Belle Toujours: #beautyforum

It's not everyday that you are invited to sample some of the most amazing beauty and hair treatments at a new exclusive salon, but last night I got to do just that. The salon that I am of course talking about is the new and innovative Belle Toujours, situated on the elegant and beautiful Cathedral Road, Pontcanna. 

I know this article is a little long, but I really think it's worth a read. Believe me, you'll be booking yourself an appointment by the time you finish reading...

The salon, which translates as "forever beautiful" in French, was launched in November 2012 by owner, Claire Bellamy and hails itself a "luxury one-stop hair and beauty destination" - brave? yes, but believe me it manages that and more.

My first impressions of the salon came from it's stylish website and classic yet sophisticated theme. The building itself acts as the perfect location and setting for the salon. Situated in one of Cathedral road's £1 million Victorian townhouses, it gives the impression of exclusivity straight away. The low key exterior which comes in the form of a delicately trimmed lawn and simple yet beautiful sign only adds to the excitement and awe that you feel when you enter because it's so unexpectedly beautiful.

The salon covers three floors with the womens' hair being treated and cut on the bottom, spa treatments being done in the middle and then the mens' exclusive barbers on the top - something which you rarely see in the town centre. 

The decor adds to the exclusive vibe. Classic, sophisticated with the perfect amount of detailing such as unique art/ornaments and patterned wall paper.

My favourite room was the spa room, situated on the second floor. This room was completely different to the rest of the building, which worked perfectly with the spa atmosphere. It allowed you to escape. To feel like you were a world away from your stresses and worries, so much so that you instantly forget that there's a salon below you. Everything from the aroma to the calm music, the bed towel and the dresser in the corner, made you feel like you were in a 5* spa.

The event itself consisted of a few of the Cardiff bloggers coming along and being given taster treatments. The two treatments that I opted to try were the Elemis facial and the 4 step K-Pak Joico Hair treatment. 

Firstly, I was treated to the facial which was done in the beautiful spa room that I previously mentioned. Here, I was met by Rachel who does all the spa treatments at Belle Toujours. Before we started, Rachel sat me down and went through every stage of the facial, giving me time to ask her any questions along the way. She explained that this facial was called an Elemis facial and that it was an introductory facial to the Elemis treatments. 

Just so you know, the Elemis treatment is a cutting edge spa treatment that can be found all across the world. It's renowned for using natural ingredients such as lavender and cutting edge technology. 

Rachel then asked me about my skin, which for me made the experience a 100 times better because it meant that she wasn't going to put something on there that my skin wouldn't agree with and also that clearly she was highly skilled. 

The facial started with a foot massage. Yes, I know, you weren't expecting that right? Rachel said this is a great way to awaken your skin and set your body in the right mood. Believe me, it worked. 

Rachel then used the elemis products to cleanse my skin ready for the treatment masks, followed by nourishment and treatment creams which left my skin feeling rejuvenated. It felt so amazing and gentle that I have to admit that I nearly fell asleep at one point so forgive me if I can't remember every single aspect of the treatment! Rachel also used hot flannels and a very gentle exfoliator which left my skin ultra soft. To finish, she then gave me a gentle head massage which was immense. In a lovely relaxing end, Rachel signaled the end of my treatment with a bell, to which she then proceeded to get me a glass of water and told me to take my time getting ready and to enjoy the relaxing feeling. I have to say, for someone with temperamental skin, the treatment worked wonders. It not only left my skin glowing but it also didn't irritate it at all, which was really important to me.

Next for me was the K-pack hair treatment. I opted for this one because my hair needed some nourishing. Due to the fact that I dye my hair, it's important for me to keep it in good condition. The treatment which lasted around 45 mins is specifically for coloured, weakened and distressed hair. It consisted of: 

Step 1 – clarifying shampoo which removes any build up impurities and unwanted minerals from the hair.

Step 2 – cuticle sealer – which squeezes out excess moisture in the interior of the hair – (Not part of the DIY kit).

Step 3 – deep penetrating reconstructor which works deep in the cortex of the hair to rebuild and strengthen the protein and bonds with the hair.

Step 4 – hydrator seals in keratin protein and closes cuticle, hydrating the hair and promoting shine.

The treatment aims to leave  your hair stronger than ever before with increased manageability and shine and I can honestly say that it did. This exclusive treatment can only be carried out by a salon authorised by Joico, although there is an at home kit which retails at Belle Toujours at £38 for approx 30-40 treatments.
 
What was good about this treatment was that Paige (Salon Assistant), who was washing my hair knew exactly what every single product did, which was very important to me as it made me feel like my hair was in good hands.

I then had a lovely blow dry by Lauren (Creative Stylist) who gave me a beautiful stylish yet understated natural dry which is exactly what I asked for. My hair never ever does what I want but somehow she managed to make it look good so for that, I thank her! Having hair that is naturally curly means that sometimes stylists have problems taming it but Lauren knew exactly which way to dry it to ensure that it stayed in place. I like to keep my hair looking natural and not too "done" and Lauren really listened and achieved this. 

After the treatment, my annoying split ends had practically disappeared and my hair was left soft, strong and healthy. I think for someone who dyes their hair a lot like me, this treatment is essential as it restores all the protein that the hair dye takes out. 

What I loved about this salon and all of the treatments is that it has that exclusive high end feel but it's made it very accessible, friendly and down to earth which is exactly what people like myself look for. The setting of the salon in the town house gave you the feeling that you were being pampered at the home of stylist rather than in an exclusive salon, which is quite innovative.

The skills and knowledge that the staff had was also very impressive and very helpful. Straight away, you knew that you were in good hands and that's important when your giving someone free reign on something as personal as your hair and skin. I trusted Rachel with my skin because I could see she was very knowledgeable not only about the different kinds of skin in general, but also about the products she was using and treatments she was giving.

What surprised me the most about Belle Toujours was the prices. After my facial, due to the high level of skills and service given by Rachel, which I can't fault one bit, I was expecting it to be a LOT more than it's £41 price tag. The same goes for the K-PAK which starts at £15 depending on your hair length and type etc... In a capital City, you expect the prices to be a lot higher so for them to be as fair and accessible as they are is very unique to the city and something that will give the salon that extra edge in attracting customers.

Overall, this salon is very exciting news for Pontcanna and Cardiff and at the moment, I can't see any others around. You can get everything from your nails to your tan to a massage and hair cut under one roof and that's why it's unique. Because each section is situated on a different floor, it gives that feel that you could be in a salon one minute and a spa the next, which isn't offered anywhere else in the City. My experience at Belle Toujours was incredible. The friendly and relaxed manner, the knowledge and skills of the staff, the atmosphere and the vibe of the salon and the decor and style all make Belle Toujours an innovative, exciting, unique AND affordable place to go, and yes, I'm already planning a second visit. 

By Mimi 


Twitter: @miaholt

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