Ellie House has struggled with her unruly mop for years. She tried out the latest treatment at Linton & Mac to see if curly hair really can be tamed
We are never satisfied with what we are given, or so the saying goes, and it could not be more appropriate than when talking about hair.
Having been blessed or perhaps cursed with unruly, curly hair, I spent most of my adolescence abusing it with straighteners and even the iron on one doomed occasion.
I now know that ‘edgy’ layers will create a mini afro and any yearning for a fringe is an exceptionally bad idea.
And so every morning becomes a ritual of scraping my hair back into a bun or leaving it loose and hoping for the best.
Countless hairdressers have tried and failed to tame my hair, while I have plastered on a smile and insisted I love the blow dry which will undoubtedly be washed out within hours.
Come 2017 and my thoughts turned to a new, altogether smoother look.
Step forward Linton & Mac, which has been making waves on the hairdressing scene since it opened in Aberdeen in 2015.
Jennifer Linton and Joanna MacDonald joined forces to create a salon with a difference.
Walk through the door and you’ll have serious interior envy before you’ve even considered your barnet.
From stripped back lighting to the trendy style bar, Linton & Mac is the ultimate pinterest board complete with staff who welcome you like an old friend.
I was introduced to Sarah Black who talked me through a plan of action.
I can’t stress how useful this was. Sarah listened to what I wanted and explained what my hair would benefit from.
With her eight years of experience, I knew I was in safe hands.
It’s now confession time however.
My hair was a mishmash of highlights long since grown out, but dryness was the main issue.
In my defence curly hair is more prone to dryness as it is less oily and in desperate need of moisture.
Aside from the odd guilt induced hair mask, my split ends were past saving.
Sarah recommended a keratin blow out, not just to improve the condition but to also make the next step possible.
I yearned to go lighter but my hair needed some TLC before I could indulge in the highlights.
“Many people come in asking for colour but don’t realise that your hair needs to be in good condition in the first place, and it’s sometimes not possible to change colour overnight,” said Sarah.
“Winter can be really damaging to hair, particularly when the central heating is blasting.
“A keratin blow out is the best way to get your hair feeling and looking so much better.”
Keratin is a natural ingredient in the hair which makes it more manageable.
Curly hair is lacking in keratin, and a blow out is an intensive treatment which adds keratin to the hair shaft.
It doesn’t straighten the hair but will make it far less unruly.
The results can last up to eight weeks for an express blow out.
The treatment is already proving popular and it’s not hard to see why.
You’re not just getting your hair done at Linton & Mac, you’re getting complete relaxation.
Attention to detail means you don’t get a simple black gown. Your clothes are also protected by a sheet of foam tucked underneath your collar.
It might not sound like a lot, but if you’ve ever left the hairdressers with a chilly neck and colour staining your top, it really does make all the difference.
Refreshments were served on a quirky tray complete with nibbles – this wasn’t your average cup of tea.
For the thousands of women who lead busy lives, the chance to sit down and revel in being pampered is really quite special.
I was also offered a complimentary head massage which was complete bliss.
By the time my hair was blow dried I felt like a different person, with an altogether sleeker and shinier mane.
The cut was perfect and my hair seems to have turned over a new leaf.
Straightening it now takes 10 minutes as opposed to half an hour and it feels gloriously silky.
More importantly, my hair is now in great condition should I decide to brave the blonde in the coming months.
It’s fair to say I’m a blow-out devotee.
Linton & Mac is a real gem and stands out not just for design, but for a genuine love of its customers.