I recently enjoyed experiencing a Paul Edmunds Knightsbridge luxury masterclass in hair & beauty service. A name synonymous with BAFTA, film, celebrity, fashion and luxury lifestyle.
Paul Edmunds Knightsbridge
www.pauledmonds.com/the-salon/knightsbridge
217 Brompton Road
Knightsbridge, London
Gentlemans Butler believes that for many like us a visit to a luxury hair salon often combines hair treatments, manicure and pedicure as part of ladies and gentleman’s ongoing luxury grooming.
As such the experience should be one where one can switch off and be properly looked after as well as enjoying the professional benefits of true hair and beauty professionals.
Service is the key that opens the door and as such should be akin to being in a five-star hotel, where they know your name, what you like, and make effort to make your stay comfortable.
…..Making my luxury hair and beauty appointment completely bespoke to me…
Luxury Haircut & Hair treatment – One hour
Arrived a few minutes early at 12.20, greeted by a smile from reception, coat taken, drinks ordered, hair gown put on me and tied….
All these little things tells the client that they are the priority and are being cared for…..
I had been before and that had all my preferences and my likes detailed on their system from colour of varnish and hair treatment likes….
This makes you ultimately feel loved and able to switch off.
I met my hair stylist Polly (Polina) and was taken to my hair position, seated, coffee, water, tissues around neck then hair protector put on and then the ceremony starts….
I am asked about life, spoke about moving to a new house or rather not. This may sound immaterial but its not, as the art of true luxury is care and having spent my life working in film and television one gets to know that the hair stylist not only needs to know their art but have great empathy.
I am asked about my hair, and I say it’s getting greyer. She made an observation from which point my hair is getting grey, the conversation turns to hair revitalisation and hair transplants. I am asked how long my hair is to be cut, and she remembers how I had my hair the last time. So, we are all set, we both know what I want and what they are going to do.
……why men’s hair recedes – based on hormones …my grandfather had very little hair, but my father, brother and sister have lots of hair……
Seems we skipped a generation …. The grey probably from my mother’s side….. I have recently turned 52 and I probably started going grey in my late 40’s which is fairly normal….my stylist mentioned that some teenagers even go grey….
Many ladies I speak to talk about their hair getting thinner as they age, and my stylist commented this is also genetic. Paul Edmunds do some lovely hair treatments for thinning and the scalp, one that I was about to have and also sell tablets for these issues.
We spoke about hair transplants and I mentioned that some Arab gentleman like to have permanent hair removal for their beard.
…. I adore the big fluffy make up brush type brush to remove hair which feels so much softer when removing loose hairs…..
My hair was shampooed then a head treatment, hot towels and massage ….
Felt fantastic and very fresh
Treatment is Cronologiste which has two different components one is a quite rich hair mask and added to it are little pearls which are crushed….
…. goodness it does make it doesn’t make a big difference and is good for the scalp…..shiny, fresh, smooth felt regenerated…..
Sat back down with Polly final tweaks and tissues to clean water in my ears
….then onto Kitty for my luxury gel manicure and pedicure nails which is in their own specific manicure/pedicure area.
Luxury Gel Manicure & Pedicure – Just under 4 hours.
This was the most intense program of luxury manicure and pedicure treatments experienced to date.
My nail technicians were Kitty and previously Kristina.
Shoes off Feet in Water, champagne and water…
Sat and comfortable….
She had been told by my last beautician that I was to have gel nails…
First on Gel remover (acetone) wrapped in foil which always reminds me of when ladies get their highlights done……
As it was a lunchtime visit, I asked for a sandwich and then she asked her colleague to bring a menu……
The old gel is soaked and scraped off; the tops are filed to clean…… we discussed the length which I like rounded …. she clips the nails, then starts to file…… cuticle cream goes on to soften then goes back in the water …..then push in the cuticles and get rid of the old skin…..
…Ordered food ….. Spinach and Fetta rolls & small salad on side ….(this was not on the menu but like a five star hotel I was informed this was an option)
Kristina, who did my nails last time had made a note of the colour ….. which is a very pale pink/neutral which gives a smart and fresh finish ….
Scraping off the dead skin of the foot heel and the toe ….then back in the water ….
“check the foot scraper is a new one per client”
Then back in the water ….
Use a soft white block to do the top of the nails which acts as a base for the gel …..
Then clean the nails before applying the gel …..
Cuticle pusher to remove some more dead and loose skin ….
Then a toe separator goes on the feet to spread the nails …..sometimes people use tissues…
Wiping nails …then putting on a base gel ….. then under UV for 60 seconds ….
Then onto a blush gel …..
The layers of coats are
Jessica Professional Geleration https://jessicacosmetics.com/blogs/news/jessica-professional-geleration-soak-off-gel-polish-system
1 Coat of base coat
2 Coats of the colour
1 Top coat “finish coat”
Lots of cleaning in between each stage.
Removed the toe separator and used a file to remove tidy bits of gel along the edges.
Eminence Organic lemon cleanser …..
Eminence Manicure/Pedicure Products https://eminenceorganics.com/ca
Then hot towel (like a facial….)
A little scrub mixed with water to be applied to feet ….
Eminence Lime Fresh Tonic
Coconut Cream Masque…
Wrap feet in a plastic bag ….
Hot towel around feet, cocooning them …..
On with heated mittens …….
Cooked for 10 to 15 minutes!!….
Off with the bags and towels …..
And wipe off the excess masque/mask ….
On with cuticle oil
Eminence Corrective Moisturiser
Then on with foot massage …
On with some disposable flip flops so I can use the bathroom….
Luxury Manicure
For the Manicure the exact same process takes place…..
Resulting in pure perfection ….
Not bad for a man of 52 ….
I do not normally spend so much time or go into such detail, not there is anything wrong with that, far from it but it is time consuming but I was so impressed by the layers of process and professionalism by Paul Edmunds Knightsbridge that I wanted to express how it should be done. There are always areas for improvement as I am not sure I have ever written a review where there was not room for improvement but to give you an idea they spent longer on both my manicure and pedicure than I have ever had and I have had hundreds in my life and I was looked after beautifully and the results were bliss.
I could not recommend Paul Edmunds Knightsbridge for both their luxury hair services and luxury manicure and pedicure services enough and they totally understand how to look after luxury clients with VIP service.
I look forward to returning in the future.
Paul Edmunds Knightsbridge
www.pauledmonds.com/the-salon/knightsbridge
217 Brompton Road
Knightsbridge, London