Be waited on hand and foot at Komachi The Hair Cult salon as you get a spanking new ‘do.
The Japanese are well known for their attention to detail, polite demeanor and elegant style. Komachi The Hair Cult is a standing testament to that.
Possessing a nondescript storefront that is a sharp contrast to the ostentatious flashiness of other salons, I almost walked past the hair salon unknowingly, only stopping when I heard the unmistakable sounds of hairdryers fluffing up a storm of hair.
But it’s not so much the appearance of the store that matters, it is the hairstylists that make all the difference.
Situated at Liang Court, Komachi The Hair Cult, named after the beautiful Japanese poetress Ono no Komachi, stays deeply-rooted to their background, hiring only experienced full-time Japanese hairstylists.
Without a doubt, you will walk out of the hair salon tossing a mane oozing simply-chic Japanese style.
“Office ladies prefer elegant, neat styles,” hairstylist Takao Horii explained to me in halting English. “If they go to work with a strange hair color or haircut, they will get into trouble,” emphasizing his statement with a sinister-looking gesture to his neck.
For Singaporeans, he said the best look was “straight hair.” I was appalled. Straight, boring hair? No wonder Singaporeans have the reputation of always looking the same. I asked if I could get that kawaii (Japanese for “cute”) Harajuku-styled coiffure instead, straight at the top with dramatic bouncing curls at the bottom. But I was turned down flatly. Japanese faces, Horii explained, are very different from other Asian faces. What might look good on the Japanese might not be perfect for other ethnicities. He also mentioned that the hairstyle I requested for was hard to maintain.
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Horii soon had me convinced that a lighter shade of straight brown hair would be the best option for me. “Your skin is very fair, so I will color your hair a lighter shade of brown and just give you a trim,” he said after serious consideration. And with that declaration, he promptly whipped out a pair of scissors and began work on my hair.
Ever polite and cheerful, Horii was quick and efficient. The 30-year-old hairstylist has been in Singapore for about a year and was previously working in a hair salon in Japan. Besides being a hairstylist, Horii also does make-up, which comes in handy when women want a full makeover. Fashion and makeovers seem to run in the family for Horii. His mother is a professional kimono dresser and his brother is a hairstylist as well.
For me, getting my hair washed is the best part of the salon experience. I revel in getting my head massaged and my hair made nice and shiny by professionals. I was not disappointed by the assistant hairstylist washing my hair. He gave my head a good scrub and the scent of the shampoo was to die for!
It might sound strange to be awestruck by a shampoo, but I’m a big fan of sweet, fruity scents, and the cleanser used in Komachi feels completely different from the other chemical-drenched shampoos used in other salons. It was a lovely strawberry scent that I won’t forget anytime soon.
After a quick blow-dry with two hairstylists no less (I felt so pampered!), my hair was a brighter and lighter shade of brown; similar to those kitschy, cutesy girls in hair dye commercials! As with any drastic change, it was initially a shock to my system. But I eventually grew to love it—especially when the compliments started coming fast and furious!
So if you have a hankering to experience the unique “Japanese-treatment” for your treasured locks, a touch of Japanese culture and milkshake-smelling shampoo, try Komachi.
Komachi The Hair Cult
177 River Valley Road,
#02-07 Liang Court Shopping Centre,
Tel: +65 6339 9432/ +65 6836 3391
