Peterpenny’s Hair & Beauty

Mel cut my hair too and I have to say that she did a pretty good job at it. She was friendly and chatty which for some reason I didn’t seem to mind.
Usually I like to contemplate infinity* in zen-​like silence while my follicles are being sheared, but I had the day off so I must have been in a good mood. She consulted me at various stages along the way and asked to see the picture I bought in a few times, which is usually a good sign that your hair is being cut in a way that you actually requested, style fans.
There was a bead massage too. Bonus.
Can’t complain. When it comes to haircuts, I usually complain, so it worked out well.
*I like to think about Batman.

I called and spoke with someone on the phone who didn’t speak particularly good English, yet I managed to schedule myself an appointment.
I wasn’t particularly convinced that this was going to be a good experience based on how difficult the appoint-​making process was; it’s true.
I arrived, harried after rushing in the cold and rain over from Putney Bridge station, and was met by someone at the counter who didn’t speak particularly good English. Surely this was the same woman with whom I spoke on the phone, a receptionist, yeah?
She said something that sounded like ‘Can I take your coat?’
…Sure?
And something like ‘Have a seat here.’
…Okay?
And then something like ‘I’ll be right back.‘
Wait, what?
Uh oh.
Yes, this woman was indeed my hair stylist. The fact that I could barely understand what she was saying to me didn’t instil a lot of confidence; I’ll be honest. Luckily, I didn’t want a hair style that was radically different to the one I already had. I tried to convey as much as possible that I was not one to chat with my hair stylists, much less when I can’t understand what they’re saying to me, which is only compounded by the fact that active blow dryers are making it nearly impossible to hear anything. It would have been difficult to understand a conversation in that place even if the Queen herself were snipping away at my locks and chattering in my ear.
The hair washing experience was more thorough than it was relaxing.
The hair cutting experience was pretty par for the course.
The hair drying experience took a perplexingly long time.
But my hair looked good at the end of it. So I can’t really complain.
£42.

I love this place. But not only because it’s stone throwing distance from my house. It’s one of the only truly independent salons around where the owners still work in the Salon on a day to day basis. It’s so nice to support the locals.
The salon is bright and clean and they are always playing good music. It’s a small place so it feels quite intimate. Everyone is friendly. The other patrons even chat to you… which is unheard of in London.
New Zealander, Mel has cut my hair 3 times now and she’s gotten it right every time! I never really know what I want and she’s totally cool with that… she just checks on overall length and goes for it. She’s figured out that I’m not super brave with my hair, but has pushed my cuts to a place that is contemporary yet still pretty safe. I even find myself wanting to go for haircuts more often.
One last thing, the best part of a haircut at PeterPenny’s is that you get a head and shoulder massage with every haircut. It’s amazing!

Girls, we can all agree on something: finding a hair stylist you can trust is a BIG DEAL. I mean, this person is responsible for your whole look and should be friendly and understanding while you sit in their chair. It’s an added bonus when this person also happens to be someone you would probably be friends with.
Imagine my utter delight 15 minutes into my trial run at Peterpenny’s when my stylist Felicia and I were chatting away about Morrissey and gigs. I had found my London salon. The clouds parted and the angels wept.
Sorry. A bit dramatic there.
I’m very happy with my blunt cut (the first one in years) and will definitely be back soon for a FREE fringe trim!
Thanks to Google, Bumble & Bumble products, and The Smiths. Without you I would never have found Peterpenny’s. You are the wind beneath my wings.