BT Beauty Salon and Hairdresser
Scissor Rating: 4/5
The Lowdown
Lebanese hairdresser Cezar Azar has been a whizz with the scissors for almost 15 years. He styles the locks of many a starlet at the annual Abu Dhabi Film Festival, and I’ve been told by a number of gushing girls that he’s the best hairdresser in the city. So, after hearing these tip-top cutting credentials, I put my hair in his capable hands and, with a deep breath, tell him he can do whatever he likes. He gets to work with a pot of INOA, an ammonia-free, oil-distribution dye, so the more you use it, the healthier your hair becomes. ‘The structure is improved and it will look shiny and healthy,’ we are told. He picks a good colour for me, and takes great care with the application, checking it a number of times to make sure it is developing perfectly.
As for the cut, Cezar uses a technique which involves twisting my neck in a manner reminiscent of The Exorcist, and snipping at seemingly random chunks of hair. Thankfully, it all comes together, and I’m left with a very choppy, stylish cut that’s reasonably easy to take care of.
If you’re willing to splash the cash on a very experienced, very confident stylist who is able to advise you and revamp your look, Cezar is your man.
Helen Elfer
Products
Cezar uses L’Oréal and RedKen.
Curls of wisdom
‘It’s really important to use top quality products and listen to the customer. Also, all our staff members go to training courses in London and Paris, so they keep up with latest techniques.’
Price
Dhs200 for a cut, Dhs300-500 for colouring, depending on length.
Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel and Resort, Corniche (02 677 3333).
New Intercontinental Ladies Salon
Scissor Rating: 3/5
The Lowdown
Loathe to try anything new (I’ve been holding on to the same haircut for about seven years now), the consultation is quite brief: ‘Just a trim,’ I insist. ‘You got that?’ The stylist, Milad, has other ideas. Apparently, with my heavy fringe and centre parting, I’ve been enhancing the roundness of my face for far too long. After a stern talking to for having had a go at chopping my own fringe recently (needs must), the work gets under way. Starting with a shampoo, it moves swiftly to the chop. ‘The problem for a lot of people is they aren’t brave. They get stuck in a rut,’ says Milad. I’m certainly not what you’d call brave, but I reluctantly relinquish control and leave my fringe to the mercy of the scissors. ‘You don’t want a blunt cut for a round face – something without any hard edges is best for you. A blunt cut wouldn’t suit,’ insists Milad. After a lot of chopping and feathering, and a desperate attempt at hiding my terror as big pieces of fringe fall to the floor, the result is a happy success. I draw the line at having my hair dyed orange, but letting the stylist take control with the cut certainly pays off, and I leave the salon with a sleek, layered new bob and soft fringe.
Rebecca Morice
Products
Milad recommends using L’Oréal soft peel to strip away the build up of chemicals on the scalp and in the hair.
Curls of Wisdom
‘L’Oréal has the best kitchen, and they have a product for everything; every hair problem. The ingredients they use are the best.’
Price
Dhs120 for a cut. Dhs250-400 for colouring, depending on length.
InterContinental Abu Dhabi, Al Bateen (02 666 6888).
Sisters Beauty Lounge
Scissors Rating: 5/5
The Lowdown
Caviar is a byword for indulgence, whether it’s served on a cracker at a posh party, or even smothered on your hair. A lab-derived equivalent to caviar, ‘mimetic caviar’ is the basis of a brand-new treatment by Kerastase called Chronologiste. Why caviar? It has a similar cell structure to human skin and hair, and is pumped with vitamins, minerals and proteins, which is why it has become so popular for facials over the past few years.
The Chronologiste product is a jack-of-all-trades that costs a bomb but smoothes your hair, moisturises it, softens it, adds shine and protects it from UV light. The treatment starts with a back and shoulders massage, then the product is mixed in front of you (the ‘caviar eggs’ are combined with a nourishing cream) and smothered over your hair. Half an hour later it’s washed out and your hair is left looking very glossy indeed. You can use Chronologiste as a one off treat, or buy a package to follow up with further applications yourself at home. We’re big fans of Sisters Beauty Lounge already, and this hair treatment is just as luxurious and effective as the other services they offer.
Helen Elfer
Products
Chronologiste is put together by Keraste.
Curls of Wisdom
‘This is such a luxurious treatment! It will leave your hair looking so healthy and shiny – everyone loves it.’
Price
Dhs440 for the Chronologiste; Dhs 150 for a haircut
Sister’s Beauty Lounge, Villa 1, Khalifa Bin Shakhbout Street, Al Bateen (02 222 2501).
The Lounge
Scissor Rating: 3/5
The Lowdown
When it comes to getting a fashionable haircut – maybe the kind which resembles metrosexual Portuguese soccer ace Ronaldo – there are few better spots than The Lounge. The male-only spa has a total of seven stylists, all of whom claim to be masters with the scissors and comb. It falls to the taciturn stylist Mustafa to tidy up my unkempt locks, and I decide against copying Ronaldo’s beautifully coiffeured barnet, and opt instead for my usual short back and sides. But Mustafa, whose own multi-layered spikes reveal his fashion credentials, refuses to let me go away with a mundane cut, and instead creates a kind of mini-Mohican on top. Mustafa’s the strong, silent type who doesn’t go in for much small talk, so I don’t pipe up to complain about his devil may care attitude to barbering. And so, some 20 chat-free minutes later, after he’d doused a massive fistful of mousse into my scalp, I leave the chair with a nifty new style. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I guess it’s just about suitable for a man in his mid-thirties.
