The Johnnie Sapong Studio

Somewhere along this path of being a beauty blogger, I started to pay a lot more attention to my hair and what I put in it. Long gone are the days of buying shampoos and conditioners purely because they smelt nice and had pretty packaging. Nope, haircare for me has definitely moved up a couple of notches on my barometer and is now equally as important to me as skincare and makeup. How the change happened, I don't know, but I do know that I appreciate all the new knowledge that I have about hair and all things related.

Last month I was invited to the Johnnie Sapong Studio to meet the world renown hair stylist and his team as well as check out the brand new Leonor Greyl Micro Viewer and meet the Leonor Greyl team. With so many people to meet and things to see, the night flew by but I picked up some tricks and tips and even got to see what my scalp looks like up close, it isn't pretty.

Here's Johnnie...

Johnnie Sapong is an internationally known hair stylist who has seen to the hair of Natalie Portman, Brad Pitt, Gemma Arterton and Jude Law, to name a few. Hidden away in the heart of London is the Johnnie Sapong Studio where each hair consultation and experience is unique and individualised. There are no rows of chairs or hair washing basins and there is no dodgy mood lighting or music, this is a place where you come to have a different kind of hair experience.

With one hair basin and one styling chair, there isn't room anyone else except for you and your stylist which is what I think is a fantastic idea. As much as I love the hustle and bustle of the average hair salon with loads of gossip mags and general chit chat, it would be equally as nice to have a sanctuary away from all the noise and be able to actually talk to your stylist. This is exactly what Johnnie has done with his studio and it doesn't go unnoticed. From the minute I walked in to the building, I knew it was going to be an experience like no other and I knew this because I had never seen a studio like this before.

Graffiti, abstract modern designs, one off Banksy pieces and all kinds of random pieces of artwork are straegically placed around the studio so your eyes dart all over the place. I remember walking in and thinking "bloody hell" when I saw a huge box in the corner of the room with a peep hole that had a 3D image of a man and woman immersed in water doing, well, stuff. It wasn't like any hair salon I had been to, or anyone else who was at the event had been to.

Before I got a chance to speak to Johnnie, I managed to score some one-on-one time with Carolyn of Leonor Greyl, a prestige French haircare brand that has been around for quite some time. Carolyn explained the history of Leonor Greyl haircare and also introduced me to the Micro Viewer which is a video camera that shows you what your scalp looks like. Having seen something similar at a L'Oreal Professional event earlier last year, I already knew that I have a very oily scalp which explains why my hair gets greasy quickly. I have an overactive sebacious gland which means I produce more oil than my body needs, it also means that my scalp and skin gets oily very quickly. I hate it now but I know I'll be grateful later on in life when I'm 50 and have the glowing skin of a 21 year old, or so I've been told.

Carolyn explained that the Micro Viewer was a fantastic tool to have in the Johnnie Sapong Studio as it meant treatments can be bespoke, much like the experience itself. No two people have the same type of hair or have the same requirements and the brainy people at Leonor Greyl haircare understood this and thus created a pretty big range of products to help with all the different types of problems and needs people have. By using the Micro Viewer, stylists are able to treat any scalp issues which would then, in turn, have an overall effect on your hair. When I was explained this, it made a lot of sense and I could see why it was important to have my hair checked out with the Micro Viewer before Carolyn could recommend any of the Leonor Greyl products to me.

After having my one-on-one consultation and taking up a lot of Carolyn's time, we were treated to a three course intimate dinner in the Studio where we got the chat and shoot questions around the table as well as drink a lot of wine.

I was lucky enough to be sat near Carolyn and Johnnie with LondonMakeupGirl so we really got a chance to ask as many questions as we could think of as well as sharing jokes and giggles. From haircare to blogging to products to celebrities, we discussed it all and it turned out to be an informative and pretty cool night altogether.

If you're looking for a different type of hair experience then I would definitely recommend checking out the Johnnie Sapong Studio. It may be a little pricey but with the personalised consultation, treatment and overall experience, it works out better in the long run. For more information on Johnnie Sapong and The Studio, check out the website or give them a call on 0844 412 7620 or if you would like more information on Leonor Greyl products then check out their website.

I will be doing a full write up of the Leonor Greyl products soon as I haven't had a chance to trial them for very long to give a thorough review. I did try the products I was given once but I didn't see the results I was promised so I have now been invited back to Johnnie's studio to have another consultation and run through of the products to see where I was going wrong. Keep your eyes peeled for that one!

What do you think of the Johnnie Sapong Studio? Is it somewhere you might want to visit or are you happy in the chair of your local hairdresser?

Until next time...

Keep swivelling those hips in your