Headmasters

Love this place for haircuts! The staff are well-​trained, know their stuff and are happy to listen and work with you (and your hair — no mean feat with curls like mine which can go loopy at the drop of a hat!). I get my hair done by Kieran who is a total doll and incredibly skilled; he’s also very funny and always has a great book recommendation or two to share! Prices are fair for the skill and expertise employed, and the VIP card saves a lovely 25% off appointments at certain times. Great deals available too at different times of the year, it’s well worth signing up for the mailing list.

I’ve been to Headmasters Soho twice now, following a friend’s suggestion. And I’m really glad I have! I am more than pleased with my haircuts and advice here.
My stylist is Mia, a young stylist with 5 years experience. She is so friendly and really fun to chat to! I have really sleek, pin-​straight Chinese/​oriental hair, but she is experienced and knows how to cut and shape it to my face shape. She is so considerate and takes on suggestions and ideas of what you want your hair to look like, but she also is careful to be realistic, pragmatic and understands how your hair type will behave. I highly recommend Mia, and think she’s such a talented hairdresser. I can’t wait to come back, as I trust my hair in her hands!
The salon is really comfortable and the shampoo station chairs have back massagers in them! Which makes for a relaxing experience. The place is clean and bright with catchy feel-​good music. Nothing bad to say about my experience with Headmasters!

Outstanding hair place. A beautiful person will greet you and get you seated. He or she will then offer you almost any beverage you desire. Your personal stylist will then appear and interview you. He or she will ask you about what your looking to do with your hair, give helpful options and suggestions and explain the process. You’ll then have a very relaxing, pleasant hair styling experience.
My stylist was Krystal. She has got an infectiously pleasant attitude and looks to die for. You can’t go wrong with her.
I live in LA, but I’d fly to London any time to see Krystal!

I came here a couple weeks ago for a cut and half head highlights. The hairdresser was really sweet, but I just don’t think she was very good. She cut off about 6 inches, but there seemed to be no technique at all. When I came home, it looked like she had just chopped straight across.
As for the highlights the colour/​tonor was fine, but she only did the T-​section. (Therefore, when I part my hair from one side to another, it exposes the non-​highlighted bits. Not cute.) Is it just me or does half head highlight imply that half of your head will be highlighted? Silly of me to assume that because it simply did not apply.
Needless to say, not coming back. Spare yourself and find a different salon.

Had a blow out here this afternoon…
Pros:
head massage was verging on spiritual
hair looks great, feels great
Cons:
Felt like the stylist was trying to sell me products the whole time
Took over an hour

So I thought I would leave a post blowdry review since we all know that we leave salons much better looking than the haircuts actually are.
Again I am not disappointed! Skye had shown me a preview of how my hair would look but I have to say I like it even better than the blow dried and styled version. It looks short and stylish and chic… Just as I like it. For the first time keeping my hair down is not a hassle at all!

A totally amazing experience first thing on a Saturday morning. I was able to walk in without an appointment for £30. I was lucky enough to have Sky has my hairdresser and she was completely amazing… Giving me great advice and an incredible haircut.
Do not hesitate — this is a fabulous hair salon.

I have been growing my hair out of a super short cut for what seems like an eternity now. It was getting to serious mullet stage so at risk of hacking all of my hair off with some kitchen scissors I decided to try Headmasters as they are close to my work. I was pretty nervous as the last thing I wanted was to leave looking like I had short hair. I was booked in with Bella who was welcoming and made me feel at ease. She consulted me thoroughly about what I was looking to achieve and gave me a fantastic cut. I returned the following day to have some highlights done with Holly and was super pleased with this too. I’ll definitely return– the fact they are open til 9pm is also a huge benefit. I think my cut was £57 and my colour was £90, however I could have done a package if I’d been more savvy.

