Garbo's Hair Portsmouth and Southsea

I first visited Garbos as a student and went to The Lab as it was closest to my Halls. I always get my hair cut by garbos and happily make the trip from southampton (where I now live) to visit them! Friendly staff, nice relaxing atmosphere and very trendy salon interior! none! - 100% very happy customer :) Definatly give Garbos a go - excellent customer service make you walk out feeling like a million dollars!

well i have just read the review above and i have to say its slightly unfair to rate the whole salon on one experience and if your worried about your hair dont select a trainee to cut your hair as after all they are training and evryone makes mistakes. I have used the lab for a good few years now and have always been more than happy with the service!!! sonya has cut my hair now for about 3-4 years (ish) and have always been happy with the way she cuts my hair. her service is friendly and professional as with all the staff at the lab. nil so far definately worth a visit

I visited Garbos in Albert Road (opposite the Goose at the V&A pub) for the first time a few weeks ago. I had tried out a few of the other 'big salons' in Portsmouth, but after a recommendation from a friend and after seeing her hair (which looked lovely) I thought I'd give garbos a go! As I was recommended by a friend I got a 25% off vocuher which she was given to give to someone who hadn't been before. Bearing this in mind I opted for a colour and a cut (making the most out of the 25% off).
The salon interior is stunning very modern and contempary, and after being told they had recently had a massive refurbishment! I was taken to a separate colour area for my colour and my stylist (Charlotte) went through the different options for my colour, I chose a deep brown in a semi permanent colour and for my cut I opted for a general tidy up with a few more layers. I really liked the idea of the separate colour area as sitting with colour on and your hair scraped back off your face isnt the most appealing look, so to be sitting in a more secluded area not in full view of albert road I thought was a very good idea.

The assistant who took my colour off was very polite and took great care in what she was doing, also if offered a head massage I would definatly recommend you take it! I then had my cut back with Charlotte and I explained that I had a problem with my hair looking flat. Charlotte showed my a different wayof blow drying my hair (which I have managed to do at home I'm pleased to say). Afterwards the colour looked so shiny and was advised to maybe have my colour done every 8 weeks but to see how feel nearer the time and whether I think it needs to be done! I was informed before my 25% discount my colour would be £30 pounds and my cut would be £31.50, with my discount I paid around £47.
I would recommend this very highly, it was a lovely expereince from start to finish! I would also say if you know someone who comes here get them to get you a recommend a friend voucher as they get 25% off for recommending you! I cannot believe one of the reviews I read on here as I had a great time visiting the salon and none of my friends have ever had a bad time here - they all love it! Im presuming that was just a one off! Well Done Garbos - I will be back in again soon!

The only disadvantage I can think off is that as it is a popular salon, you may have to ring up for your appointment in advance especially tog et the time you want on a saturday which is always hairdressers busiest day! Brilliant Service Well Done Garbos!

I have visited two of the garbos salons in Portsmouth - The Lab and the salon in albert road and both times been really impressed! I firstly went to 'The Lab' and Hayley looked after me. I came in on recommendation and as I work just over the road, and wanted to have my hair blow-dryed and styled as I was going out that night. My hair was blow-dryed beautifully and even just after a blow dry the condition looked amazing plus it stayed in all night. Hayley was a really polite girl and was very friendly throughout the appointment and took interest in my night ahead, also suggesting styles to have my hair to compliment my clothes I told her I was thinking of wearing!
I went to the albert road salon and Laura looked after me this time. It had been a while since I had had my hair cut and coloured; I was getting a bit bored with my stylist I usually go to, where even when I ask for a change I still come out with the same style and colour! Laura had a good 10 minute consultation with me, showed me different colours, what colours would suit my skin tone and eventually we picked two different blonde colours and we also discussed the haircut and decided to have a full fringe put in - (scary as I havent had a fringe since I was 10!). Laura again was very chatty throughout and seemed to take a real interest in what she was doing. I was so pleased with the overall result - my colour looked fab, really natural and shiny and the cut was equally as good and i do love my new fringe!
I also on recommendation bought a small tube of leave in conditioner, and all together with the colour and the cut my bill was nothing out of the ordinary especially compared to some of the other big salons in Portsmouth, but as I was soooo pleased with the result it was definatly worth the investment!
The only bad point I can really suggest is that (like all of parking in portsmouth) espeically at busier times it may be hard to find a parking space so i would just leave 5 minutes earlier than planned just to make sure yoiu are not late for you appointment. Theres loads odf roads around the albert road salonn to park in to be fair, just obviously at the busy times it may be more difficult. :) I have been pleased with both my visits to the garbos salons and have my next appointment all booked in! i would definatly recommend the salons to anyone, the staff were all lovely, the salons themselves look really stylish and my hair has never looked (and felt so good)!

