Element Aveda Concept

Last week I had the pleasure of being invited along to review boutique hair salon Element Aveda Concept. Set in the heart of Subiaco (my much-loved local suburb), the salon is a stone's throw away from all the best that this cosmopolitan area has to offer and I love that after being pampered you can easily duck into a cute cafe or shop the rest of your afternoon away. I had often walked past this funky salon and wanted to try it, so when manager Cheri contacted me to come check it out I jumped at the opportunity.As you can see from the above 'before' photo, my hair was in dire need of some attention. I'd been growing it for the wedding and had not wanted to change it up too much in the lead up so it was so nice walking into the salon and knowing that I would be leaving with shiny new hair. I was quickly introduced to my stylist Anmar upon entry, who discussed with me what my needs and concerns were. I really liked that he wasn't afraid to make suggestions, and even after I shook my head when he asked if I wanted to chop half my hair off, he still had plenty of ideas for how we could freshen up my look.We decided to keep my hair a natural brown with sun kissed ends but decided to go for more of an ombre effect rather than the balayage I had before. While Anmar was mixing colours, I was treated to an amazing complimentary head and shoulder massage which was the best possible way to relax and give in to the experience of being pampered. Next up the colour went on, and I must admit I had a tiny moment of fear when I noticed how blonde the ends were going. But Anmar told me not to worry, this was all part of the process and not how the hair would end up. Phew!

After washing off the first colour, Anmar started putting the darker colour over the top and I quickly realised he was right! The technique he used made for a really seamless colour transition and gave the perfect ombre effect. During this time I was treated to yet another massage, this time for the hands. Once again it was such a welcome service and helped me unwind from my morning at work. I was also offered a complimentary drink, which I initially refused as I am not much of a coffee or tea drinker. But the team encouraged me to try their custom Aveda tea, and I am so glad I did - it was absolutely divine. It's worth going to the salon purely for the tea, I tell you!

So now the colour is all off and the cut begins. Conscious of my desire to keep as much length as possible, Anmar set about tidying up my dead ends and giving an overall more bouncy shape without changing it too much. He then proceeded to blow dry my hair into a lovely wavy style, full of shine and movement. I left feeling so much better about my hair, and proclaimed a few times: "This is my best style ever!" Amazing what can be done to give a new style without actually losing that much hair!

So would I go back to Element Aveda Concept? Absolutely! This was the best in-salon experience I have ever had. And it really was an experience - everything from the complimentary massages, to the customer service, right down to the tea made it the perfect way to while away an afternoon in utter relaxation. As Tara mentioned in her review, this may be a cutting edge salon but it's not the kind of place you can't feel comfortable. One of the things I enjoyed the most about my visit was the friendly banter that went on among the stylists and how Anmar went out of his way to ensure I was being looked after.

The products at Element Aveda Concept are also worth a mention. Aveda products use naturally-derived ingredients and aim to set an example with their environmentally-friendly approach. Not only is this great for the environment, but those good ingredients have already done wonders for my hair. I purchased a few products to try on my way out and have seen a marked difference in the quality of my hair in the week I have been using them. It is just so shiny and nice, not to mention that amazing smell that has been getting plenty of comments from my husband!

Thanks so much to the team at Element Aveda Concept for having me, it was such a delight. Visit the salon at 17 Rockeby Road, Subiaco and experience the magic for yourself. You can even book online.

And for those of you who love a great fashion event, Element Aveda Concept is involved with the Walk for Water charity fashion show at City Farm on April 8.

{Disclaimer: the services provided at Element Aveda Concept were provided free of charge in exchange for a review. However the opinions expressed here are my own and care has been taken to ensure a fair and honest review.}