New Salon Opening: Hair & Beauty by Hummingbird
Within two weeks or some crazy short amount of time, Hummingbird reinvented their original spa retreat in Tower 3 of Central Park into a new Hair & Beauty Salon with the blink of an eye.
Since the new Wellness Spa by Hummingbird opened in tower 26 of Central Park, I haven't been back to the original spa retreat in months. And what was even stranger was returning to a place that was so familiar and comforting to me and feel like I was walking in to an entirely new space. Hummingbird quickly and effectively transformed this space for a completely brand new vibe almost instantaneously.
And strategically, this is a smart move for Hummingbird to change this space into a space that can compliment their existing spa services rather than have two neighboring spaces that repeat the exact same services.
Now that the Wellness Spa by Hummingbird has taken over as the main hub for spa, massage and nail services, the original Hummingbird retreat is now reinvented as the new Hair & Beauty Salon by Hummingbird.
"We are a boutique salon that specializes in haircuts, styling, bridal and special occasions, damage remedy, hair colour, hair texture, nail services, skin care, facials, waxing, makeup, massage, and spa packages." – Hair & Beauty by Hummingbird
Through the Looking Glass: Hair & Beauty by Hummingbird
Welcome Receptionists at the new Hair & Beauty Salon by Hummingbird
Showcasing pristine white walls, minimalistic art work hanging on the walls and alongside tall beauty mirrors, comfy rotating salon chairs and several private rooms where clients can enjoy a relaxing massage, facial or mani/pedi while they wait for hair color to set in or while getting a hydrating hair treatment.These total, all-inclusive salon and spa packages are quite possibly the most lavish, indulgent offerings I've come across. The one that caught my eye most – "Fit for a King" Salon & Spa Package – 60 min deep tissue massage, 70 minute deep cleansing facial treatment, haircut & style for a total of 3 hours of pure pleasure. (RMB 1180)
How incredible does that sound?!?
I plan to treat myself to a salon & spa day in the very near future, but this past Sunday, I just scheduled myself in for a basic haircut. After going almost a year without even a trim, I was in dire need of some serious hair care.
In the near six years of living in Beijing, I've previously shied away from hair salons in China thinking the French or European-chain salons were too overpriced and doubting the hygiene standards and skills of local salons. But the most prominent reason for avoiding haircuts in China is that I just haven't come across one stylist who I trusted to know how to treat and cut my hair (and I've tried Eric Paris, Tony Studio, Catherine de France, etc.).
I'm very low-maintenance when it comes to my hair and prefer whatever style takes the least amount of effort. I am not interested in coloring my hair and I can hardly even be asked to blowdry my hair. All I want is for it to look shiny, healthy and natural.
Needless to say, seeking a "celebrity stylist" is not something that would interest me, but I am, hands-down, Hummingbird Spa's biggest advocate and, to show my unwavering support, I was happy to check out (and test out) the new salon's featured stylist.
Stepping inside, I was led into a "consultation room" (see photo below) where I was treated to a nice cup of tea and celebrity stylist Tom Yuen came in with an infectious burst of energy to introduce himself and discuss what is to be done about long, dried-out locks.
Hummingbird Hair & Beauty Salon's Consultation Room
First things first – a nice, long shampoo wash complete with a coma-inducing head massage. *Note: If you don't need a cut, I recommend just coming in for a nice shampoo and blowdry (and enjoy the complimentary head massage) for only RMB 118! If you strategically schedule yourself in on a Friday late afternoon, this is a quick and affordable way to wash away the stress of a long work week and prep up for a glamorous weekend ahead.
My favorite part of the Haircut process: Shampoo Hair Wash with Head Massage
Now for the main event: my haircut with stylist Tom Yuen. I had heard he has a built quite a reputation for his unique cutting technique and has earned himself the nickname "The Scissorhands of Beijing" by his loyal cult following. And they really weren't exaggerating. Watching Tom work directly on me was like nothing I've ever seen. His hands move at lightning speeds and that only gave me more confidence in his God-given skills (which says a lot considering he's working with razor sharp scissors in very close proximity to my head).
The main event: Where "The Scissorhands of Beijing" works his Magic
After about 20-minutes of him snipping off all my split ends, he sent me back into one of Hummingbird's back rooms for a much-needed hydrating hair treatment where they lathered, steamed and washed Italian products in and out of my hair in a repeated process three times. By the time my hair has its own equivalent of a facial, Tom exclaimed with enthusiasm, "Your hair! It's A-L-I-V-E!!!"
The Room for Hair Facials aka Hydrating Treatments
Once my hair was "alive" as Tom called it, it was ready to be styled. To "style" my hair has always meant "to straighten it out" with a flat iron. No one has ever tried to do anything else before. It was refreshing to have someone acknowledge the fact that I have natural curls and volume and that it really can't be tamed, even with a straightening iron. Instead, Tom insisted natural curls ought to be encouraged to be natural and free to roam wild. Tom showed me how to blow-dry my hair without a brush (just twisting and looping my hair around my fingers) and he also taught me how to clip my hair up when I go to sleep so that it maintains it's curls and volume when I let it down in the morning. He is the first stylist to really understand how to "work" my hair and now I'm hooked. I am now officially signed up as a devoted cult fan of Tom Yuen.
Celebrity Stylist Tom Yuen is Beijing's "Scissorhands"
A creation by May Cheng (owner of the expanding Hummingbird empire) and Celebrity Stylist Tom Yuen, Hair & Beauty by Hummingbird is where I give all credit to my new 'do. To book in Tom, the price for haircuts ranges from RMB 680-880, but you also have the choice of other stylists (also trained by Tom) for RMB 320. Just a shampoo and blowdry (+ inclusive head massage) starts at RMB 118-380. Options to perm, style and add in color or highlights are also all services they offer. Lucky for us cardholders, Hummingbird members are still entitled to their 15% discount and the use of their cards.
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