Your hair can really set the mood for your day (or week) – get hit by a bad hair day, and it can knock your confidence and send you scurrying to hide away under a big hat. Fixing hair issues can be pricey, especially in the capital, but luckily, there are still some salons out there ready to jump in and save the day on a budget – often on the premise that you’ll let their trainees lose on your locks.
It’s not as terrifying as it sounds. Staff monitor trainees’ work every step of the way, and you can give yourself a pat on the back afterwards for helping someone gain some valuable experience. The Time Out team have booked these cheap-as-chips appointments countless times, from our uni days til now, and our ‘dos always look hair-flipping great.
This vast hairdressing school in Soho has been training top snippers for decades. Book in for a model appointment and let the current batch of next top hair stylists snip your barnet into something new. As the trainees aren’t quite as experienced as Vidal Sassoon yet, allow extra time for the cut – on average, it should take about three hours. As with other training schools, there’s a small cost to cover fees with cuts from £20, and colour costing extra.
London’s best-reputed colourist hosts a training school two nights a week at its Mayfair salon. Colour is on Monday nights and styling on Wednesdays – book in for a £20 cut, or add some fresh colour to your hair for between £35-£60. Those wanting the latter service will need to have a patch test at least 48 hours before so you don’t get any horrible surprises when you’re in the chair.
Peckham salon DKUK is doing things differently – from the art that lines its walls, to the offering of ‘mirrorless’ haircuts so you don’t have to sit and gawp at your reflection while you’re getting a trim if that makes you uncomfortable. They also offer a Pay What You Can scheme for new clients with appointments booked between Monday to Friday from 12pm to 4pm. Normal prices for a cut and blow-dry start at £57, but if things are tight, the initiative could save you some cash – just remember to be respectful with how much of a discount you give yourself.
The lively King’s Road branch of this smart west London salon chain offers discounted haircuts if you sit as a model for them. Chops are £10 (or £8 for men), while you can get colour treatments from £20. Bookings can be made online only and make sure you choose the right day for your hair length. If you haven't booked a model appointment with Hari's before – or haven't been for six months – you are required to book a £5 consultation, but the cost is redeemable against a colour service.
A long-time favourite with hard-up students looking for a good hair cut on the cheap, the Toni and Guy Academy delivers cuts and colours by trainees from Monday to Friday at 9.30am and 1.45pm. Allow three hours for a cut and four hours for colour. Haircuts cost £10 and colour from £30 to cover costs.
Looking for a fresh fade or to tidy up your beard on a budget? The London School of Barbering’s trainees are ready to help you out. They have three different appointments to choose from – guaranteed (£7), standby (free) or walk-in (£5). The latter two don’t come with a promise that you’ll be seen, but if you’ve got time to kill and pennies that need to be stretched, they’re solid options.
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