health & Beauty
The “Man Cave” at Goji
she didn’t show it. She didn’t even chastise me when (slightly mortifyingly) removing the layer of blue paint revealed an even older, even more chipped layer of orange which clearly I’d lacked the motivation and/or time to remove before sloshing on another layer. There was soaking, scrubbing, trimming and some fairly heavy-duty filing (which I swear must have removed enough of the hard, dead skin to make me drop a couple of pounds), before my feet were covered in hot paraffin wax and then wrapped in foil. The paraffin wax nourishes and softens the skin, and while it was taking effect I was treated to a relaxing hand and arm massage. I was worried that having my feet encased in something so warm on such a hot day might be slightly uncomfortable, but actually it was very soothing and when the wax peeled off my feet felt wonderful. The finishing touch was an application of Zoya varnish. There were lots of colours to use from, but in the end I plumped for a neutral shade, with a hint of sparkle from the new bridal collection, which Tracy said would catch the sun beautifully. By the end, my feet were almost completely unrecognisable from the unloved appendages that had walked in there, and I’ve vowed to take better care of them in future. Emma’s Goji Signature Pedicure cost £45
HIS
Charlie Brooker once wrote that visiting the barber is made up of two of the things he hates most – looking at yourself in a mirror and making smalltalk. Throw in the dread of replying to the opening question of “what would you like done with it?” when your hair has a thick wave that can only be managed rather than styled and it’s a good summary of why getting a haircut is generally something I view as an occasional necessity rather than a treat. I just want a barber who can look at my hair and suggest the best way of not only making it presentable but also give it a bit of care and attention. If they can do that while I have a coffee or beer, even better. Goji ticked all of the boxes. There’s a floor dedicated to men’s treatments, with its own specialist staff, and a fridge full of beverages that you can help yourself to while you wait for an appointment. My barber, Gemma, was excellent throughout, first talking me through what she would do to tame the unruly mop and then taking her time over the cut. None of your ten-minute clippers and flash of scissors here – Gemma was meticulous and worked with the wave, thinning out the thick hair on top and blending it into the tapered sides and back. It looked great at the time and, a couple of weeks on, the cut is growing out well, holding its style
“Goji ticked all of the boxes”
with minimum maintenance on my part. Since I was in for “The Full Goji” my haircut was followed by a cut-throat shave. I’ve had this done twice in my life. The firsttime, in a proper old-school Italian/American barber in New Jersey, was a real treat. The second time however, in London a few years ago, was a pretty much unmitigated disaster, as the blood pouring from my sensitive skin led to the inexperienced barber abandoning the shave midway through and I was left to try to finish off the job with my girlfriend’s razor when we got back to our hotel. Not ideal. No such problems this time, thankfully. Gemma, noting my warning about sensitive skin, again took her time and made it the enjoyable experience a close shave should be. Indeed, the atmosphere was relaxed throughout, thanks mainly to my confidence that Gemma knew exactly what she was doing both with the scissors and the blade. Even the smalltalk was good and, after such a skilled cut and shave, I didn’t hate looking in the mirror either! Neils “Full Goji” cost £35 n Goji Hair, 175 Kings Road, Pontcanna, CF11 9DF; www.gojihair.com
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