce split ends.  Split and broken hair means you’ll eventually have to have it cut possibly much shorter than you want and you won’t be able to colour it either as colour does put some strain on hair particularly if you are not visiting a professional.  So, do your hair a favour and visit us for a quality hair colour consultation and we’ll help you find the right effect to suit your lifestyle and skin tone plus we can advise on the best products for your hair type.

For more information call the Joshua Altback Hair & Beauty Salon on 020 7722 1225.  We are based in fashionable St John’s Wood, London NW8.

Hair was previously coloured at home using a light brown semi permanent colour. The hair cut had no shape and style as she had been growing it out from a shorter hair style. She wanted a bold colour and a more defined and versatile hair cut. Dror decided on a short graduated bob with a fringe. This hair cut can be worn a few different ways. He chose a red tone all over colour. He took out a panel or slice of hair through the side panel and lifted first with bleach and then used the same colour on top of this to create a lighter colour to give the contrast.

Hair was fine and frizzy/wavy. This lady was using a dark brown home colour which was making her hair darker each time and bringing out a red tone especially as she lives in a hot climate, She requested to go completely blonde. Our specialist Paulo advised her to go gradually blonder otherwise her hair would break and become damaged, He decided on a full head highlights using bleach and lower peroxide. the Under tone was red so we used a toner to take the red out and leave a more golden, caramel blonde tone. The overall hair colour looked much lighter and still in good condition. she was very happy (see next image)

BRIDAL HAIR TRENDS FOR 2014

Recently I covered a wedding hair photo shoot for Your London magazine at the utterly stunning Corinthia hotel and while I do the hair for many magazines, newspapers and online businesses, this particular photo shoot really stood out.  The Joshua Altback Hair Salon is often asked to cover photo shoots and sometimes team members attend, sometimes it’s me!  You can see from the photographs that it was such a spectacular shoot showcasing jewellery brand Olivier Laudus with his 2014 Great Glamour collection, in addition to this piece Sangeeta Laudus gives us her insider knowledge on what’s big for 2014 in the world of hair accessories.

The main message the team at Olivier Laudus wanted to get across was the vintage appeal and styling of their stunning jewellery so I carefully designed a very 1920’s look to complement the intricate jewellery.  The wedding dress worn was very simple, elegant in design and with sleek lines so the whole look had to flow nicely together.  I think we achieved the brief very well.

Designing four different wedding hair styles, I used plenty of hair jewellery to show off the look, dress, hair and hair-pieces used.  If you take a look at the photographs you will see that there is an incredible headpiece which wraps around the top of the forehead in one of the images, this went very well with a swept back look, long tumbling curls teased into one luxurious drop.  The hair and the jewellery of course look stunning.  This look can be achieved with both long hair and those of you with short styles, I just fix a very cleverly concealed hair piece to the base of the scalp, often wrapping natural hair around to secure – no one would ever know!  In fact, I have a variety of Flip-In hair pieces to choose from at my St John’s Wood Hair Salon– these pieces are secured by the slimmest piece of wire that is almost undetectable and just as quickly as we put these in -they can remove in seconds – what a  convenient piece of genius!

Many brides favour the” updo” (that’s not to say that there aren’t hundreds of other amazing hairstyles which work for a wedding) so when considering your hair up for your wedding, good quality hair pieces really add the perfect finishing touches.  Most of the images for the piece are classical bridal hairstyles but the front cover (which you can see in the images) has a softer, more modern looking updo paired with a waist length veil and a modern dress in styling.

It’s important, on your big day, that your hair reflects your personality, your dress (absolutely imperative if you want your look to flow) and the theme of your wedding.  For example, an outside beach wedding is great with long flowing locks rather than something more sophisticated.

So are there any new looks for Spring and Summer brides 2014?  There are aways variations on a theme, as we have learnt already in this blog, updos remain popular.  If you have short hair and don’t want a hair piece then soft curls to frame the face is a popular look this year, decorate the hair with fresh flowers or crystals and you’ll be turning plenty of heads as you walk up the aisle.   Bobbed hair looks great blow dried silky smooth but with plenty of height and body, team with a wedding hair band covered in crystals and you can look very chic in a 1960’s style.  Bobbed hair can also look good with curls at the back and plenty of height on top, with a sweeping fringe to the side, you can certainly appear to have had your hair put up without actually having it done!

