Toni & Guy - 3 Ridley Place, Newcastle

It’s been a little manic as of late, lots of exciting developments, meetings and of course events. So when I was invited to Toni & Guy, Newcastle for a morning of serious me time, I jumped at the chance.

The salon, which is located on Ridley Place, just off Northumberland Street was formerly located in Monument Metro Station. Since the renovation of the station, the salon has moved just a two-minute walk away where it has created a bustling and energetic salon, which looks absolutely stunning.

I arrived a little early for my appointment and was greeted by one of the team. I didn’t catch her name, however, she was lovely, seating me and offering me a refreshment. Where I opted for an Iced Latte, Baileys of course! Well, it was 5 o’clock somewhere after all!

As I sipped on my drink and quickly checked my emails before the lovely Hannah, my stylist for the day came over. She took me over to wash my hair.

If you’ve not already been to the salon before you really ought to as it’s dressed beautifully. As I sat down she raised the leg rest and activated the massage chair. Heaven. As the warm water beat down onto my heat she massaged some product into my hair. Washing it firstly with the Honey & Oat Shampoo and then a matching Conditioner, the smell was just fabulous.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it reminded me of, then it struck me. The warm honey transported me to Disneyland Florida, to the Mickey’s Philharmonic Show. It was a homely and comforting smell and as I lay back relaxing I began to discuss with Hannah about Toni & Guy life.

All of the team at Toni & Guy complete training at their academy. She talked about how when she was offered the position by salon owner Claire, who also owns two other Toni & Guy salons in Cheshire, her first stop was to the Edinburgh Academy where she began her training and her career at Toni & Guy.

It was extremely interesting to discover the commitment and process that the brand with over 475 global salons put into each employee.

Hannah, who also trained the apprentices within the Newcastle branch, then went on to tell me that they all attend conferences up and down the country frequently. This is where they’re shown how to complete that season’s creative styles from their ‘hair menu’.

It was at that point we discussed that Toni & Guy isn’t just hairdressing, it’s artistry. Creative and on-trend, so it’s no surprise that their products are the official London Fashion Week essentials used on all the models walking.

She spritzed my hair in an apple spray which acted as a wall to shield my hair from the heat. It smelled amazing and it had such a great purpose. There’s nothing like that sheen to your hair once you leave the salon is there?

As we headed back to my seat we went through cutting and styling my hair. Always wary of having my hair cut too short I explained that going to the gym daily I needed to have it long enough to be able to tie up, apart from that she was given free reign.

She cut in choppy layers and got rid of all the dead hair. Having just come back from Ibiza my hair, of course, had lightened in colour and with rich natural high and low lights, I was excited about the finished result.

The atmosphere in the salon was electric, it was busy yet relaxing. It was high sheen modern styling, yet incredibly homely. The team were all incredibly busy yet had time to chat and welcome anybody stepping through the door.

With colour training to my right with the apprentices and a regular discussing a magazine article to her stylist to my left you could tell that all of the team were happy in their work and it made for a lovely environment for everybody.

Chopping away, we talked about a whole host of subjects before Hannah took out the volume spray. This brushed metal can looked sleek and stylish and as she sprayed it on my hair. She knowledgeably talked me through the ingredients and the purpose.

This product, a twist on traditional mousse was light and unlike traditional mousse not sticky. It smelled absolutely divine with a strong musky scent. She just gave my hair a quick rub through before she dried my hair.

She began to blow-dry my hair, I had opted for a big bouncy blow-dry, using multiple GHD Radial brushes simultaneously. I struggle to get one brush in my hair at a time so naturally, I love having professional bouncy blow dries and I’m always fascinated with the process.

Again we continued the conversation about the team and Hannah’s role within the Newcastle salon. I asked her about her experience before and she told me she had worked in another salon where the training wasn’t near comparable to Toni & Guy’s and they really looked after and cared for their employees.

It was refreshing to see somebody with such a zest for life and happy in their job. She was passionate about both styling and the brand. She was extremely open regarding the potential opportunities within the salon.

We talked about other salons not having room for growth and she said Toni & Guy provided exciting opportunities not only within the structure of the business but also growing their skills through training.

The ethos of the brand helps to create a family-like environment for the employees who feel extremely valued in their workplace which means only one thing.

Very happy customers at Toni & Guy.

It’s the little touches that make such a difference and to be honest, I usually put off having my hair cut as I’ve never found somewhere to go where not only the environment is relaxing but it’s a place you can escape the high paced world outside even if it is only for an hour or two.

From the thoughtful drinks offered on arrival to the massaging chairs, every aspect of the salon has been thought about. Having your hair cut shouldn’t be a chore but truly a relaxing and pampering experience. Toni & Guy manage to do that perfectly. Hannah, you’ve converted me! I’ll see you soon!

I absolutely loved how amazing my hair looked after Hannah had worked her magic! I bet you’ll agree it looks fabulous right?