After deciding my hair was in shocking condition I decided to do some research on where I can get a decent hair cut in London w/​o breaking the bank. I saw that Headmaster do a deal on standby appointments. However, when I phoned up to find out more the lady told me that if I became a VIP member I’d receive a 25% discount taking the cut down to £30 and giving me a specific time where I wouldn’t have to wait. Being a «VIP» is free of charge and you get 25% off services (I think) so I decided to go for that. I’m always weary of deals, because sometimes staff can be snobby about them and rush through the service, however had I gone for an offer here, I think they would still take as much time over my hair had I been paying full price.
The stylist I had was Charleigh and she was fantastic. She seemed to really care about my hair and how to improve it, which is important to me. And there was little of the small talk because you could tell she was concentrating on what she was doing.
After offering me a drink, she sat down with me and we talked though the condition of my hair and how I like it. I think this consultation at the start is so important because it can be rushed through in other salons, leaving you with a haircut you’re not sure you asked for. This way I got to say exactly how I like it and what I want done. Afterwards I had the shampoo-​massage experience which was nice and then she got down to the cutting. I was surprised at how quick she was but I don’t feel as though the service was compromised as a result, it’s more just that she’s clearly confident and good at what she does. I left feeling both happier about my hair and that it was in a better condition. Unfortunately I couldn’t afford a tip and so, like others, thought I would write this review instead!
Overall, I was very pleased with the experience and think I may have finally found a salon in London that can be my regular. Of course, you never truly know how a cut has turned out until a little while after, but I thought the service was great and Charleigh was fantastic. Recommended!

It’s always daunting when you move somewhere new to find a good place for a haircut. Everything else is easy to find, but a good stylist? Irreplaceable!
A friend recommended this place and told me that if you drop in without an appointment and are willing to wait, the standby price is £25. This sounded good to me so I went to check it out. When I got there, the staff was polite and I was lucky and didn’t have to wait too long. When the stylish was ready, she was friendly and asked me if I wanted something to drink and we had a short discussion on what I wanted, which was nice. The haircut itself went fine, not too long and I had asked for a simple trim with layers, which is what I got. After she was done she asked me if I would have wanted it cut a little bit shorter and didn’t mind when I said yes and wanted just a bit more off.
What was nice is that usually when I ask for a trim, the stylist always cuts off more of my hair than I wanted, but this time it was perfect. I know that what I’m asking for is not a huge difference and is really more of a neatening than a change in hairstyle, but you’d be surprised how many times I come away from a haircut sad that my hair is too short. I am really happy that I’ve found a place that actually listens to what I want!
I think my only critique was that she GHD’d my hair straight instead of blow drying it, which never looks as good and kills volume. I have been back another time though and they did blow dry my hair that time, which was fine.
I think each branch is different though, I tried the one in Oxford st and even though it was pretty early in the day, they told me there were only appointments left with Senior stylists for £70. I told them all I needed was a trim, and that it was raining outside so any style they gave me wouldn’t even last till I got home, but they didn’t really care and finally set me up with a stylist who charged £50. I was leaving town the next day and didn’t have time to go elsewhere so I went with it.
Overall I would say it’s a decent place, and I will go here until I find something better.

I visited Headmasters for a bleach + tone in the hopes that the rave reviews would extend to awesome colour service too. Not so much. I arrived early, was whisked to a chair, and then had my hopes absolutely crushed immediately. I walked in with a longish pixie that had been dyed deep red. I wanted to return to my previous platinum blonde colour, and was told quickly and without hesitation that it wouldn’t be possible. I explained that my hair takes a beating and I’ve gone from SFX Atomic Pink (well known in the alternative colour crowd as notoriously difficult to remove) to white blonde in one treatment before. It’s doable, but one has to be willing to treat my hair badly to do it. I know this, and I’m okay with having fragile hair for a bit. I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again. They were far too kind to my hair, and got bupkis done because of that.
After two treatments with some super light bleach (about 20 minutes for each process, my scalp didn’t even tingle, so it was baby stuff they called a «cleansing» treatment) I was salmon-​haired. Fine, good, whatever. It’s getting lighter. Previously, when removing red from my hair, I’ve had a stylist sit me in a corner with bleach on for an hour. They had me hanging out for maybe 25 minutes before declaring that it wasn’t lifting and rinsing it out. I was talked into having them apply a semi-​permanent tint in what I was told was «dark, warm blonde» and is in fact, mousy brown. The exact colour I told them I did not want and did not like even one tiny bit. I’m stuck with it for about four weeks now, which is beyond frustrating.
I think what really gets me now is that the whole time, I was trying to find out why it was such a big deal and the stylist I had was just really cold and bitchy about it. Other stylists came over to check it out, one of whom was rather upbeat about it and said she thought it could get lighter than it did. I suspect she was rather more skilled and could have achieved something closer to blonde than I got. I also didn’t like being told that my only options were to hack it all off (it’s already bloody short, thanks) or to stick with brown until it grows out enough. That it will take corrective colour (70 quid/​45 minutes) once a month for four months before it’s where I want it to be. Oh, and that doesn’t include a blow dry (+24 quid) or the cut (add another 50). I say forget it. I won’t be going back. Anywhere that makes me cry (because really, no one handles getting told that their hair has to be entirely cut off after months of growing it out with a genuine smile) and then treats me like I’m just an inconvenience has already lost my business. I got a second opinion down the street, and was told that they’ve screwed me over by layering more colour on top. Awesome. Maybe their 25 pound last minute cut is amazing, but don’t get your colour done there, and don’t expect them to be nice about it if you challenge them to do something more than a basic ombré or foil.
EDIT: I wish to add that I got a second opinion at the far superior Feel on Berwick St (around the corner, really). They took one look and laughed at what HM told me. One strand test and two days later, I have pristine WHITE blonde hair. It’s beautiful and I didn’t have to practically shave my head for it. I’d tell you where Headmasters can put their outrageous price quotes and terrible customer service, but it’s not fit for print.