Half up and half down remains popular but have you considered wearing this slightly to one side?  Tumbling, loose curls can look spellbinding draped beautifully on one shoulder – gorgeous if your dress is strapless.

With definite nod to the 80’s there are quite a few high front hair styles with hair backcombed and lifted at the forehead, secured at the back of the neck and the rest left flowing over shoulders.  This is great for showcasing a beautiful or dressy veil and just as good with an encrusted hair accessory.  Perhaps a more natural look is required so consider plaits!  Plaits twisted and coiled round the head or even at the side coupled with loose flowing locks is reminiscent of the late 60’s and early 70’s.

There are plenty of great ideas listed above and our pictures should hopefully give you some inspiration but I recommend booking in for a free wedding hair consultationat my St John’s Wood salon (the trial itself is not free) where we can discuss with you your exact requirements, then we would do a hair trial and once you are delighted with the result, we can book in for your big day.  I travel all over the UK as long as I am booked in advance.

Does your mum or your maid of honour need their hair doing as well?  I have an outstanding team of bridal hair specialists so why not make it a complete day out and all come along together!  For more information and to book call us on 020 7722 1225.

 

2014 Bridal Hair Accessory Trends  by Sangeeta Laudus, Co-Founder of Accessory Boutique Olivier Laudus

 

2014 has seen the continued love for vintage – particularly 1920’s – inspired accessories. Think feathers, long pearl necklaces and flapper style dresses.  Headbands have been the most popular accessory for hair and Gatsby-esque hair pieces have been making a huge comeback particularly for brides with short hair.

Colour has also been a big feature for 2014 weddings – with peach, blush pink, sage green and gold popular choices. And the pantone colour of the year, Radiant Orchid, although a strong tone, can be incorporated subtly into a wedding theme via accessories – e.g. using a pretty flower hair clip or real flower.

For brides choosing to have their hair down on their big day, forehead chains are also big news and have moved on from the diamante chain bands a la Kim Kardashian a few years ago, and are more delicate using pearls and Swarovski crystals like our Bohemia forehead chain. (http://www.olivierlaudus.com/products/bohemia-forehead-wedding-band.html)

 

Finally, for brides who are opting for an updo – braids have been really popular following Millie Macintosh’s wedding last year – and more subtle hair accessories like mini combs or sparkling hair pins work really well.

For more information on Olivier Laudus visit their online boutique www.olivierlaudus.com or call 020 8374 1239. Bridal style consultations available by appointment at their central London studio.

 

 

JA SALON PRESENTS…WHAT’S NEW FOR 2014

It’s Saturday night and you want a really cool look for your big weekend night out.  Luckily, this year sees a huge amount of extra special hairstyles for a Saturday night street look. With so many incredible new styling products on the market, there’s plenty you can do to either dramatically change your look for just one night, or just tweak it to look more exciting than your usual working week hairdo. It is also important to realise that Saturday night is no longer just about a blow dry….today you can pop into the Joshua Altback NW8 hair salon and choose from a selection of gorgeous hair pieces, that can add drama, fullness or even a quick shot of colour just enough to update your look for your special party or romantic meal. We also have new tape hair extensions which is a huge part of 2014, the benefits are you can add a full head of hair extensions in less than an hour and the hair can be re-used or re-fitted every couple of months.  You are able to add colour and highlights to the tape hair extensions for the weekend, then you can remove and re-tape when you go out again, this is a completely non-damaging system.

That’s not to say that the blow dry is dead, far from it.  There are so many different types of looks coming into the forefront of fashion this year.  2014 sees the trend for Brazilian straightening continuing and growing.  There are many products on the market but it’s absolutely essential that you check out what product your hairdresser is using.  What does it contain? Is it right for your hair and your lifestyle? Do not be tempted by cheap offers as usually the ingredients are harmful to your hair and can result in breakage, long-term damage, dull and tired looking hair.  Ybera Fashion Candy is one of our innovative new products which we stock at the JA Salon in London’s NW8.  Directly from Brazil, the home of straightening, it offers something for everyone, whatever your hair type, lifestyle or desired look and we promise unbelievable results.  We are also proud to be stocking the new range of Redken styling products for heat styling and blow drying.  The Heat Guard Complex protects hair from extreme styling and comprises of protecting and finishing products and the amazing Pillow Proof Blow Dry collection which keeps your blow dry looking fresh even after 8 hours of sleep

!