James Hingham
Products
Everything for your hair is made by Kadus.
Curls of Wisdom
‘You must massage your hair with a towel after a shower or you will go bald.’
Price
Dhs70 – very cheap for a decent haircut in a proper salon.
Khaleej Al Arabi Street, Khalidiyah (02 667 7377).
Man/Age Spa
Scissor Rating: 4/5
The Lowdown
This Marina Mall-based spa is best known for offering some much-needed pampering to the city’s men folk and its decent hairdressing salon specialises in sprucing up dishevelled, desert-whipped gentlemen. As my thinning thatch requires little more than a number four buzz cut to tidy it up, the real test of the stylist’s skill comes in transforming beard growth from a fuzzy mess into a finely-crafted chin masterpiece. You have to really trust someone to let them near your throat with a talon-sharp razor, but, despite the odd nick, cheery Filipino barber Reggie has a deft touch and the fear of a misplaced swipe opening up an artery proves unwarranted. After 15 minutes of meticulous shaving, I leave with an evenly trimmed beard, with a perfectly straight line around my neck. Reggie even throws in a swift hair wash and head and neck massage before I wander off into the depths of the mall. Nice one, Reggie!
James Hingham
Products
The classic American Crew range of hair goods.
Curls of Wisdom
‘Your beard is thicker than a tree!’
Price
Dhs70 for the haircut and Dhs50 for the beard shaping.
Marina Mall, Breakwater (02 681 8837).
Men’s Hair Stylist
Scissor Rating: 4/5
The Lowdown
In Abu Dhabi’s humid climate, the classic short back and sides is the best option for anyone who can’t afford to turn up to a meeting looking like they’ve just been for a quick swim. Judging by his speed and
professionalism, this particular style is something of a speciality for our man Francois. Despite my insistence that some scissor-work might better achieve the desired effect, he assures me that his comb-and-
clippers method would get the job done just as well in half the time. And he is right – it took him less than three minutes to shear away the excess undergrowth around my ears and neckline, before deploying some swift snipping to the top to neaten things up. Even with the quick shampoo and careful application of wax that follows, I’m out the door in 15 minutes flat, sporting the sort of ’do in which I’d happily have invested twice as much time and, possibly, a few more dirhams.
David Clack
Products
Nothing too fancy – the shampoos are L’Oréal for men, and there are Fudge waxes and creams for a slick finish.
Curls of Wisdom
‘You want a good haircut? Don’t worry! I’ll give you a good haircut!’
Price
A very reasonable Dhs100
Beach Rotana Hotel, Tourist Club Area (02 697 9000).
Pace E Luce
Scissor Rating: 5/5
The Lowdown
We Time Out men are a hirsute bunch. We don’t take kindly to people messing too heavily with our hair, though we do recognise that man grooming is a popular pastime in this part of the world. So it is with a certain amount of trepidation that I walk into Pace e Luce, a light and airy room in Souk Qaryat Al Beri, manned by a stylish gent called Ahamad.
He’s one of those hairdressers that you see on TV. His taste in clothes and his immaculate sculpted barnet makes me look, in comparison, like a slovenly beast, fit only for dredging swamps and working with sewage. I gingerly point at his reflection in the mirror and mutter, ‘cut my hair like yours, please.’ Without flinching, he sets about his work as though it’s all he ever does. There must be a lot of men about town who look like Ahamad.
I like this guy because he’s everything a man needs from his hairdresser: he’s silent and he’s quick. Despite going in there looking like a yeti whose wife won’t let him borrow her Ladyshave, the job is done in less than 25 minutes, and all I’ve learnt from Ahamad is that he’s from Lebanon, he’s been here less than a year and that he thinks my receding hairline is now best left to the fates. Best of all, he does the job at a very reasonable price. Not that I’m planning to make a habit of this, or anything…
Jon Wilks
Products
Ahamad is a big fan of RedKen.
Curls of Wisdom
Not a word uttered, which is exactly why he’s the top dog.
Price
Dhs100 for a haircut in a good location – not bad at all.
Souk Qaryat Al Beri, Bain Al Jessrain (02 509 8912).
Hair care in Abu Dhabi
The pollution, harsh air-conditioning and desalinated water in the UAE can cause your hair to become frazzled and dry. So here are some tips we picked up this week from the experts on making sure your hair stays in top-notch condition.
1 Wash your hair in bottled water as often as you can. Many expats claim their hair is less thick and lustrous before they moved to the UAE, and, although the evidence is only circumstantial, many put the finger of blame on the chemicals used to desalinate the water. Using mineral water to wash your hair, which may be an expensive option, will help revitalise your lank looking locks.
2 Lots of styling products have sun protection, so choose sprays or conditioners with an SPF if you’re outdoors often. This will prevent the sun drying out your hair.
3 Use the best shampoo and conditioner you can afford – it makes a big difference. Hairdressers are always going to try to persuade you to leave the salon with an armful of their products, but often they’re right. You don’t have to go all out and purchase salon-standard items, but using good quality products every day will help your hair build up a defence against
the environment.
4 Finally, don’t use super-hot water when washing your hair, because this opens the hair’s cuticles. Use lukewarm water to shampoo and then water as cold as you can bear to rinse off, as this will close the cuticles and make your hair seem smoother and shinier.
