Benson Salon
What: Japanese Straightening Treatment
Where: Yes Hall, 4/F, City Plaza, 1618 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Huashan Lu. Tel: 139 1883 5516. Web: www.bensonsalon.com
How Much: RMB 780 – 1,480 (depending on hair length)
Why: To take the risk out of getting a new hairstyle in China
Benson owns three salons in Puxi and one salon in Pudong all hosting expert stylists and staff members fluent in English. We went along to Benson’s latest salon, which opened at the beginning of the year, in Jing’an’s City Plaza where the main man and resident hairstylist 'Benson' met us personally to talk over potential hairstyles for our long overdue makeover in China.
During our style consultation, we complained about the heat and humidity of Shanghai and what it is doing to our poor, stressed-out, frizzy hair. After careful consideration, taking into account our preferred hairstyle and hair type, it was decided that a Japanese Straightening Treatment was the most suitable option. Benson ruled out a Keratin Treatment, as it is more effective on Asian hair types. Although we were warned that Japanese Straightening is slightly more damaging for our hair, we were willing to trade this in for the prospect of having smooth, sleek and manageable hair for up to four months.
The little salon, tucked away in the City Plaza Mall, is bright and modern with a regular stream of satisfied customers coming and going. With six resident hairstylists and a full Chinese staff with plenty of fluent English speakers, it is the obvious choice for expats in Shanghai and already has a large, international client base. Customers are also offered a large selection of pictures showcasing different hairstyles for guests' perusal from which to glean inspiration.
Although the treatment took a few hours to complete, we felt perfectly comfortable and relaxed, safe in the knowledge that the style we requested was being expertly achieved, rather than just crossing our fingers and hoping for the best; a situation that we have unfortunately found ourselves in far too many times in the past. The salon is furnished with the latest equipment straight from Japan and is stocked with luxury Kerastase hair products. We were left extremely happy and satisfied with our hair treatment so will definitely be visiting Benson’s professional salon again soon.