As for hair looks this year, you can look forward to tousled beach hair (great for those of you who have limited styling time), hair extensions are still playing a big role and particularly useful for those of you who prefer short hair, you can have a quick transformation with our Flip-in hair, just a second to put a hair piece in and a moment to whip it out! Plus it’s invisible and as it doesn’t attach to your hair, there is no risk of damage. Back to tousled hair, great for the beach and for the weekend, but what do you do with it in the evening? Well, we are seeing lots of windswept up do’s with tangles framing the face, plenty of mixed textures which means, straight with curly or even crimped hair (be careful when crimping, it can be damaging if not done properly).  The other big trend is plaits, big plaits, little plaits, plaits around your head, loose plaits and tight plaits so get into practice! For more advice on what’s hot for 2014 call the salon and we can advise what will work for you as well as doing a quick weekend transformation which will just update your look for your special night.  Call 020 7722 1225.

The JA Salon Reach the Finals of the L’Oreal Colour Trophy

The JA Salon was privileged to reach the finals of the prestigious L’Oreal Colour Trophy.  Our colour specialist, Dror Vakrat beat thousands of others to reach the finals, pushing the boundaries with his innovative colour techniques and showcasing his creative talent and we were delighted to be able to attend and represent the St John’s Wood JA Hair Salon.

The evening was superb, with excitement building throughout until the finalists unveiled their creations on stage.  Here are some great images of Dror’s hair colour which hopefully will inspire you to go for a colour change in time for this Autumn!

We have many clients coming through our NW8 doors asking for a new hair colour; they often are unsure what they want and we know getting inspiration for new looks can be challenging.  Not everyone is suited to a dramatic change and some people are more trepid than others.  The most important of all is to have a colour that suits your look, skin type and lifestyle – a bright purple look isn’t going to work in a corporate office environment!  Equally, if you are of a pale complexion then a raven black will not suit you at all.  However, a bespoke colour and good cut can transform your whole look – give you great style and turn heads.

You don’t need to play it safe and choose the same colour again and again – a tweak here and there can make a huge difference to your look.  So many people always repeat their colours, at the JA Salon we can offer you something absolutely unique to you but perhaps reflecting a change in seasons so your hair colour isn’t the same all year round – it won’t be dramatically different either – sometimes a subtle alteration is all that’s needed for a flood of compliments from others!

At our salon, when you are indulging in a colour change you will receive a full assessment of your hair type, lifestyle and we will look at your skin colour so we know that whatever we choose will suit you beautifully.  We also ask you questions about your current hair shade, what you are looking for and any previous experiences with colour – did they work well for example?  It is up to us to make your hair look the best it has ever looked, keeping it in line with fashion and bring your hair to tip top condition too, using our elite range of products.

For more information on booking your colour consultation please contact Marilyn on our reception desk, 020 7722 1225 or visit www.joshuaaltback.com.

REDKEN – JOSHUA ALTBACK’S PREFERRED BRAND What Makes Redken the JA Salon’s haircare of choice

As well as having the very best hairdressers and colourists – the brands that salons use should reflect their message of quality.  At our JA St John’s Wood Hair Salon, it is imperative that we use only the best.  While hair-cutting, gentle blow-drying and excellent colour expertise are all top of the list, so is using the best product on customers’ hair.  Not only do good products prevent damage to hair, they also can help to pave the way back to luscious locks.

Week in and week out we see many clients who have experienced dreadful hair service elsewhere.  Many of these clients complain about dry hair texture, normally from too many bleached highlights or a poorly executed colour change.  We also see too many damaged heads of hair from sub-standard chemical straighteners, over-use of boiling hot irons and the YUKO straightening system.

That’s why we love REDKEN.  We stock and use the Shot Phase Chemistry treatments which we combine with the REDKEN protein spray (giving hair a generous hit of often needed protein).  This helps hair look and feel soft, shiny and more manageable.  With 6 to choose from there is something to suit everyone:

–          Shot Phase Extreme which is an intense treatment for weak and distressed hair

–          Shot Phase Colour Extend, this protects coloured hair

–          Shot Phase All Soft is an intense treatment for dry and brittle hair leaving it luxuriously soft

–          Shot Phase Real Control controls frizz and dryness

–          Shot Phase Time Reset leaves hair easier to manage and healthier looking

–          Shot Phase Smooth Lock is an intense treatment which restores unruly and dry hair leaving it frizz free and shiny

These treatments can be combined together to suit any hair type, for example it may be that you have distressed hair that is frizzy, then we can mix two REDKEN products to get the perfect result.

