Piper Violet Hair Salon Review (London only)

I first met Jo Herald in 2015 at Charles Worthington, when I was invited in for a press appointment to have a new colour and restyle. I remember instantly liking her and finding it such a relief that she was someone who had ideas on what was best for my hair, but also listened to what I wanted too – hair is such a balancing act as we often have very specific ideas on what we’d like, but they don’t always match what’s best for our hair type/skin colour etc, so a good hair specialist will find a way to compromise and Jo is fantastic at this; her hair expertise stems from her 23 years of experiencing working at London Fashion Week, the BAFTAS and colouring and styling the hair of the London elite (and me!) so when I got word that she was opening her own salon, I begged her for the earliest possible appointment!

Jo has joined forces with Becky Violet (another Charles Worthington Alumni with a similarly impressive reputation) to open Piper Violet Hair in Twickenham, a beautiful waterside destination on the very outskirts of SW London. Yes, it’s not the most accessible, but my goodness is it a lovely place to visit and the whole vibe of the area adds to the overall pampering experience – it’s like a little day-long getaway! You feel like you’re outside of London, you’re literally a 20 second walk from a beautiful stretch of the Thames and there are ducks and outdoor cafes and pebbled streets and olde-worlde sweet shops. I challenge you to visit Piper Violet Hair without hopping on Rightmove to see if you could find somewhere to live nearby.

Piper Violet Hair is located at the very end of Church Street behind the main area of shops; not the easiest to locate if you don’t know what you’re looking for, but I really like the privacy as there’s nothing I hate more than sitting around in my foils whilst the local population wanders by. The salon itself is small, but perfectly formed, so at most you’d have maybe four people having treatments in one sitting (presumably that’s limited to fewer with the current situation) which again is something I prefer as I like the whole experience to be as relaxing as possible, which is tricky in a busy, crammed salon. The vibe is stylish, yet welcoming and they’ve got the balance just right.

Where the girls at Piper Violet Hair really excel is with their commitment to going above and beyond to help you find your perfect hair, whatever that may be. Your appointment begins before you arrive with a “Visionary Consultation” which basically involves answering a few online questions and (optionally) submitting some pictures of colours and styles that you like. I really like this idea as I think it gives your stylist (Becky or Jo) the chance to consider your ideas beforehand, rather than having to make a snap decision there and then during your actual appointment. Then, on arrival, you’ll come up with a confirmed plan with your stylist, before tucking in to a selection of beautifully presented snacks and drinks including coffee and shortbread, or something more sparkling if you’re in a celebratory mood. There are wigs, hair pieces and various devices that you can play with to see if you might fancy something a bit different, but obviously all these elements are optional and if you’re like me and know exactly what you like, then that’s all you have to say.

I arrived with my ridiculous lockdown hair that was very long and my root growth was astonishing as you can see in the pictures. Jo said that lockdown hair is a real issue at the moment, particularly for those of us who prefer to be blonde as the sudden arrival of stark highlights can look quite bright and/or raw on hair that hasn’t had any colour treatments for such a long time, so she’s developed a new technique which she has called the “Smoky Root Service” that involves using a very light toner with the tiniest touch of black to blend out the roots and ensure they don’t look unnatural or overly light. Don’t be afraid of the black, it literally just softens the whole look and there’s no grey or scary dark finish, instead it’s just a great way of ensuring that your new colour blends out as naturally as possible.

I went for the full works, getting my whole colour lifted, including the Smoky Root Service, plus we took enough off the lengths to remove any damaged ends whilst also keeping as much length as possible as I like having the long hair. Jo also cut in some layers underneath to give it a bit more movement and it really made a difference – I can let my very straight hair dry naturally and it moves so much better now.

I was really surprised by just how much of an impact my hair was having on my confidence. I’ve always loved having nice hair, and I think having such bad roots made me feel constantly “unfinished”. Having great hair makes me feel so much happier and for that reason it’s worth every penny. I had a fantastic time at Piper Violet Hair; the whole experience was so positive and fun – Jo is a joy to be around and she’s really good at letting you just waffle on and fully indulge in the whole experience. I cannot wait for my next appointment!

The services I received at Piper Violet Hair were a full head of highlights (£110), Cut and Finish (£68) and an Olaplex treatment (£20). You can find the full price list here – link.

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