Hair Spa at KamoN Salon

Sadly this is the last post from our Guest Blogger Kate who has been Sassy’s unofficial “hair correspondent” in Hong Kong, leaving no follicle unturned on her search for hair nirvana. We hope she will continue her hair-raising adventures in her new life in Shanghai! Best of luck Kate, we’ll miss you!

Continuing my ongoing adventures in Hong Kong hair, I was happy to recently receive an invitation to KamoN, a new Japanese hair salon in Causeway Bay to try out their hair spa treatment. Happy, but also a bit puzzled as I had never heard of a hair spa before.

The salon was opened in August this year by Mr Kazuhiro Sugiyama, a Japanese stylist who wanted to bring a touch of Japan to Hong Kong. The salon decor reflects this, with clean, simple lines, screens in bamboo and natural wooden floors, making the ambience pretty chilled out and spa-like. There are also small, but appreciated touches such as name cards at the chair welcoming you to the salon and an iPad to play on while you wait. Sugiyama-san, or Sugi to his friends, was to perform my treatment, however doesn’t speak English, so friendly Canadian Trish Lee was on hand to talk me through the process.

After a thorough assessment of my hair condition (dry, frizzy, unkempt), treatment history (chemical-laden), and styling regime (way too many heat tools), Sugi declared that as I have quite thick hair, he would focus on a treatment that nourished and repaired the hair rather than one that added body.

The spa treatment began at the sink, where I was settled into a supportive leather lounge chair, given a soft chenille blanket to snuggle into, had my eyes gently covered with a cloth and was encouraged to relax and doze while Sugi started on a thorough scalp cleansing. Having never really thought much about the state of my scalp before, it was explained that a healthy, clean scalp free of product buildup is key to achieving a healthy mane of hair, and promotes hair growth. A monthly scalp lotion cleanse and massage is recommended to really kick-start those follicles into action. This felt like a quick massage and was very pleasant.

After the lotion was gently rinsed away, a more thorough and lengthy head massage is performed. I must admit that, much as I was trying to concentrate on the matter in hand, I dozed off for quite a while! I was surprised at just how much tension I was holding in my scalp and temples, and Sugi’s firm, but relaxing massage clearly had the desired effect as it rid me of a persistent headache behind one eye, and I benefited from my first unbroken night’s sleep in 2 weeks that night! Bliss!

After the massage, a treatment mask is applied to the hair. This contains proteins and keratin to moisturise and replenish dry and damaged hair, and is sealed into the shaft of the hair using steam produced from purified water. Sugi kindly woke me up from my snooze and led me back to the stylist’s chair where he rigged up his specially imported Japanese steam machine and left me to ‘cook’ for a while! Actually, the steam was a very pleasant temperature and relaxing as I whiled away the waiting time playing with the iPad. One final rinse with more massage, and then it was time for a great blow-dry that left me with silky, bouncy hair for the rest of the day and we were done.

So now I know what a hair spa actually is, would I recommend it? Absolutely! It’s not the cheapest at $600, but the nourishing effects of the treatment last for around 2 weeks. Even after washing my hair the next morning, it felt softer and in better condition than usual with much more bounce, fewer flyaways and less frizz. If, like me, your scalp is an area you tend to neglect, this is a bit of an eye-opener (has my scalp been dirty for all this time??) and the idea that the health of your scalp effects the health of your hair absolutely makes sense to me. I enjoyed the relaxed vibe of the salon and while I was reluctant to step back into the bustle of Causeway Bay, the relaxed sensation lasted well into the next day.

Sassy Discount: KamoN is offering all Sassy members 10% off their regular services (excluding set menus). Just mention you Sassy when making your appointment!

KamoN H&S Hair Salon, 7/F., Coasia Plaza, 496-498 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay. Phone: 2890 1861 / 2890 1658.