The best thing about the JA Salon stocking REDKEN is as well as having a good quality haircare range of products at the backwash you can then buy the same products to use at home too!

Our special offer this Summer is a REDKEN backwash treatment with any colour service or cut and/or blow dry  at £15 instead of £25. You can also buy a course.  For more information please call us on 020 7722 1225 or visit www.joshuaaltback.com.

For REDKEN information visit www.redken.co.uk.

The Great Joshua Altback Make-Over

Last month, we ran a terrific competition on our website to win a cut and colour make-over at the JA Hair Salon.  Firstly, I’d like to thank every one of you who entered – the response was excellent so keep visiting our site, we plan to do another similar competition shortly.  Who knows, it could be you next time!

See our video of the make-over right here:

PART 1. BRAZILIAN KERATIN TREATMENT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1izjrdRn-M

PART 2. COLOUR AND CUT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31aLyyV1Jhw

Our winner, Manon came into the NW8 hair salon for her prize and Nick Altbach our resident colour expert and senior colourist was responsible for her colour transformation, Joshua for her new cut and blow dry.

To begin with, as with every new customer, we gave her a thorough hair consultation in the salon where we looked at the texture of her hair, condition and discussed her lifestyle.  We decided on Brazilian Keratin treatment, colour and a cut.

We started with the Brazilian Treatment and we used a brand new one called Brazilian Blowout which is our strongest treatment and recommended for helping the hair to be a little straighter – great for thick hair.  The other positive is that you don’t have to wait three days to wash your hair; you can rinse it out and shampoo it whenever you want.  This treatment made Manon’s hair smoother and more manageable.  It meant that we could select other hairstyles that we couldn’t have done with her previous, unruly and frizzy hair.

From the before pictures, you can see that Manon’s natural hair is a dark blonde, some would describe as mousey, quite flat in colour and lifeless with highlights that have grown out considerably.  Nick thought we should brighten her hair up for the winter months without going too blond but putting back some much needed vibrancy.

Firstly, he added two different highlight colours, making sure he only used products without bleach as this can be damaging.  Both colours selected had a honey caramel blonde tone – guaranteed to bring out some warmth and life.  Underneath the highlights, Nick added a semi-permanent colour to warm the natural base out and take down the old highlights.  This was a deep toffee colour that has superior shine agents inside.

Once Manon had sat under some heat and read through some of our magazines, enjoyed a cup of tea and some R&R, we washed out the excess colour and removed the foils to reveal a stunning finish of a gorgeous deep toffee base, bringing out the vivid blue of her eyes and warming up her skintone with the honey gold highlights.

Manon has naturally thick and frizzy hair, it was very long when she came in, out of shape and as she said herself, hard to manage.  Once her hair had been treated and coloured we decided to cut her hair into a long bob, as she is fairly tall and has a graceful long neck.  we shaped it in the front and added some long layers throughout – not too many as we wanted to be sure to make it easy for her to blow dry her own hair, plus it enhanced her face shape and gave her hair a lot of body through the top.

We’re sure you’ll agree, the final look is more than sensational!

Here’s Manon’s Facebook post about her make-over:

I won a complete hair make over at Joshua Altback salon, and I am very very happy with the result. I had very long blond hair, thick and frizzy, very hard to manage. I really needed a new look! 

First I got a Keratin treatment, Veronica was fabulous! She really took care in putting on the treatment and the ironing process, I was impress with the result, my hair is now very soft, shiny and so easy to manage.

Then, I came back last Thursday for a cut and a colour. Joshua did the cut and to be honest I’ve never had anyone before that cuts my hair as well as he did. He’s a real perfectionist! The shape suits me perfectly, I am feel more confident.

Nick is definitely a colour expert! I never knew what colour suited my hair, but he found it! The color is perfect, really natural, full of life!

The result was amazing; I am so happy with both the colour and cut.

I would like to say a big thank you to Veronica, Nick and Joshua for my new look! They all spent a lot of time on my hair to give me the perfect look!

