Tried and Tested: balayage and blow dries at Clo & Flo

Get in on the sister act at this South Kensington salon
Chloe and Florence Bellas in the Clo & Flo salon
Clo & Flo
Bianca Barratt28 December 2017

What’s the buzz? Sisters Chloe and Florence Bellas took over the family business a couple of years ago to bring Londoners some of the freshest hair in the city. Since then, their blow dries have developed something of a cult following as again and again they are able to deliver the kind of hair perfection usually reserved for Victoria’s Secret models.

Whilst Flo is something of a hair wizard- creating these legendary hair dos alongside the rest of the technical team- Clo keeps up the business side of things. Together, they’re looking to develop their own product line, giving their clients the opportunity to recreate the looks at home.

Even regardless of this, the salon is worth visiting for the personal service and relaxed vibe. You don’t feel like you’re on a conveyor belt, as often is the case at chain hairdressers, and the team is dedicated to creating a look that is right for you.

Arguably the best part is that they won’t chastise you for the apparently ‘terrible’ cut or colour you’ve been walking around with for the last few months in the way that stylists are often prone to do- without sounding too saccharine, the atmosphere is much more positive than that.

Go for… the full makeover. Although the blow dries alone are reason enough to visit, to get the full ‘before-and-after’ transformation, go for a cut and colour. A subtle application of the dye by means of gentle backcombing creates a natural Balayage look; as if you’ve been on holiday and sat in the sun for a few days. As my hair is a natural dark mousey brown (oh, joy) it took around an hour for it to take to the colour, but during this hiatus you can pick your way through the hefty pile of magazines and drink more coffee than is probably healthy. It’s well worth the wait too: the stylists are perfectionists (which is exactly what you want when getting your hair done) so will want to make sure the colour is right for your skin tone.

What helps create the perfect end product is the wash- it’s thorough; lasting around 20 minutes. Due to the magic touch of my stylist, Daniele Salamone, the cut and blow dry didn’t take much time at all- within a few minutes he’d snipped off the dead ends, added in some subtle layers and was pulling out the dryer.

The Result: Having explained what I wanted- blonder ends and a sparing cut (I wanted to keep the length) – my stylist managed to turn my somewhat inarticulate ramblings into the best cut and colour I’ve ever had. The ends were a crisp and flattering shade of blonde and the cut took the heaviness out of my thick locks. It’s a look that I knew would be low maintenance, which suits my laissez-faire attitude to beauty regimes down to the ground.

Transformed: before and after they worked their magic

The hype surrounding the blow dries is well founded- by the time they’d finished with me, my hair had volume and natural looking curls which were created with a round brush, tongs and finger combing. For the first time ever I didn’t leave the salon feeling like I needed to rewash it in order to look like myself. It also lasted around four days too and even managed to survive a spin class.

Price: Blow dries start at £30 and for a full head of highlights or Balayage it’s £150. Cuts start at £55.

Find it: at 55 Old Brompton Road, SW7 3JS; cloandflo.com

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