Essensuals London Brings Expert Advice, Hair-Styling Skills to Seattle

The Capitol Hill hair salon is the brand's first outpost to open on the West Coast

First published on Seattle Magazine

By: Cassady Coulter

Posted May 12, 2015

If you’ve ever been tasked with the challenge of finding a new hairdresser, you know the struggle. It’s hard to find someone who cuts and styles your hair exactly to your liking. This Capitol Hill spot hopes to change that.

The Essensuals London salon, part of the Toni & Guy London salon and hair care brand, opened in Seattle in December, making it the third Essensuals London salon in the U.S. and the first on the West Coast. The new outpost resides on Capitol Hill (on 11th Avenue) and is set in a sleek and modern boutique setting.

Not only are you pampered while you get your hair cut, colored or styled (hello complimentary coffee, tea or red wine), but the Essensuals owners, identical twin brothers Jason and Robert Townsend, also provide styling lessons for their guests: "brush parallel to the hair rather than perpendicular,” and “limit hair's exposure to too much hot water in the shower,” and “wash your scalp with shampoo and keep conditioner on the ends," are just a few of the tips guest receive.

The Townsend brothers have styled A-listers in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, but the pair left California to set up shop in Seattle after falling in love with the city.

“Seattle is full of trend-setters and the rest of the nation is taking notice of its chic fashion sense. We wanted to be a part of the excitement,” Jason Townsend, owner and director of Essensuals London Seattle, said.

The salon sports the Pureology line of products (among others), which when we tried it, left our locks with a super tingly, fresh feeling. There is also an area to test out new hair tools such as blow dryers and curling irons with guidance from stylists.

In addition, the salon offers free wig cuts for cancer patients, a perk that hits close to home for the Townsend brothers, as their mother is a two-time cancer survivor.

For more details on Essensuals London, visit: essensualslondonwa.com