A blow dry is never just a blow dry is it? It’s so much more than just going to get your hair done. It’s a chance to lose yourself in this month’s mags looking at bags you can’t afford and sip on fine ass frothy coffee.
I don’t do a lot with my hair. In fact I don’t do anything to it. It’s quite long and annoying so I tend to count washing it as making an effort these days – and drying it definitely doesn’t involve sectioning and forming loose ringlets with a fancy brush. Cba with all of that. My arms are too weak. Basically, I’m the female equivalent of Gary Barlow – he didn’t wash his hair for 14 years and now, based on that alone, he’s my hero.
As much as I hate washing and faffing with my own hair, I’ve always loved getting a blow dry and while it’s not something I’d do every week, it’s something I’d definitely invest in if an occasion calls for it. Plus, oi oi dreamy head massage. Enter DryBy, the most Pinterest-worthy salon in London. With its matte coffee table mags, monochrome wall art, snazzy blush pink parlour chairs, gold mirrors and 50s style industrial fans, you’re gonna need to get the interior designer’s digits before you leave. How hard is it to say DryBy without wanting to sing Blue’s Fly By btw, just me?
So with interior goals officially ticked off the list, what is the hair saying? DryBy offers a select menu of 5 signature blow dries, all inspired by the world’s chicest capitals. Whether you’re into effortless London locks or the sleek New Yorker finish, there’s something for everyone. The first time I visited DryBy I went for the Rome – “For women that love big hair, volume and la dolce vita”. Sign me up. Despite having a lot of hair on my head, it’s actually quite fine and doesn’t tend to hold curls for very long. Another reason why the trusty top knot or bedhead look is my current jam.
The second time round I was torn between London and New York, story of my life, but my stylist said she could combine both so I had all the sleekness and fleekness of the New Yorker with a little bit of laid-back London. Laaavly. That’s the beauty of picking a style from their capsule collection ya see – if you can’t decide on one (because they’re all so nice!), they can tailor each look to get exactly what you want. If you wanna be in Tokyo, Rio and Rome all at once, then you go ahead darlin’.
Washed, blow dried and tonged, my barnet was ready in a record time of 45 minutes, which was really impressive given the length of my hair. That’s not to say it felt rushed in any way – I had time to scan emails and sip on my flat white and take 1367311 photos, the stylists are just really good at what they do. It’s like when you go to a good restaurant right? The menu is small and select because they’ve spent a hella lot of time perfecting those dishes, well in salon speak, those dishes are your hair and DryBy is Gordon Ramsay.
Packed with volume and red carpet sass – it was time to bring a touch of New York to London. Even if I was only going back to work to face the air con wars. If you’re ever in the city and find yourself short on time but long on glamour, DryBy’s the one. Love you bye.
