Author: Neville Tucker

To commemorate Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Neville Tucker recreated Queen Elizabeth II ‘s iconic look. He has paid homage to not only the Queen, but also Charles Martin who was the Queen’s hairdresser for a large part of her sovereignty. Neville worked with Charles for many years at his salon, Neville Daniel on Sloane Street during the early 90s where he held the Royal Warrant.

Here is a step by step guide of how to recreate Her Majesty’s iconic look put together by Neville Tucker, owner of Neville Hair and Beauty and Jack Merrick-Thirlway, creative director. The true beauty of this look stems from true, authentic, old fashioned setting and dressing using only hair brushes, rollers and a hairdryer and no heated tools.

Begin by washing the hair as normal, using shampoo and conditioner. Ensure to use plenty of setting and blow-dry lotion throughout the blow dry process to provide hold. Using a hairdryer, a small brush and small rollers for maximum movement, split the hair into small sections for ideal positioning. Once the rollers are in place, the model is then put under a hood dryer for around half an hour to achieve heat through all the rollers. The elimination of tongs and straighteners at this stage is vital for the iconic, vintage look - going back to basics is the key. Once the hair is completely dry and set, the rollers are removed, and the hair is brushed through. Using a wide tooth comb, the hair is moved into the desired place and silver clips are placed around the curls and waves to keep them in place. Around the back, the hair has been carefully back-combed to achieve volume and hold. Small pins keep the hair tightly in place. The crown is then added at the front once the silver clips are removed around the front and hair covered part of the crown towards the back. Use hairspray to complete the look at to add shine and dynamism.

Spring has sprung at Neville Hair & Beauty

Philip Martin’s colour ambassador Domenico Casella unveils three new colour looks created at Belgravia’s flagship salon

Hailing from Florence, Domenico Casella has brought over his amazing Italian flair to the world of colour. Domenico, who has worked in the industry for almost 15 years, has pioneered his “Hybrid Hair” also known as Shatush; a free hand technique exclusive to Neville and Philip Martin’s using only a cone and his hands; which colours only the hair which would naturally be ‘kissed’ by the sun. Similar to balayage, Shatush is extremely soft and creates the subtlest results. Domenico has created the perfect colour service for those wishing to add dimension to their hair.

With a passion for organic colouring techniques and organic treatments for hair care, Domenico only uses the best quality products, which is why he has partnered with Philip Martin’s to be one of their Global Colour ambassadors and create these three new Spring Colour looks exclusive to Neville Hair & Beauty, available now. Casella says of the new looks; “the inspiration of the looks has arrived after a long research about the trends of the moments, the best trends of the past, and trying to predict what people will like and what our Clients would wear, as a classy, modern and effortless look.”

Fashionable, more youthful but very sophisticated, Peach Bellini celebrates individuality and self-expression. The look combines the updated shag haircut of the 70’s with a Peach coloured rinse for a new and updated shade of blonde. To achieve the look Domenico starts by using his free hand Shatush technique, adding dimension and subtle sun-kissed colour, but the results are softer and more subtle. The foil-free shatush technique is used to add dimension to the hair and frame with a brighter and lighter colour. After the hair has lifted, Domenico washes the hair before applying the new pigment by Philip Martin’s called Colour Split. This is left on for ten minutes before being rinsed in cold water for extra shine. The look is styled to appear lived in.

The classic Renaissance look exclusive to Neville Hair and Beauty developed by Domenico Casella for Philip Martin’s is a luxurious copper tone. The hue frequently found in nature represents the need to take a more natural approach to beauty just like the natural henna colour used to achieve this look. To create the copper tone Domenico starts by face framing the face using his foil free Shatush technique. After a good rinse and shampoo, he applies the copper coloured Colour Split to the roots for added depth. He then without rinsing, applies a mixture of different Philip Martin’s Henna tones to the roots, lengths and ends for 30 minutes. Henna is a natural colour service that tones, purifies, moisturizes, volumizes and offers the best re-pigmentation to faded and brittle hair. The treatment, created with dyeing herbs based on Lawsonia Inermis (in nature Intense Copper) and other herbal blends, allows the creation of a wide range of reflections.

The low-key Money Piece look by Domenico Casella for Philip Martin’s, which was inspired by Elena Lavagni, the owner of Neville Hair and Beauty, consists in very strategically placed colour that creates a soft pop at the front. Designed for international women on the go who are seeking a refined, comfortable and manageable look it was achieved by weaving in highlights delicately around the face to frame your facial features, using the foil free Shatush technique. Domenico then tones the hair with Philip Martin’s new pigment Colour slide and glosses the look with Henna for a vibrant, natural looking and high shine effect.

Whether curly or coily in its most natural state, fashioned into protective braids or twists, or restyled with wigs, the flexibility of textured hair holds no bounds. Where straightening texture hair previously called for potentially harmful chemical relaxers, a newer, more natural technique is surging in popularity, the Silk Press Treatment. The best part? The results are similar, but damage is minimal.

What is a silk press?
To have the option of going straight in a safe way is game-changing. The silk press is a method of hair straightening used on textured hair, which ensures an incredibly smooth and silky finish. The total game changer is that no chemical relaxers are needed and will last as long as you keep your hair away from water, steam or sweat. Using Keracare’s three-step thermal wonder system – which is designed for silk press treatments – texture hair specialist Kash Bishop pre-preps hair with the conditioner, washes it out with the moisturising shampoo, then applies the sealing heat protectant to towel-dried hair.

A silk press is vastly different from the hair scorching torture where hair was left stiff as cardboard. Silk Press is far gentler and more detailed, as each section is straightened in small pieces using a special method which includes slow passes and a paddle brush to further detangle leaving hair soft. The straighteners allow the stylist to monitor the heat more accurately, depending on the coarseness of the client's hair. Minimal product is used, too, which results in the hair having maximum motion.The key benefit is that the technique allows every texture to go straight, regardless of how loose or tight the natural curl pattern is. In the past, women often had to turn to chemical relaxers to achieve this effect, but the Silk Press has come along to turn this on its head.