Oblique House of Hair may only have opened a couple of years ago, but in a short time it has become somewhat of a local institution, and has earned local renown as the most luxurious hair salon in South Kensington. The salon occupies a prime spot on Harrington Road, and is a gorgeous, bright and light-suffused space. There are large glass mirrors, fern-coloured curtains and cushions, and shiny brushed stone flooring. The salon exudes an ambiance of quiet luxury. There is a Private Room available for clients who would prefer extra privacy or indulge in a variety of procedures simultaneously. Oblique offers a unique 8-hands service which, as its name suggests, involves a combination of treatments that can be enjoyed by a client at the same time. Whether it’s a pedicure and blow-dry, lash extensions with manicure and brow dye, or a soothing facial massage during a body wrap, no request is too demanding. All the services are delivered by top experts, using renowned hair care and beauty brands, and the seamless service offers the ultimate in efficiency.
I visited one sunny March morning to experience a hair colour and cut. Upon arrival at the gleaming salon I was welcomed warmly by the charming receptionist, shown to a comfortable chair, and introduced to my colourist and stylist, Sergei. Sergei has decades of experience in haircare, and spent ten years working at one of the top salons in Portugal. He listened attentively whilst I outlined what I envisioned for mycolour and cut outcomes, and proceeded to explain his detailed gameplan for achieving the results I wanted. I felt reassured by the degree of consideration and depth he went into in his explanation.
After sectioning my hair, my stylist applied colour to the foils, which I always find to be a supremely relaxing and enjoyable process, especially when the person applying them is doing so efficiently and deftly. He was absolutely meticulous, making sure that the colour was applied right to root (which is crucial to minimise regrowth).
After completing the foils, Sergei checked that my colour had fully developed, and then showed me to move over the sinks to shampoo my hair. The hair washing area is a beautifully designed corner of tranquillity. I enjoy a heavenly head massage whilst my hair was shampooed, and after the conditioner was applied, a toner was applied.
With the colour portion complete, my stylist led me back to my chair, checked that I was happy with the length he intended to trim, and began to work his magic with his scissors. He included some longer layers at the back and face framing layers at the front. What I especially appreciated was how little hair he took off; I wanted to retain as much length as possible, so he only removed a couple of centimetres from the ends to make them healthy.
After the cut, he proceeded to blow dry my hair, leaving it with the perfect amount of bounce and volume. The whole experience was luxuriously smooth, a reflection of the fact that the same stylist did both the colour and cut, which made everything completely seamless. In under three hours I left the salon with a fabulous cut and gorgeous colour, and have received countless compliments on my new hair in the days following my appointment at Oblique House of Hair.
15A Harrington Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 3ES
+44 7465 645176
The Oblique 8-hands service in action.
