TREATMENT OF THE WEEK

I HAD an unfortunate experience at the hairdressers the day of my 18th birthday. The stylist took thinning my tresses to extreme, leaving me with tufts of hair that a dozen hair-pins failed to camouflage. I could have achieved a better look myself, armed with a carving knife and a 360-degree aim. The painful peacock experience was so traumatic it still evokes deep-breathing exercises whenever I visit a hair salon for a trim. But Keri, my hair stylist at Therapie Hair Couture was so welcoming, I found myself relaxing into the hot seat after my hot-oil treatment — with a cup of herbal tea and Elle magazine — completely panic-free. In fact as soon, as the words, ‘wow, you’ve got a lot of hair, we will keep the cut very simple’ came from her mouth, I knew I was in safe scissor-hands. Like me, Keri knows that you can’t take on thick, shaggy, coarse hair with ease; sometimes you just have to embrace the fact that thin, poker-straight hair is just never going to be an option for you, no matter how many straightening irons you have available. In my case, perfection means aiming for less layers — and no thinning. However, I did allow Keri to demonstrate the art of removing split ends (which was a big step for me). A technique she has perfected herself, it involves snipping the jagged ends that tend to stick out when your hair is all lovely and perfectly blowdryed — without losing precious inches off your length. Simply wonderful. I was left with a glossy mane, free of frizzy layers. When I take to the hot seat in future, I won’t feel the same sense of trepidation that I usually do — I’m thrilled at the thought of getting pampered with tea and hot oils once again.

SHAMPOO, cut and blowdry starts from €48, Therapie Hair Couture, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. See therapieclinic.com, 01 633 9900