After a lot of research, I decided my first proper cut in over 2 years was going to be done here. At the standby price (£25). I walked in around 6pm on a Thursday and was told they didn’t have any standby appointments but to try again. The front desk guy was super nice and helpful and gave me a card with their number and said to feel free to call and ask for standby openings.
I tried again the same time the next day and got the only standby left, at 8:15pm with Holly. We killed about an hour and a half in the Soho area but then returned around 7:50pm because it was raining and we were bored. The same front desk guy was (again) very welcoming and friendly and sat me down in a hairdresser’s chair, told me Holly was going to finish her current customer and then come over and chat with me and then we’d go for a shampoo. I was offered tea/​coffee (along with my husband). He brought over magazines for both of us. The 25 minutes flew by.
When Holly finished she did exactly as described. She came over, talked with me about what I wanted, advised me on what would be better, was very friendly and very professional and had great comments and suggestions. After that short talk the process began.
I LOVE this place! I LOVED this experience! I LOVED Holly! I LOVED the front desk guy! I LOVE my haircut! I bought the hair mask for £5. Plus tip, the whole amazing experience only cost £34.99. Yes, I tipped. She deserved more but I can’t afford more so she got a tip and this review because she’s amazing.

I’ve grown tired of getting my hair cut at Taylor Taylor, what with all the booking weeks in advance, always feeling a little bit out of place, and begrudging the fact that even though I’ve been provided with a free cocktail I can’t exactly drink it while the stylist is meticulously razor-​cutting my hair. And there’s nothing I hate more than wasting perfectly good booze.
So I neglected to get my hair cut for about 5 months. I know, I’m slovenly.
When I was in Soho on Saturday after trying and failing to buy some new pants from M&S, I decided I’d finally visit the mythical Headmasters that everyone seems to love (which is just around the corner), despite it being a chain on hair salons.
I didn’t pay £25 for a stand-​by appointment like everyone else seems to do on Unilocal — which is probably why everyone loves it so much. No, I paid £44. But I did walk in Saturday afternoon and asked if I could get a walk-​in appointment, which was accommodated within the hour.
My senior stylist, Luke, listened to what I wanted (a messy look that I can shove inside of a helmet and just get generally sweaty without having to worry about it) and delivered. He didn’t chat to me throughout the haircut, which is excellent, because I’m a miserable person and therefore hate the requisite small talk of salon visits.
He blew my hair out with a paddle brush, achieving a level of volume that can only be described as «lion mane», which was perfect for me. And then finished up the style by cutting in all the layers and straightening out my fringe, which I had previously destroyed in an at-​home fringe-​cutting disaster.
As I was leaving, Luke told me that my hair was his most exciting cut of the day and asked if I’d ever thought of going asymmetrical. Appealing to my ego and showing interest in doing something cool to my hair in the future will always win me over.
Plus, while it wasn’t £25, it’s still £12 cheaper than my previous hair cuts and every bit as good.

