Meet TAJ Hair Studio: 10 Chamberlayne Rd, NW10 3JD

Who is Taj or where does the name Taj come from?

TAJ comes from my full name Tarik A Johari. And the word also means crown in Arabic.

What made you decide to become a hairdresser and hair stylist?

I have always been fascinated by hair. From a young age, I liked to do my mum’s and my friends’ hair at school.

What do you think are the most important qualities of a successful hairdresser?

Firstly “listening”. You have to listen to the clients and take in what they are saying without jumping to any conclusions of your own. Try to understand what’s the reason behind their choice of colours and hairstyle and work from there. How we want to look starts psychologically, so it’s very important to pay attention to the clients thoughts and beliefs about their look and decide on something that fits their needs, but still looks great. And the second thing is “knowledge”. Hair is a living being and all hair has different textures, needs as to how it should be cut and pigmentation which impacts on how you need to work with colour. And finally, hair products are very important to achieve healthy and beautiful results.

What do you like most about being a hairdresser?

Making people feel happy about themselves by enhancing their look. When my clients book their appointments, they want to have honest and open conversations, expressing their emotions and letting go of their feeling. Sometimes they laugh other times they drop some tears and that’s all okay, it’s part of the experience and I love it.

What treatments or services do Taj hairdressers offer that you are most proud of?

Every service is unique, from cutting and styling to colouring and lighting, but in the last decade, a hair colour revolution had changed everything. There are new products and techniques, and I would say I am most proud of my colouring. But without the perfect cut and style, you won’t show the beauty of the colour, so they complete each other.

What do you think are the biggest challenges you face as a hairdresser?

Our industry is changing very fast with the power of social media, so keeping up to date and meet with client’s expectations is quite challenging, but I think we do a great job!

What sets your work apart from other hairdressers?

Here at TAJ, we don’t believe we are just providing a service – it’s a full experience. Everyone who steps through our doors is treated with the same amount of care, respect, and kindness. Your hair will reflect how you feel inside, so I think that’s what makes us different. Of course, it helps to have a very talented and experienced team, who love what they do, and they do what they love every single day.

What do you think is the most important thing you can do to ensure a great haircut for your clients?

Understand what the client has in mind. We always spend time on consultation to meet client’s requests, advise clients on what could possibly suit their face shape and personality, and always make sure if they are looking for a low-maintenance haircut, which is the case most of the time. And at the end, we ensure to do exactly what we planned to do.

Do you have any tips to keep hair healthy?

• Your hair impacts your mindset and how stress-free you are. So, try to be positive and your hair and skin will be healthy. Also eating the right food can improve your hair a lot.
• Regular trimming is important – we recommend having a trim every 8 to 12 weeks.
• Using organic oils and doing a home mask from time to time has plenty of benefits too.
• And you might be surprised but yoga is also great for hair as it can increase blood circulation to the head.

Can you share the best ways to care for coloured hair?

• You must keep in mind colours are layers of pigment so the more you wash your hair, the shorter your colour will last.
• Using a shampoo that is free of sodium laureth sulfate and sodium chloride will help to keep your colour for much longer.
• Avoid regular washing, especially with the water we have in London. It’s very hard and contains high amounts of chemicals.
• Also, try to use a hair sun protection cream when you go anywhere sunny.

If you had to give one piece of advice to avoid damaged hair, what would it be?

• Treat your hair the same way you treat your skin and avoid direct heat on your hair.
• Use high-quality hair products so please don’t go and grab anything from the shelf.
• Read the ingredients and do some research before you start using the product you’ve chosen and avoid a box-dyed hair product at all costs.
• In the end, love your hair and it will love you back.

How do you unwind?

I try to go away for short breaks as much as I can, it helps me to disconnect and get some inspiration. Hot Yoga also helps me to recharge and let go.

Tell us what you love about the area.

I’ve been around Queen’s Park and Kensal Rise for over 15 years. In the last couple of years, the area has changed so dramatically. Now it feels like a little village where people know each other and look after each other, so I’m so grateful to be able to establish myself around such a place.

Can you tell us a secret?

Be who you are and not whom you think you should be by accepting yourself. It is the secret for infinite happiness.

Contacts: 

www.tajhairstudio.com

Address: 10 Chamberlayne Rd, London NW10 3JD

Tel: 020 8968 9408

Open hours: 

Mon-Sat: 9am – 7pm

Sun: closed