Ted's Grooming Room - #TedonTheStrand

If you read this blog on a regular basis you will possibly have seen back in October of last year that I had a grooming changing experience thanks to those lovely people at Ted's Grooming Room after visiting their Holborn Branch. Fast forward to a wet evening in March and after being invited to the launch of their tenth store just off The Strand in central London I had the chance to once again be pampered and groomed.

The new store is located at 19 Lancaster Place, Charing Cross, London, WC2E 7EN and opened for business on 10 March. 

Offering a walk in service like the other Ted's Grooming Rooms this one has a television theme (it being located close to former BBC offices). For those not familiar with the offer from Ted, this is what they say about themselves here:

‘Ted might be a colourful character, but he has always been struck by the stars of the silver screen. Ted's Lancaster Place Grooming Room is a stone's throw away from the original home of the BBC, and is inspired by the dapper dandies of television's golden era. The slick suits and razor sharp side partings of those bygone years may seem remote but one thing's for sure; a visit to Lancaster Place will have you ready to step out onto any red carpet.’

So, after being invited to attend for a complimentary treatment my trusty sidekick (sorry Ben) and I ventured through the pavement hordes of tourists and made it to be greeted by the lovely Clodagh. 

Knowing that I would be attending I decided to offer up something of a challenge and left my beard for five weeks (the brow had been left for months). This left me looking frankly awful in the old face department and in need of some serious grooming treatments. Originally I opted for the Full Ted, but with a busy press day and with time quite limited I instead took the advice of my barber and had my hair tidied up around the back followed by a beard trim. After that had been done I then sat back, gritted my teeth and had the bushy brow (there was only one brow as it had joined again) threaded.

The pictures speak louder than words. I basically hated the way I looked before I entered and within 45 minutes I had been transformed and looked (in my opinion) highly respectable and dare I say it, much sharper. Hey, maybe even a little dapper!

Considering that my hair had only been tidied, after styling (without what looked like minimal effort) it actually looked like I had new hair. It was awesome, I just wish I could style it like this as easily as my barber did it!

This is my second visit to a Ted’s Grooming Room and on the night it was nice to see so many faces that were familiar, including T who was the first person to ever rip my eyebrows from my face. Far from being a pretentious barber that costs the Earth and treat you like a cash cow you can have a laugh and joke with the barbers and best of all, leave looking and feeling like a million dollars. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

As an aside, nobody told me that threading hurts a lot more the second time you have it done! 

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Groomed Two in One Wash - Hair & Body Multitask

Shopping for me is a nightmare - there, I’ve done it, I’ve ’fessed up and they do say that admitting that there is a problem is the first step of recovery! 

While I have a few steady brands I use I just can’t help but pick up new ones just to test them out.

In this case I was lucky enough to be sent a sample of the Groomed Two in One Wash Hair and Body Multitask to put through its paces. A 250ml bottle is available from Asda for just £2 so unlikely to break the bank if it is actually any good.

The marketing blurb states:

‘Guys, take the ‘grrrrr’ out of grooming! 

Expertly formulated for me who want no fuss, quality and results…naturally! 

Bursting with natural extracts this invigorating hair and body combo helps to awaken and refresh, whilst moisturising properties help to combat dry, dull hair and skin.’

So, is it any good?

Well, it comes out like any other shower gel but the fragrance punches you in the face - the blend of Tea Tree, Peppermint and Menthol give you that wake up slap around the face. At the moment I find this perfect to banish the lingering thoughts of sleep as I get ready for work in the morning. Invigorating? Yes, and then some.

The gel lathers up brilliantly and if anything the fragrance gets so much stronger as it is released by the warm water. 

While it is marketed as a body and hair wash I’ve had some dodgy experiences in the past where products like this leave my hair feeling like straw once dried - its as though the products drain all of the moisture out of the shaft leaving me unimpressed. For this reason I erred on the side of caution and didn’t apply to my locks, personally choosing to use this as just a body wash, after all I have a bathroom full of high end shampoos and conditioners to use.

In terms of kicking those crusty smells away I haven’t found anything better - after a day in the office, an hour in cattle class of London Underground in tropical heat and a night out using this leaves me confident that I am indeed clean and smelling lovely.

The menthol lingers on the skin which is reassuring and lasts for a few hours. 

At just £2 for a 250ml bottle this is exceptional value for money. Only a little of the gel is needed to product a thick and rich lather which means a bottle being used every day lasts over a month. It’s bloody good and will be a product I return to over and over again.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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