Thanks for the best customer experience I’ve ever had!
I found Headmasters by looking for the haircutters with the best ratings on Unilocal in my area while on vacation in London. Headmasters stood out, and I went there the next day.
George cut my hair. From the first moment I was sure he knew what he was doing. He made my hair just the way I wanted it. And it was a great experience, topped with orange juice and biscuits. Perfect!
But when showing my new haircut to my family they discovered some dirt on the back of my shoulder. It turned out that this was hair color, which is not so easy to get off.
I went back to Headmasters and showed it to George. He was really upset, and after trying to find out where it could come from, he used a couple of products trying to get it off. He was genuinely upset and promised that he would make the shirt as good as new. — Come back with your shirt tomorrow, we’ll fix it, he said.
The next day I stopped by with with my shirt, and he once again said that he was so sorry and promised me that he’ll sort it out.
So on my last day in London I visited Headmasters for my fourth time. When I came there George ran to get my shirt, and I was asked if I wanted tea, coffee or something else to drink. A few minutes later George came back with my shirt, wrapped in plastic. He showed me that you still could barely glimpse something, but I said it was more than good enough. As an apology I got a free box of paste.
How George and Headmasters handled this tricky situation is a perfect example. A perfect example on how you can turn something negative into the best customer experience. Thanks!
I’m going to cut my hair at Headmasters again. No doubt.

I went here based on Unilocal reviews, figuring that a budget concious girl could get her hair spruced up before the holidays.
For a weekday, the place was almost completely empty. The receptionist was super friendly, offering water and something to read.
The hair cut itself, with one of their senior stylists, was so so. The best part was the blow out, which survived surprisingly ok. I felt like the stylist went against what I had wanted, and didn’t listen to my input. She was very nice though, and very chatty. (I’m not talkative while someone is cutting my hair, so I was happy for her to chat away)
All in all, I will probably try somewhere else before going back here. But, if you need a budget haircut in London, this isn’t a bad place to go. Friendly staff, decent hair cut, and decent price.

So I’m going to be the black sheep here. I *hate* my haircut. No seriously, one of those cry in front of the mirror «it will never grow back!» kind of hate. I wanted something *so* simple and easy. Instead I got a wanna-​be kate moss in rehab trashy look. I think it’s one step away from a mullet, short blunt «side bangs» parted in the middle. I think she was trying to be trendy. Horrible. I asked for simple layers and a trim. What was she thinking!!! She fluffed up my hair and threw some product in it and it looked alright when I left. I thought to myself, maybe I’ll like it when I get home. I look like a mushroom.
I’m going somewhere tomorrow to fix it.
Will not be returning.
Must say though, the receptionist and lady who washed my hair were very sweet.

Easy to find, fast and friendly service. I only needed a bang (fringe) trim, so didn’t bother with an appointment on a weekday afternoon. It was no problem and I was in a chair in less than five minutes. At this time I was informed the fringe trims were free of charge. Wonderful. I’ve gone to similar places where this is the case, but when you show up, often they act like it’s a huge pain in their ass, or rush through it. Not here.
My stylist was genuinely friendly and chatted while working with purpose on my blunt, Zooey Deshanel style fringe. And he did a great job I must say. Seems like a simple trim — straight across, thick bangs — but it is not and I am always amazed at the ways stylists will find to fuck it up.
Everyone I interacted with was friendly and smiles, not too cool to be bothered (like most salons, and most service industries in London, as a matter of fact), and the salon was clean, modern and inviting. I searched around for a while and their prices can’t be beat, when it comes to places that will have staff knowledgeable on current styles. When it’s time for a full hair cut I will definitely come back.