I saw some posters on the salon's window: Modelling for a trainee - has to be willing and adventurous and right next to another poster: creative team provides services free of charge, give a us a call for more info.
So I give them a call and I ask if it is free of charge to model for a trainee (you know like in any other salon, but I wanted to make sure)answer:two options one for free, the other if you want something specific it's 14GBP, come to the salon for more info. So I go to the salon and enquire again, is it free of charge and I wasn't told otherwise, so with all that it was pretty clear to me that it was free of charge, what do you think? Good points? err... that's hard right now... one man has proper manners, the others not so sure about that... the trainee who cut my hair asked all the proper questions, had good manners, but seemed quite borred and willing for his work to end as he was stuggling, but it's ok because he is a trainee. Well, where to start?! I went to have my hair cut by a trainee, quite convinced after I asked several times, and the posters on the window suggest so, that I wouldn't be charged (as in any other salon as you might now). I came in with quite long hair, and said I wanted it shorter showing my specific limit. What happened is that it was so uneven that the trainee had to cut and style it more and more so in the end it was about 5cm shorter than the limit specified. But I it's ok, I forgive him, he is a trainee. After that, I am lead to the register and that's when the bad surprise comes: no goodbye from the trainee, and the girl at the register asks me for 14GBP, so puzzled, I enquire again, make it clear that I was told I wouldn't be charged, she looks to her collegues sitting behind me, of course making fun of me (how nice is that!), telling me that I was wrong with a forced smile. So, nice as I am, and not willing to make a scandal, I pay saying no problem. Result: not really happy with my short uneven hair, and on top I have to pay when I was told I would... I asked other people to check to window to see if they understood the same as me, and they all agreed with me. So I call the salon and ask when I could meet a manager. I went in the next day and ask for the manager who was a quite unpleasant man, who looked too much like a gypsy to work in a hair salon... He made me feel completely stupid (as I wasn't already feeling bad about the whole disaster), and I asked him for the terms and conditions (it says on the poster you can ask for them) but all he could show me was a dirty and wrinkled paper with the list of prices...not exactly terms and conditions, is it? He left me with another man who had proper manners and to whom I could explain in a civilized way my problem. He said they do not give refunds, but he could give me a free hair cut...not exactly what I would like after this experience... Later on I ask my friends where it states 'free of charge'on the poster, as I didn't want to attract more attention to me, feeling already quite bad, and being a rather shy person. I decided I should go back and show this to the polite man but unfortunately he was in a meeting and another man started shouting at me for no reason, since I was being nice and polite all this time. I decided to just step out, but believe me I didn't took it well to be shout at like this, and I was in shock, tears running down my eyes as I walked home. Don't get it wrong, i don't usually cry like this, but this situation was a bit too much, after all they did the mistake. Do you think it is fair at all? A manager should be able to put himself in the customers shoes, and ask himself if he would like this to happen to him... Anyone who wants to model for a trainee will say that they are doing it because they can't really afford a haircut at the moment. Well, what do you think?
I paid, when I was told (and I asked several times for confirmation) I wouldn't have to, I had beautiful long hair and now it's short and uneven, I was made fun of, people made me feel stupid (although thy advertise themselves as willing to make us feel fabulous!), and some other person made me cry by shouting at me for no reason, although I am not that a sensitive person.
I wouldn't advise this salon to anyone unless you have enough money to pay them in advance to be nice to you. GARBO= RUDE and OVERPRICED