Hair influences the way 80% of women feel about themselves, said a credible online source I came upon while I was researching what to do with this crazy mane of mine. It’s true, my hair is half of my identity and there is no worse feeling when you’re trying to get out of the door and your hair having a zero cooperation policy. Picture this, hair ties in one hand, backcomb in the other, half a quiff and stuck in the queue for the 8am Monday morning rush hour. Unfortunately, this wasn’t just happening on a Monday, my mane had become out of control… so I found some lovely ladies to help me.
It had been a while, by a while I mean I have been rocking a natural looking Ombre for the past 18 months. I’m quite lucky in the sense that my hair is blonde, my natural hair colour is a mix between grey and mouse brown so when it does grow out I don’t look like a defect from the 80’s. However, it was getting pretty unmanageable so I called my friends at Arrowtown Hair company and asked if they could fit my locks in for some serious TLC.
Now, why Arrowtown hair? Because these girls have a reputation for being the Queens of Ombre & that helped cement that this was the right place for me. I have had hairdresser fear for the past few years. My beautiful cousin in the UK has always been my hair goddess but since moving away I have had to scope out other salons. I had a couple of failed attempts in Australia, one so bad when I left the salon Robbie actually asked if I had anything done, tragic right?
As soon as I walked in I felt at ease. The atmosphere in the salon is so inviting. The smiling faces of Amelia, Jen & Jackie beam as you walk through the door into your new safe haven. I sat in the chair, gowned up and ready for whatever the girls had to suggest. Sticking with the ol’ blonde theme we decided to Ombre these damn roots and make me feel fresh and new for the Winter season. Sucker for grey/blonde hair Amelia wanted to play with the colours through toning, I was up for anything and felt safe at the hands of this professional.
Paper Not Foil, yes that’s right these girls have ditched your standard hair salon foils and opted for a more eco-friendly approach to colouring your hair. They jumped on board with the amazing ‘papernotfoil’ group after hearing how terrible that aluminum foil is for our precious Earth. New Zealand salons alone use enough foil in one year to wrap around the earth once, WHAT! that’s crazy right? So now the girls are using this new epic alternative. The paper is recyclable, user-friendly (actually feels nicer than sitting with a full head of foils) and the best part, they are reusable, so after use, they are washed and hung out to dry ready for their next hair goddess to use.
What else are they doing that is amazing? Using EVO products. Cruelty-free (yey for our fur babies) vegan, and Eco-friendly. All the packaging is recycled from old plastic milk bottles and given a new life. Soon Arrowtown hair will be offering a refill station for those who have purchased & you will receive a sweet discount for doing so.
These ladies care, not only about all their loyal and lovely customers but about the Earth and what impact they are having on our environment, double big tick from me. It is apparent in their approach to everything they do that as a team they are reaching for the best sustainable options within their business. It was refreshing to sit in the chair surrounded by like-minded people and have a good chat about all things Earth related. We try and be sustainable in our own ways, right? Not buying plastic water bottles, using our own coffee cups and reducing our plastic waste as much as possible. A hair salon would be the last place I would peg as sustainable BUT here they are leading from the front for salons in Queenstown.
I sat with my eco foils in, reading my fave Frankie mag, waiting for the magic to happen on my hair. I was given a coffee from next door – a beautiful coconut flat white and watched as the world went by in Arrowtown through the salon windows.
When we started to wash off I was treated to a handful of Evo’s finest and I reveled in the delicious smells coming from each product. Wishing my mane wasn’t so thick so poor Amelia could get through it quicker and also for selfish/excited reasons of wanting to see the blonde loveliness reveal itself. They truly deserve the title Ombre Queens or just all-around Queens. I could have stayed for hours chatting away and drinking tea with these lovely ladies but as soon as I hopped out of the chair there was a gown awaiting the next customer. They are amazing and watching for a day how this salon works made me want to shout from the rooftops about how incredible my whole experience was.
If you’re in Queenstown and debating what salon to use, I highly, highly recommend Arrowtown hair. If you’re coming here to holiday and fancy a pamper then please give Arrowtown and this wee gem a visit.
Just some other things to mention, I quite clearly have a lot to say right…
If you refer a friend you both get 25% off! SO if you mention me and this blog then you can save yourself a dollar or two.
If you live in town and are wondering how to get out to Arrowtown without a car… there is an excellent bus service and guess what, its only $2! Plus the girls will refund your bus ticket.
Also, these gals hold a free yoga class once a week, that’s right FREE YOGA! who doesn’t love getting your zen on for free? Arrowtown holiday park Thurdays 5pm-6pm
Thank you again for making me feel all fresh & fancy… you are the best!
Notes of a Northerner 