As we all know, finding a salon that completely gets your hair wants and needs is crucial. As is finding a stylist who knows how to handle your hair type, who knows how to say ‘no’ to your unrealistic requests but also dares to offer you a style you may not even have considered. A good salon delivers all of the above with honesty and quality service, offering results that make you strut out the door and check your new bad self out in every shop window.
For me, that salon is Chez Vous. Namely, the Chez Vous: HideAway.
Chez Vous: HideAway is an all-new concept salon, launched earlier this year, that attempts to ignite a modern-day hair salon revolution. By combining a clever menu of super premium hair services along with experimental retreat-like touches, Chez Vous: HideAway envisions itself to be the new salon concept of the future – in a shamelessly designed-for-Instagram like setting.
Before I dive into the treatments and service, I must first stop to idolize the interior. I have never, ever been in a salon quite like this.
As you head up to the 14th floor of Tower B in Ngee Ann City, the bright yellow entrance transitions you from a grey cold tower block into a whole little, dare I say it, hideaway space. Open that yellow door and you’re led into the reception that reminds me of an early Victorian gentlemen’s personal library or office. It is a complete contrast to the futuristic bright canary yellow entrance and yet doesn’t feel disjointed at all.
You’re then led into another polar opposite area – the relaxation lounge. Offering complimentary treatments (yes, entirely free) to every client before their appointment, the lounge boasts of an entire flower embellished wall – offering colourful blooms that soothe you as you nest into your massage chair.
Moving into the main hub where the magic happens, the white walls, clean crisp furniture and clever lighting ensures you are relaxed, as well as giving the stylists optimum space and light to ensure your hair is perfectly designed. With an interesting art piece that centres the entire room, the large open salon offers clients a luxury setting to enjoy their transformations.
Off of this is another completely different in style space, called the private room. Head to toe in rose quartz hues with an extremely clever art installation that spans the entire right hand wall, the private room removes clients from the bustling city life to deliver tranquility, quiet and individual personal attention at the salon.
But I’ve yet to detail my favourite area, although I adore all of the above. I absolutely cannot get enough of the wash room. Yes, you read right – the area created to wash your hair. Usually a bland and not overly thought about space, Chez Vous took their hideaway wash room to the next level by offering a projection of jellyfish onto both the back and front walls, layered over dark paint, black furniture and low lighting.
In such a clever yet simplistic manner, they have made this room even more relaxing than it usually is when you’re lying down receiving a head massage. You are transported into a sea world, which relates to the therapeutic power of water and of course, the literal aspect of it being the wash room. Watching the jellyfish move harmoniously up the wall can put you into a real meditative happy state.
Rooms aside, let’s discuss the quality of service here. I am a pain in the arse when it comes to my hair. Firstly, I am Caucasian with naturally thick and wavy hair. Secondly, I want drastic colour changes almost every month. I cannot even tell you how many times I have had my hair bleached in the last three years – I have almost been expecting Chez Vous to screen my calls so they don’t need to face any more crazy hair changes!
But they never do. In fact, they accomodate my every whim, tell me the reality of any damage, tone down my expectations but also do everything they can to match my wants and needs. My recent example I shall detail (there are so many, my apologies dearest Eugene) is my whim to return back to green hair.
I had green hair for around a year, until my work told me I had to dye it back to brunette. That was a long tearful process of 21 hours in total at a salon, given that green is one of the hardest colours to remove from your hair. Fast forward a year in which my hair has been both highlighted then dyed almost black, I decide I want my green back. I told you, I am a crazy client. Of course I am very concerned about the damage my hair receives, particularly with the years of bleach abuse. Expecting Chez Vous to tell me it is impossible, I was so happy to be told it can be done, and it one sitting too. Get me to the hideaway, pronto!
I arrive a good 15 minutes early because I am a seasoned pro now and make the most of that relaxation lounge. Settling into the OSIM state-of-the-art massage lounger, I also enjoy the 650nm red light laser to rejuvenate your scalp and promote healthy hair growth, oxygen bar and sip on one of the new signature herbal teas, spa snacks and refreshments.
Then it’s the consultation and the good stuff. I won’t talk you through this aspect step by step because I was in there for over 7 hours. Yes, 7 hours. I had black dyed hair and I wanted bright alpine green air. So we had to do colour removal, then bleach, conditioning treatment, then roots dyed dark and then green colour on the rest and THEN a cut because my hair was already damaggggedddddd.
I was worried at every stage that my hair may just give up on me, but Associate Director Eddy assured me constantly it would not, and after 7 long hours, we got the result:
I felt amazing. I was so happy to have made the decision to do this again and so thankful that Chez Vous: HideAway never turns me down and always caters for my whims. Whats more, because of the conditioning treatment and the cut, my hair felt healthier and bouncy again. I expected it to feel like hay.
Within one sitting of just 7 hours, they took me from this…to this:
Given the luxurious interior, the level of attention and length of treatment time Chez Vous dedicate to each and every client, you’d expect prices to reflect this. On the contrary. The Chez Vous: HideAway concept hair salon offers zero packages and 100% price transparency, delivering 4 simple price bundles:
- $199 for haircut and 1 service.
- $299 for haircut and 2 services.
- $399 for haircut and 3 services.
- $499 for haircut and 4 services.
*All prices exclusive of 7% GST. Premium add ons requested will be $99 plus GST per add on.
For the price scheme and the luxury level of service you receive, I cannot rate this salon highly enough. Going to other salons now doesn’t quite feel like the same 360 experience you receive here. The devil is in the detail and that is exactly what the guys behind this salon mastered when they created Chez Vous: HideAway. Trust me, go just once and you’ll soon see what I have been raving out.
To try the Chez Vous: HideAway salon for yourself, click here for more information and to make a booking.
