Karine Jackson

I started out as a beauty client first here, about 10 years ago now. It was near work and a friend had recommended it. I started out slowly, with lash tints and facials. It’s not cheap so I saw the more junior person, who always did a great job. I have been fortunate enough to have a facial by the lovely Liesl, who was the senior person then (and is still there, last I knew). She does an amazing job and if the budget stretches, it’s definitely the best Dermalogica facial I’ve had. I don’t work so near and have stopped facials as I just can’t justify the spend — but if I could, this would be where I go.
After about 6 months, I decided to try out the hairdressing service. The beauty therapist recommended Simon, and thus it began! I have been going to Simon ever since, for various colour treatments and haircuts. He suits me well as he knows I’m not real big on chatting, and that I never know what I want — but he always seems to do a good job regardless. The only downside is that he has been promoted many times and the cost just goes up and up. It’s now £165 for a cut and ½ head highlights, so I can only afford to go 3 or 4 times a year. Every once in a while I try somewhere new that is perhaps cheaper or more convenient to get to, but it’s just never right. Their organic hair colour is so lovely, and my hair never looks fried or frazzled after highlighting, and as Simon knows I can’t come in as often as I should, he cuts and colours my hair in a way that I don’t look stupid after a few months.
The hairwashing and beauty treatments are downstairs in the basement, but it’s London — never bothers me!
If you are a regular client, they will do fringe trims in between haircuts free of charge.

This was the worst salon experience I’ve ever had. They didn’t even finish drying my hair! It takes a lot to get me in a bad mood, but this place did it. I was rushed around the entire time, made to feel completely unimportant, like an inconvenience. There was no consultation. I was just shoved into the basement where my hair was aggressively washed, and then I was ushered upstairs where the hairdresser proceeded to not listen to a word I had to say regarding my hair. She was more concerned with hurrying me in and out because her next client was sitting waiting. The way she was handling my hair so aggressively (with a comb even after I asked her not to) made me actually wonder if I had said something to insult her? Maybe she was just having a bad day, but no one deserves to have a shitty salon experience like that. I spoke to the manager at the front, and still paid the £29, and then I headed over to a neighboring salon to pay £29 more so they could fix it and finish the job! I should’ve taken a photo because my hair looked ridiculous; a damp, frizzy mess, sticking up all over the place. I couldn’t even run my fingers through it. Wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. Not coming back.

So thought I’d try the organic colour.
Had ½ Head of highlights with Simon.
Completely clueless with curly hair, i asked for no blow dry, most top hairdressers know how much product to put in and twist or scrunch, he just raked it through, blew a hair dyer at it which if you have curly hair you know causes worse frizz. Never left a salon with such bad hair. Had to tie it up immediately.
Secondly the price was more expensive than their online listing.
Not a huge fan of the colour he gave me, showed no initiative to improve on my existing colour.
Won’t be going back.

I was visiting London for about a week and decided I wanted to get a hair cut. Now this isn’t as simple a task as you may think. I’m a Muslim American woman and cannot show my hair to men. I know of places in California that have a back room where they cut Muslim women’s hair but I didn’t know of any in the UK!
I looked up a few hair salons in the area and decided to give them all a call to see who would be able to accommodate me. Karine Jackson was the only one that said… sure, we can do it! They really went above and beyond! They had one of the guys that worked there move a salon chair (it was heavy. poor guy) downstairs and I had the whole downstairs floor to myself! No guys allowed!
I got an AWESOME hair cut, and kerastase treatment that left my hair conditioned and soft with a junior stylist. Unfortunately I can’t remember her name as it was a year ago.
Muslim ladies, this is the place to go! Seriously, you don’t find treatment like this elsewhere. Not even in the good ol’ US of A.

After my beloved and trusted hairdresser had the temerity to up and leave me for a new life in Australia, I became a bit of a salon slut and tarted myself about — with varying degrees of success, but never that click, that feeling like you’ve found ‘the one’.
As with any one-​night stand there was an edge of frustration, dissatisfcation and often tears. And like any single girl there was the smell of desperation, they must’ve seen me coming… especially vidal sassoon who made me look like worzel gummidge with his medusa head on.
But after much searching, i found my soulmate through good old-​fashioned matchmaking.
A new colleague at work discovered this place round the corner from work. Nipping in at lunchtime on spec, leaving the office same old, come back brand spanking, sparklling glossy NEW.
Enough like a magazine model to have us all sighing and begging the number and the name.
Normally i require fidelity in my relationships, but in this case let the orgy commence. And not just because if you join and say my name i get a nice little treat.
This place is a gem.
All the stylists are fantastic, the product (kerastese) is lux and smells devine and leaves you smelling adn looking diviner (okay that’s a made up word!), they win awards for colour and they cut your hair how YOU want, to fit with your look.
This would make it a good hairdresser. BUt what makes is GREAT is the fantastic Candice who has an encyclopaedic memory, who knows when to chat and when to not; gthe mirrors which are VERY face friendly; the prices which are VERY wallet friendly; and the champagne & kettle chips.
They also have a beauty parlour downstairs that does eveything from massages to (pain free!) waxing.
So if you’re feeling lacklustre and you’re looking for commitment Karine Jackson is definitely the place for you!

Mixed Review coming up!
I’m not sure what to say about this salon. I went over for a consultation and spoke to the lovely Candice, who told me about the gentle herbal perm they used and we went through some pictures etc to determine what sort of curl I could achieve. They did an allergy test too and after all this, I booked in for a loose curly perm.
On the day of the perm which I also had a cut and conditioning treatment, which I was advised would be required to keep my hair in the best condition. I was very happy with the service etc, and enjoyed the 3&half hours I spent there.
However, the perm dropped out almost immediately. I was left with slightly wavy hair after just one wash, so went back to complain. They did apologise and were quite nice about it, but I did feel very nervous and had to ask for a refund. I got refunded for the perm but not the cut or conditioning treatment (which I wouldn’t have needed if it wasn’t for the perm). My hair is pretty similar to how it was pre perm now, and I have not noticed any damage from the ordeal.
I would recommend Candice for cuts and do believe she tried her hardest with my hair, I would advice not to go for the perm though.

Karine Jackson appealed to me because it has all the benefits of a posh salon (talented stylists, high-​end products, good service, comfy seats at the sinks, complimentary drinks etc) without the pretentious atmosphere and bitchy stylists. I quite like small, friendly salons and this place feels like one of those but still has very savvy staff.
On my first visit Simon (award-​nominated colourist and all-​round golden boy) cut my hair into a really stylish little shag. I loved it, but soon realised I don’t have the time to blow-​dry it like he did! On my return I went to Michelle (a graduate stylist) for highlights and was really impressed. I thought it would be impossible to find somewhere that would highlight my hair for under £100 in central Londonbut I’ve done it.
Aside from the cost factor, the other problem I find with London hairdressers in particular is that they don’t factor in how long it will take to dry my long, thick hair, even though I make sure to book appointments in person and not over the phone at first so they can see what they’re up against. Here I didn’t feel rushed, which was very much appreciated.
I think I’ve finally found somewhere that I can go and get my hair cut and coloured without feeling bullied or broke by the end of it. That is a bit of a miracle, if you ask me.