Joshua Altback – Busy Making everyone a Model!

 

We’ve been running our Make Me a Model birthday parties for over 18 months now and word is definitely getting out.  I find myself running between wedding hair appointments and our Make Me a Model birthdays in our London Salon almost every week!  In fact, we’re getting so busy giving girls a beautiful make-over that we’re now running two kids party sessions on a Sunday in St John’s Wood.

I thought we’d update you with some great pictures of what we’ve been doing so you can see the hair and make-up results yourself.  Normally, a birthday girl is treated to 12 of her friends coming into our Hairdressing Salon in NW8 but we can cater for more – subject to an extra charge.  It’s a great party idea. All the invited girls have the time of their life getting their hair styled by our experienced hairdressers and then they’re whisked over to make-up, where our expert make-up artist will talk through what will suit them.  I think it’s important to bear in mind that mostly our Make Me a Model Birthday parties are for young girls age 6 plus so we don’t overload on make-up!  However, we’re becoming more popular for Hen Night parties, 18^th and 21^st birthdays, 30^th’s and we’ve even done a 40^th recently – so we’re happier to use more make-up for the more grown up ladies out there!  Once our clients are made-up our professional photographer takes a photograph of the party all together and then one of each party goer – which, once printed, is sent to the lady in question.  Of course, any other photographs that are taken on the party day can be purchased too.

 

As it’s a birthday party, we can advise on birthday cake, food, party decorations, invitations and going home presents too.  We work closely with our suppliers and make sure that everything supplied to our customers is top quality.  Of course, if you want to book a special kids party at our St John’s Wood Hairdressers, you are welcome to use whoever you want to supply the extra party necessities.

The reason our model parties are becoming so popular and successful is because girls of ALL ages love to dress up and be pampered.  It’s our job as an award winning London Hairdresser to make all of our customers look and feel wonderful so these parties are second nature to us.  What little girl doesn’t like experimenting with a nice hairstyle and a make-up bag – so keep your daughter away from your dressing table and hair brushes and let us do all the hard work!  Plus you will feel completely confident that you’re giving your little girl the party of her dreams.

For further information and to read some of the testimonials from satisfied Make Me a Model party customers, who were also, at some point, looking for good party ideas, see the website http://www.joshuaaltback.com/mmam.cfm or call us on 020 7722 1225.

PAY SOME EXTENSION ATTENTION!

My next JA blog focuses on Hair Extensions and the type of hair I use, maintaining the condition and the importance of going to a specialist. I always make sure I choose the correct type of Hair Extensions depending on my client’s hair texture, lifestyle and budget.  At my St John’s Wood Hair Salon, I’ve had customers come in with some really disastrous jobs, terrible bonding and worst of all, cheap and nasty hair.

It’s easy for anyone to walk into a cheap hairdresser for Extensions but I it’s absolutely paramount that you choose a reputable, quality hair salon.  With the cheaper end salons or mobile hairdressers I see problems on a regular basis surrounding Hair Extensions.  Without doubt, they use poor quality hair, often half synthetic (although you may not realise this!)  Or they choose low grade Indian or Chinese hair.  This type of hair can become matted and go very dry, which gives an unhealthy appearance.  In severe cases, the hair is so matted at the roots that it is almost impossible to remove the Extensions. Some salons use glue which is not specifically for Hair Extensions which results in breakage and damage.  It takes a while for hair to recover from this, so do take note and check out good Hairdressers specialising in Extensions.

 

Take note blondes!  I’ve seen blonde Hair Extensions go green after a sunny holiday – this is from swimming in the sea or pool.  I’ve also seen bald patches where the Extensions have been placed too closely together, or when too much hair has been bonded in each strand.  No lady wants to go bald!  I’ve seen the use of synthetic hair which has become seriously matted and can’t be smoothed out; in these cases I’ve had to actually cut out the extensions.

Remember, the whole point of having Extensions is that they should be invisible, easy to maintain and easy to take out without any breakage.  Your hair should look natural, others shouldn’t be able to spot that you have Extensions so it’s worth going to the best.

At my JA Salon, we only use the finest European, Russian or Indian Remy hair that money can buy. In fact, with all our treatments we only offer the best because we believe in quality and we want our customers to have the most indulgent experience possible.  So you may find that our prices are slightly more expensive but we believe that the end result makes it worthwhile.  Your Hair Extensions will look more natural, last longer and you won’t experience any damage to your hair following removal.  In fact, your hair will be silkier, easier to style and look really healthy.

