Before I sat in the stylist's chair at Amazon's new hair salon my tresses had only been seen to twice by a professional in the previous 18 months. This hiatus led to a huge growth spurt but a lack of maintenance meant it invariably ended up in a scruffy pineapple bun on top my head.
A technology-focused brand synonymous with instant clicking and rapid delivery was not where I thought I would go when the time came but novelty, narcissism and the delight of an offline assignment ushered me enthusiastically to Spitalfields in east London.
Thankfully, I wasn’t met with a robot-stylist wielding a pair of digitally enhanced scissors but the very personable and professional stylist Kelly, who you can watch giving me a much-welcomed makeover.
Not content with dominating the online sales market, Amazon's first – and only – gadget-filled hair salon in London is a somewhat bizarre departure from its core business.
Nevertheless, months after it launched Amazon Fresh, a till-less supermarket, the retail company has brought its love of tech to the tresses of men and women in the UK capital.
Set over two floors, the sleek salon in the Liverpool Street commercial district is trialling the latest industry technology, from augmented reality hair consultations to point-and-learn technology.
“We want this unique venue to bring us one step closer to customers and it will be a place where we can collaborate with the industry and test new technologies,” said John Boumphrey, Amazon's UK country manager.
Haircare bottles are placed above sensors that reveal product information on a mounted screen when a hand passes over them. Clients can scan QR codes that will take them to the Amazon website where they can buy whatever the stylist recommends, to be delivered directly to their home.
Amazon has partnered with hair stylist Elena Lavagni, founder of high-end, Belgravia-based Neville Hair & Beauty to deliver the service, which includes a snip using 180-degree blades, a liquid-gold protein treatment and a high-tech conditioning treatment called the steam wash.
For those seeking a more drastic change, gone are the old display books featuring differently coloured hair samples. The salon’s augmented reality colour station lets clients see what their locks would look like in an eclectic range of shades.
Every styling area has a wireless charging dock and a digital tablet stocked with the latest magazine issues, an environmentally friendly way for clients to immerse in the latest trends and stories while they’re being pampered.
Amazon says the salon has been busy since it opened its doors in May but it doesn’t plan to open another. The company calls the Spitalfields venture "an experiential venue" where it shows off new products and the latest industry technology. It certainly modernises the pampering process and if Amazon doesn't open more, it will be up to other industry leaders to take smart salons forward.
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
The biog
Favourite film: Motorcycle Dairies, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Kagemusha
Favourite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Holiday destination: Sri Lanka
First car: VW Golf
Proudest achievement: Building Robotics Labs at Khalifa University and King’s College London, Daughters
Driverless cars or drones: Driverless Cars
RIDE%20ON
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Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
Calvin Harris
Columbia
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
SPECS
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
