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Have I ever told you how much I love this city (I guess that goes without saying though)? Joburg is vibrant, busy and truly cosmopolitan. I also know that it can be tough balancing work and the time you need to pamper yourself … which, let’s face it, is incredibly important! What if I told you that there is a place where you can easily do both? Yes … I’m talking about SW1 Salon and Café.
My colleague, Fallyn and I recently stumbled upon this little jewel, and I think it’s safe to say that I’m in love (I’m not sure what my fiancé would say about that though)! SW1 Salon and Café is tucked away in Hutton Court, which is literally a hop and a skip away from Hyde Park Corner. Better yet, it has everything that a proudly Jozi girl would need to get through her day.
I decided to put my theory to the test recently by spending almost a full day there (sadly, I did have something urgent to do at the office)! Anyway, between getting my hair done and beautifying my nails, I got to take advantage of the work stations at SW1 as well as the café – which, by the way, serves several delicious salads and coffees (have I gotten your attention yet?).
I started off my day by getting my hair done … you may recall from one of my previous posts that I like to experiment with it. I told Shallina – the fabulous hair stylist at SW1, who spent a big chunk of her career learning the tricks of the trade and working in London – that I wanted to try something different. I ended up going with red lowlights (which turned out brilliantly!). While the foil was still in my hair, I managed to get a little work done, while enjoying a tasty cappuccino from the café.
Then it was onto the nails! In keeping with the spirit of something new, I got acrylic tips. I was a bit nervous about how they would turn out (I’m not one for tips … mainly because I’m really clumsy and I felt that I would ended up damaging them eventually) but I put my trust in Mo – SW1’s amazing nail artist … and she did a fabulous job! While all this was happening, Fallyn decided that she wanted to enjoy a little pampering too … so she did a facial peel and medi heel peel.
Fallyn says the peel was intense (as most peels are) and that it’s meant to revive and rejuvenate the skin. After the treatment, her skin was a little flaky but she says after three days of down time, her face had never looked more radiant. As for the medi heel peel, it took about 20 minutes. They applied a gel to the rough areas of her feet, left it on for about five to 10 minutes and scraped it off – her heels were super-soft after that.
Once my hair had been washed, dried and styled, I ended my day of pure bliss with a tasty chicken salad from the café – it had chicken mayo, rocket, feta, cucumber, tomato, avo, paw paw and hummus … yum!
If you’re thinking about paying SW1 a visit (how could you not?), just know that you can get a range of other treatments too including a wash and cut, a re-plumping moisture treatment for your hair, manicures, pedicures, neck and back massages and more! All in all, it was a day well spent – and I am definitely going to repeat the experience!
Say Hi to SW1 Salon and Café on .
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