Blow-dry in a private studio in Lausanne: how the appointment unfolds

A blow-dry in a private studio is an appointment with a hairdresser who welcomes you at her home rather than in a salon. At M BRUSH, in Lausanne, Manel, a qualified hairdresser, welcomes clients by appointment only.

Here is the full sequence, from the booking screen to your return home, so you arrive with no questions in mind.

Step 1: booking online

It all starts on the booking page. Allow two minutes, and three choices.

1. Your length. It is read with three markers: the nape, the shoulders, the bottom of the ribs. Short at the nape; mid-length and long from the shoulders to just above the bottom of the ribs; extra-long from the bottom of the ribs and beyond. If you are between two, our guide to choosing your hair length helps you decide.
2. Your finish. Sleek, soft, volume, brush curls or iron curls. For sleek, a straightener option is ticked at this point.
3. An available slot. You choose the day and time from those offered.

Nothing is to be paid online at this stage.

Step 2: confirmation

Manel confirms your slot by message. No deposit is required: everything is settled on the day of the appointment.

If you need to change your plans

The rule is simple and better known from the start.

• Up to 24 hours before, you can cancel or postpone: simply let Manel know.
• In the event of a no-show, online booking is no longer possible; you then need to write to Manel.

The studio address

The appointment takes place in a private studio, Avenue d'Yverdon 4, 1004 Lausanne. The email confirmation gives you the directions: it is the only information to keep to hand on the day.

One booking, one confirmation, one address: the rest is just blow-dry.

Step 3: the day before and the morning

Clean hair, no product

This is the only real instruction. Shampoo + optional treatment on site; otherwise, come with clean hair, free of oil, serum or styling product.

Hair weighed down with product glides poorly on the brush and holds its shape less well. We explain the why and the how in the article on preparing your hair before a blow-dry.

Plan your journey

Lausanne is easy to cross by public transport, and from neighbouring towns the train often takes only a few minutes. For routes from the east or west of Lausanne, read our article on coming from Pully, Lutry, Renens or Prilly.

Think about the return too: an umbrella in your bag, even if the sky is clear when you set off.

Step 4: arrival

You put down your coat, settle into the velvet chair and breathe out a little. The only effort of the day: sitting down.

Before starting, the length is checked against the three categories: short, mid-length and long, extra-long. It is also the right moment to say what you like or dislike about your hair: a parting you always wear on the same side, a strand that keeps flicking up, a cowlick at the nape.

Step 5: the appointment in four steps

Every blow-dry follows the same order, whatever the finish.

1. I

   Detangling.Knots are loosened gently, from ends to roots.

2. II

   Sectioning.The hair is divided into neat areas, so that every strand receives the same attention.

3. III

   The finish.The final adjustments according to the finish booked: the iron for sleek with option or iron curls, curls loosened by hand, ends worked.

4. IV

   Setting.A light veil, not a shell: the hair stays soft to the touch.

The duration depends on your length and your finish. The two curls take a little longer than the others.

Step 6: departure

Payment is made on site, in cash or by TWINT.

All that remains is to protect your blow-dry until you get home. A few simple habits:

• In rain or fog, an umbrella rather than a hood, which flattens and rubs.
• When the bise blows, a scarf tied low and a hat worn loose, just for the journey.
• On public transport, avoid resting your head against the window or the seat back.

And for the days that follow, a silk or satin pillowcase and a loose bun at night make a real difference.

An appointment designed for you

A blow-dry bar in a private studio is a particular format: by appointment only, at the hairdresser's home, with an appointment where you have nothing else to do but sit down.

If the principle is new to you, our article what is a blow-dry bar? explains the idea. And on Instagram, @mbrush.ch, you can follow the house and its news.

You now know every step. All that is left is to book your blow-dry in a private studio in Lausanne.