Booking into our London Hair Salon is easy, I will give you a consultation and during this, I always go through the options before you make the final decision on having Hair Extensions.  I also take into account your hair’s condition before applying Extensions.  If hair is over-coloured and feels dry or damaged then sometimes it is best to get the condition right before adding Extensions. There are other alternatives, for example, I may suggest you try a FLIP IN HAIR Extension and use it whilst you are getting your hair back into good condition. The beauty of these is that they don’t damage the hair at all because they don’t attach to the hair but to the head using an extremely thin wire – no clips, no glue, nothing that sticks to the hair! We are exclusive stockists for FLIP IN HAIR, which can also be used for those of you who are growing your hair longer and feel you want to have longer hair whilst waiting for your hair to reach the desired length.  As they sound, they just “flip” in!  You can remove them just as easily in a second. I can’t tell you how many women have called me up after to say how much they love their Flip In hair piece.

If your hair is suitable for Extensions, the technology used at the JA Hairdressing Salon means that there is no glue.  We use something called Micro Ring Bonding which preserves the condition of your hair and I can personally guarantee there is absolutely NO glue or chemicals involved.  Additionally, we give a FREE maintenance package for all our Hair Extensions customers (worth £75).  This allows you to come back in 6 weeks to re-apply any extensions that may have slipped down, we also trim the ends and do an intense hair treatment. It’s my goal to keep your hair in the best possible condition.

Why note have a look at my Hair Extensions video on videojug or via the website www.joshuaaltback.com: Flip in hair demonstration.

Joshua Altback tells you how he can Make YOU a Model!

I have two beautiful little cousins, they often come up to see me working in my St John’s Wood hair salon and I look forward to them visiting.  When they arrive, they ask to have their nails done, or apply some lipstick, maybe have their hair put up by one of my team (when they get a few minutes in between clients!)  Other times, they really make themselves useful by tidying up our manicurists’ shelves and putting the Essie and OPI nail polishes into colour order!  Whatever it is that they do when they’re in; they are a joy to have around.  They love to tell me when they like someone’s haircut, they adore watching a transformation with our stunning human hair extensions and they also like watching my Senior Colourist Nick Altback, perform his colour miracles on many of our valued clients.

That’s what little girls are made of, sugar and spice!  They were the source of my inspiration behind the Make Me a Model parties. Not only because of all of their visits to my salon but also because their Mum was always searching the best birthday party ideas. So, from watching them in my Hairdresser’s and listening to girl’s party ideas, I thought about how most girls love dressing up, putting on some lip gloss and having their hair done.  I know some may criticise by saying it takes away their innocence but the truth is, they are going to dress up anyway!  How many of you ladies remember going into your mother’s cupboards and taking out her clothes, shoes and jewellery (often with a telling off!)?  I’m sure there are some great stories out there about spilled nail varnish on carpets – lipstick smudges on walls and worse!  What I am saying is that kids today and in the past (and no doubt the future) like to experiment and explore role play.  As these days, kids parties are centred around their interests (such as soft play, pirate themes, disco’s, football etc) it makes sense to do something that girls adore, which was when Make Me a Model Parties came about.  Not only a great girl’s birthday party idea but also a great party idea for teenagers too!

My girls’ parties allow them to dress up and have fun in a great party venue, my fantastic salon setting.  The team take up to 12 young ladies age 6 upwards, and give them a party to remember at my hairdressers’ which is completely hired out just for the party.  It’s not just for girl’s birthday parties, it could also be a superb hen party, a 21^st, 30^th or 40^th, or as mentioned before a teenage birthday party idea.  Let the girls or ladies enjoy having their make-up done, their nails painted and their hair styled and then have a professional photograph taken which they can treasure always!  My salon can accommodate up to 20 but this will be at an additional charge per head, normally we take maximum of 12.  The Joshua Altback team will be happy to help you with birthday cake makers, where to get your party accessories and we’ll even pop a discount voucher into your going home bags – a gift from me!

You should have a look at some of the testimonials from satisfied Make Me a Model party customers who were also, at some point, looking for kid’s party ideas! See the website http://www.joshuaaltback.com/mmam.cfm for more information

.