Hype Coiffure - Hair Salon

They profess to be a high end salon so I was delighted that they could fit me in for a 9.30 appointment at only a days notice. Turned up at 9.20 to an empty, locked salon. Waited until 9.35 in the cold and still no sign of anyone so decided to get a coffee. Wander back at 9.45 and into the salon where 3 members of staff are talking amongst themselves and don’t even bother to acknowledge myself or another lady who was awkwardly sat on the sofa waiting to be greeted. The 3 stylists continue to hurriedly set out their equipment and I’m called by my stylist. She asks whether the paper cup Im drinking from contains something hot and then tells me I can’t drink it due to the chemicals in the relaxer-which is fine, if with reason but I only bought it to avoid waiting in the cold and now 3/4 of it is wasted. Everything about this salon is so average, especially the customer service. There’s only a hint of professionalism when the owner arrives sometime later as she seems to run a tight ship and understands the basic customs of customer service. Crawling with ants and tired looking, Hype very much used to be an innovative stylish salon visited by some quite glamourous clientele. This has unfortunately gone down the pan as standards have slipped. This isn’t my only bad experience with Hype. A few months ago in the Clapham branch I had to plead with a stylist to rewash my hair as it felt sticky-she sighed and proceeded to repeat the process as if it was a big ask. Also, an appointment was cancelled (the day before by birthday) at the last minute with no attempt to accomodate me with an alternative stylist. Customers of this chain spend anywhere between £60-250 a visit and are certainly not treated like it. My relaxer and finish was average and greasy. Wouldn’t book an appointment here again even if I was desperate.

Excellent first impression by receptionist.
very old fashion well in need of refurb as the are also very pricey.
Good clientele I am actually surprised..

Down side..

stylist didnt even say hello and did not speak to me at all.
This was the most expensive salon i have been to and i still think La coupe do a better job

End result was 3 star for looks but still needed works and too much grease !

I may use the salon again and try the Director .. as the receptionist gave memeroble service.

For starters the biggest issue at Hype is that on weekends they are packed to the gills. They will do European hair (I have southern Italian curly hair) and they will do a VERY decent job but you are looking at a wait even with an appointment and yes, you will be passed off to a junior for blow out or conditioner application. I cannot speak for getting a relaxer as I choose to do my own but blow outs and pressings took on a kind of odd pattern after a time.  I'd come in with my hair already blown out but they'd insist on re-wetting it and doing it over rather than just going forward and ironing as is ( a press iron is powerful enough on it's own frankly). I've had my hair ironed when the stylist (she was VERY skilled at a Black salon in the states) started with my hair dry and quite wild and simply ironed it pin straight like silk. Why Hype and less specialized curly and/or Afro hair tamers such as "blow out bars" all have such a big fetish around having hair smoke and bone dry with a powerful blow dryer before pressing is baffling. But still, their method is their method so I do not mind paying extra if I have to but then I was told they I "had to get my ends trimmed". No, sorry Hype. I can't trust that 1 to THREE inches will come off instead of simply  a 1/2 or 1/4 of an inch dusting. Curly hair takes AGES to grow (has to grow out and then down and then shrinks sometimes 50% when wet) so I'm not risking it and apparently they won't press hair that THEY feel needs ends trimmed off of! I was warned I could not come back and get a pressing without also getting a trim!!!  I think it should be up to the customer to decided when they are getting their cut and it can't be THAT painful for the stylist to face a few "dry ends" can it? The finished style for me was great. I saw three different stylists total when I lived in Balham. The one bloke rescheduled on me and then never showed so it was more than annoying as , once again, I was not trusting my hair to a junior. They still get four well deserved stars from me because despite how crazy busy they get and how in demand they are, they have a nice community feel that I like and because I never once walked out of there with a bad hair style. European/Mediterranean curly hair is very tricky to press and they always did a great job despite the subtext. I will be back actually. I think they have a hard task being so high profile and do a good job.

I had my hair relaxed at Hype Coiffure Balham on Wednesday by Dominique. I am very disappointed with the service I received. This was the first time that Dominique had done my hair and I will not be having my hair done by her again, if I ever visit Hype Coiffure again. Dominique was not polite enough to even say hello before starting to do my hair, the first thing she said to me was 'lift your head'. She did not show any interest at all in my hair. She then proceeded to apply the relaxer to about 2 inches past where my new growth ended and did not seem concerned when she got the chemical on my ends. This was a lot of overlapping on to previously relaxed hair, which I know from experience will result in hair becoming damaged and breaking. I felt that her application of the relaxer was no better than if I were to do it myself at home, at a fraction of the price I paid.

In middle of applying the relaxer Dominique left the salon to attend to some personal business and a junior stylist took over to finish applying the relaxer. I felt this was very unprofessional. I also paid to have my hair done by a Senior Stylist yet half the service was performed by a Junior Stylist.

Both of the stylists were very rough and did not seem to have the patience to deal with my hair with is texturised. This made me feel very reluctant to come to the salon to get my hair done in the future. I could not help noticing that the salon was empty was I arrived at 11am and there was only one other client in the time that I was at the salon. This was a huge difference from the previous time I visited the salon and indeed every other time that I have been in a Hype Coiffure salon. I can't help thinking that perhaps this is due to some of the issues I have raised.

I was previously happy with I service I received at Hype Coiffure Balham when Alvaro was my stylist.

I love going to Hype to get my hair done, im rather impressed with the new young receptionist as well. My favourite stylist is Shalina, so I would recommend you ask for her. She has been there for years, and is probably the friendliest,and most professional. The owners wife, actually isn’t worth mentioning, but if she wasn’t there, and the other stlylists were a bit friendlier, this place would get 5 stars