Jones & Payne is an award-winning independent hair salon with a Shoreditch flagship and boutique salon in Covent Garden.
The two salons were founded by Ricky Lee Jones and Stuart Payne, who met when working at Taylor Taylor London in Spitalfields, east London. When creating their own salon, their vision was to combine West End service with a fun, creative east London vibe.
I visited the St. Martins Lane salon for a much needed hair cut last week. It’s in the same building as the Philippe Starck-designed St. Martin’s Lane Hotel but has a very different atmosphere.
Jones & Payne St. Martins Lane is petite and cosy with vintage-style furnishings, gold-trimmed mirrors, traditional rugs and a curtained-off washing station.
It has a calm, unpretentious feel and is quite unlike the sleek, feminine salons that I’ve visited in London. Neither is there any pounding house music (thankfully), just the quiet buzz of hairdryers, so I could chat to my stylist freely. It’s almost like having your hair styled in the comfort of a cool east London apartment.
On arrival, I was immediately offered a complimentary drink and my tea came served in a stunning blue and white china tea set with a shortbread cookie. It was later refreshed with the addition of a chocolate rice crispy bite – a small touch that makes the salon experience feel like even more of a treat.
My appointment was with lovely Senior Stylist Claire Bennett, who recently joined Jones & Payne from another high end Covent Garden salon. Not only does she have years of experience but also the most fabulous, perfectly-groomed curly hair, so I knew I was in good hands.
My hair was in desperate need of a cut after being a bit neglected. It was feeling dry and a little frazzled on the ends (the last traces of ombre highlights), so I was keen to have a good cut of around two inches.
Claire agreed it was time for a substantial cut and showed me exactly what two inches from the lengths would look like. She also suggested refreshing the layers to frame my face and add some long layers at the back to give the curls some bounce and avoid that dreaded triangle look.
After the consultation, my hair was washed with Pureology shampoo that has a delicious sherbet scent, followed by a deep conditioning mask, which is included complimentary with the cut. I also had the most delightful, relaxing shiatsu hair massage (my favourite part of a salon visit) – in fact it was so soothing that I almost fell asleep.
Back in the salon chair, my hair was cut precisely and swiftly, which suited me just fine as I was heading straight out for cocktails in Hackney afterwards. The new length felt much healthier and less wispy on the ends, like my hair was breathing a sigh of relief.
To get the most volume and movement out of my new hair, Claire gave me a pin blow-dry. She added a touch of UNITE mousse and blow-dried sections of my hair straight, then lightly wound the hair in a curl and fixed it with a pin. As the hair around the pins cools down, it sets in shape, ready to be released and combed out a little.
I was thrilled with the finished look and will definitely have a go at trying a pin blow-dry at home. With a spritz of UNITE hair spray, I was ready to go with fuller, bouncier hair. As always when I visit a salon the heavens opened on my way back east, but luckily my pin blow-dry battled the drizzle rather well.
Jones & Payne St. Martins Lane is a fantastic salon where you can be sure of getting exactly what your hair needs. I love my new cut and am glad to know where I can find a great pin blow-dry in central London.
Hair cuts at Jones & Payne with Senior Stylist Claire Bennett are priced at £67.
Chérie City was a guest of Jones & Payne
Photos by Jones & Payne and Chérie City