I did it. I finally took the plunge. I chopped off my security-​blanket long hair, which is something I’ve been contemplating for years. There are very few places I would have let talk me into something like that, but Headmasters is one. And I am so very glad I did.
I went in for a lunchtime stand-​by appointment (which has now gone up to £25, by the way). I got a sweet, talkative stylist named Amanda who sat down with me first thing to talk about what sort of cut I was planning on. I said I was just there for a little trim and she said «Ya know, I think taking off a bit of the length and maybe cutting in some long fringe would look great on your face…» I was apprehensive, but she made some no-​pressure suggestions and told me to think about it while I was getting my hair washed. She handed me off to her colleague Zara (Sarra?) to get washed and combed, and we reconvened a few minutes later.
I don’t know what was going on with me that day, but for some reason I said, «Amanda, let’s do it. Let’s cut it all off.» I’ve always been incredibly protective about my hair, so what possessed me to make this decision I do not know. I put myself in Amanda’s very capable hands and ended up with a fringe and a blunt cut just below my shoulders. This is not a cut I EVER would have chosen for myself (I’ve never had a fringe in my entire life!), but Amanda was able to look at my face and transform me into more fun and sophisticated version of myself. It took me a few days to get used to it, but I am totally in love with my cut.
One of the best things that I can say about Amanda was her awesome attitude. I’ll admit it, I got a little freaked out when I realised what a huge decision I’d made. I kept asking Amanda ridiculous questions («Will this look stupid with my glasses?» «Are you sure that a fringe won’t make my face look fat?») and she was so reassuring and soothing that I gradually relaxed and let her do her thang. She checked in with me periodically to make sure I was liking the direction we were going, and I never felt pressured into doing something that I was uncertain about.
I’m as pleased with Headmasters as always, and cannot recommend them highly enough. The pricing has gone up a little bit, but it is so, SO worth it to be confident in the skill of my stylist. Thanks for an awesome cut, Amanda!

The time had come for me to get a haircut, something I had been avoiding for a long time. But as the days, weeks, hell even months, passed and I began to look more like Cousin It, I decided that something had to be done and done asap!
Haircuts, for me, have often been a traumatic experience, whether because of the extortionate prices in London or having a bad haircut, or more often that not experiencing both. So, like any bonafide Unilocaler in distress I hopped on here for a bit of advice. After hunting and coming across the great reviews for Headmasters it all sounded a bit too good to be true… but I can confirm: It really is this amazing! Hallelujah!
I called as soon as they opened (9.30am) on Tuesday morning asking if they had any «standby appointments» and I was booked in for 11.15am that morning. So, after pegging it down to Soho (with the standby’s you have to be prepared to go at the drop of a hat) I was met by Carol, one of the most friendly and professional hairdressers I’ve ever come across. She really listened to what I wanted and even sat next to me whilst we discussed every last detail. Non of that «yeah, yeah, um yeah» I’m-not-really-listening hairdresser attitude.
And as for the haircut, well my classic style turned out fab, but by the look of her short bleached bob I imagine she can rustle up any of the snazzier, hot looks of the moment. Plus, she took the time to blow dry it with a round brush, a true hairdressing skill, and to my relief there were no GHD’s in sight. Phew!
Now for the best bit, de de de derrrrrr… it was indeed only £20! The best haircut I’ve had in a long, long, long time, maybe ever, and definitely the cheapest. The great thing is, you can keep ringing for «stand-by’s» for future appointments as long as you don’t mind who you get. And last but not least, fringe trims are free in between cuts, just pop into any Headmasters and they’ll sort it.
I washed and blow dried it myself for the first time today… something funky’s going on back there… holy smoke… I have great hair! Thank you, thank you, thank you Carol!

Today I discovered what happens when you get a 20 quid hairstyle. A beautiful man, who may or may not know what he is doing, shears off all your hair.
Headmasters do a £20 stand by appointment service, just ring an hour before you want it done and they try to fit you in. They do warn that you don’t get to pick your stylist. They don’t warn that you might get a jaw droppingly gorgeous blonde with epic biceps that looks like he belongs on a catwalk or a surfboard. So laid back, he was sitting across the street in a doorway having a fag while I was getting my hair washed.
I was a little bemused and terrified through the whole experience. I was never entirely sure that he hadn’t spent his career to this date in a poodle parlour. He ruffled my hair a lot, excessively so, it was quite funny actually. He spent an awful long time gazing at me, sniping away and staring at me. No-​one this good looking has ever looked at me this intensely.
He cut and cut and cut, then got out a razor. No one has ever used a razor on my hair in my entire life! This haircut is precise! F#@k it’s short! I’m not sure how he ever thinks I will style it.
Seriously he might be the worst hairdresser in the world or the best, am too dazzled to decide.
Headmasters lose a star because he ghd’d my hair instead of blow drying it straight, which is the laziest thing to do. A good hairdresses can dry it poker straight. The staff are all young and fun and friendly, you will get a great cut here.