Taylor Taylor 137 Commercial Street, London E1 (020-7377 2737, www.taylortaylorlondon.com)

Decor and atmosphere: Taylor Taylor is a quirky salon located on Commercial Street in East London. The decor is eclectic and eccentric with a fabulous and stylish bar in the centre and a relaxing golden Zen-like wash room, complete with Buddha. The staff are all young and trendy, as are the clientele, but similarly super-friendly and attentive without a hint of East London pretentiousness. Drinks were offered at regular intervals, and range from water to champagne cocktails.

Staff and treatments: Our spy’s consultation took place with both her colourist, Michelle, and her stylist, Ricky, to ensure the cut and colour complemented each other. Michelle’s colour was exactly as requested and the end result was rich but natural-looking. Our spy was going for a new cut rather than just a trim, and wanted to go mid-length without looking frumpy. Ricky talked her through the cut, explaining what he was doing at each stage and listened to what our spy wanted. He gave his opinion when asked and, most importantly, took into account her face shape. The end result was a technically mastered and flattering cut.

Highs: Decor and the end result.

Lows: If you call at the wrong time you could be on hold for quite some time. Try online booking instead.

Marks out of 5: 4.9.

If you have a salon that you either love or hate, e-mail sarah.vine@thetimes.co.uk

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