Lumo Naturals Salon *4th Time's a Charm* Major Upgrade!

*insert Beyonce's 'Upgrade you' here*

Reception Area

View from the Wet Room

Lumo Naturals has moved to Concept Plaza and i believe this was part of what they needed to take their services to the Next Level. 

I have not been to the salon since August 2014, i reviewed them twice before, read here and here. The 1st post i was a super unhappy customer and expressed my opinion about the salon and things that could be changed and the 2nd post was an update. I honestly did not do it to spoil their business, just to create awareness of where they were lacking from a neutral customer's point of view. 

I'm really glad they have stepped up their game and can now proudly say i don't quite mind making the trip to their salon in Gwarinpa to get my hair done. 

Here is the list of things i highlighted in my 1st post and i think all of them have been addressed:

• The salon arrangement
• The scheduling process for customers
• The seating provision for customers
• The no. of staff
• The no. of appliances,shoulder towels, shower caps, etc. for customers to use
• The customer service
• The provision of entertainment for waiting customers (can be looped Natural Hair Youtube videos-hairstyles, advice, products, etc.)
• The storage of hair products for sale (against theft)

Gwarinpa is totally out of my way and i probably would have not visited Lumo Naturals if not for my friend Tutu, she was visiting from outta town and getting her hair washed though so i decided to meet up with her and see how the salon was doing. I initially went to their old location but got their new address from their website, luckily it was walking distance. I was very impressed when i got there and was rid of the bitter taste in my mouth from my previous experience there. They had a reception area and a spacious, well arranged and nicely furnished salon. They also had natural hair videos playing on the TV and the staff seem to have been well trained to handle natural hair as they required no supervision. 

I really like the Ankara decor, mirrors, pot plants and the Product Shelf. It was a breath of fresh air.

They also have a fridge to buy refreshments.

Product Shelf

My friend was well catered too, she had her hair washed, conditioned and steamed, there is now a dedicated 'wet area' for washing your hair, etc and it has 2 separate wash basins and you have the option of warm water. 

The owner came in at a point and was quite warm this time and we had a nice brief  hair chat with her, which was nice. I believe they have a manager's office in the salon.

The Manager was really nice and i liked that their price list (really decent prices for a natural hair salon) is framed and in view at the reception.

This time around i had a very pleasant experience there and i wasn't even the customer, i have been super-busy and super-tired from work lately so i'm gonna put DIY on the backburner this week and go there to get my hair washed, steamed, etc. I'll add a quick update to this post after that, as a customer.

Price List

Lumo Naturals
F101, Concept plaza, beside Emirates hotel, 5th avenue, Gwarimpa.
08094823173 | 09-2911727 (They actually work!!)

My Experience (Update)

I got to the Salon on a Friday around 5:30pm after calling to book an appointment and i was done by 7:46pm which was a satisfactory time gap for me. If you've read my other posts you would understand why.

I had not combed my hair in forever, i just left it in a bun so it needed serious detangling. The hairstylist that attended to me was Fatima and i thoroughly enjoyed the service.

She sprayed my hair and put a mix all over it for some mins before proceeding to gently detangle my matted hair in sections, it was practically painfree, i couldnt believe it, afterwards my hair was shampooed in sections and washed with warm water, it was quite delightful. When i DIY i'm to lazy to heat up water for my hair.

She then applied a mix to my hair and a showercap over it with a paper wrap to prevent water dripping out and ear muffs to protect my ears. This was without a doubt my most comfortable steam. It lasted about 45mins i think before i had it washed off then she applied conditioner to my hair and i had it on for about 5mins then she combed my hair in sections before my final rinse with cold water (seals the hair cuticles) #bestfeelingever!

I loved that my shoulder towel was changed after my steam session and a dry microfibre towel was also used on my wet hair after conditioning.

I requested to have my hair dried with cool air, 'cos i did not want my scarf to get wet (it cost #500) and also told her i did not want any product with coconut oil used on my hair ('cos my hair is protein sensitive) so she used shea butter instead. My hair was dried and 'buttered' up and put in loose chunky twists. I love how my hair smelled from the fragrance of the shampoo and conditioner-very yummy.

Proper tools were used on my hair and i liked that (wide tooth comb,shower caps,ear muffs,soft microfibre towels, hair clips, etc.)

I entertained myself during my hair session by reading (Lupita's Vogue Edition) from their selection of magazines, that made time go by faster.

I paid #4,000 via PoS when i was done which is definitely a very decent price for the service i got (hair products & tools used,light-gen,water,services).

The Salon was quite full and i did not notice any customers waiting as they now have quite a good no. of staff. 

I noticed a sign at at he reception stating that MEN are not allowed in the main salon, most likely because of muslim women that may be getting their hair done, which is understandable.

Regarding my Past Review of the Salon-Honest Feedback from customers on services/products is important though most Nigerian businesses are not used to it, they should embrace it as it will ultimately improve their business; although mine was written laced in anger hence the tone, it was mostly constructive criticism because of the perceived potentail. 

I think its a plus to have been able to win me back.

I can now confidently recommend this salon to my fellow naturals. Call and book ahead though so you can avoid waiting, they were fully booked for Saturday.

I have ZERO complaints this time around, i got my money's worth, TLC for my hair and a break from DIY.

Toodles!XooX

Wig Newbie

I'm a wig newbie and currently have just one wig which i started wearing sometime in September but i'm really loving it and motivated to get some more styles. The one i currently have is Synthetic and the style is a fringe with layers by the sides and long mid-back length hair behind and it cost just  'bout N2500. It makes my life as a lazy natural easier.
To think i used to find it funny that my mum and her friends wore wigs, when i was younger. They were definitely on to something good. lol. 

It's been months since i've been to a salon and i only go there to get weaves in, I wash and condition at home then braid/cornrow my hair flat into four/six lines (depending on how lazy i'm being), after this i either rock a turban, natural hairstyles or a my wig. This has been my routine for the past few months and the quickest/easiest way to tame my full and long mane.

Pros

Comfortable, not hot underneath, basic to diva in minutes, easy to maintain, freedom to take it off when home, versatile-can rock different hairstyles as often as i like, it fits sturdy

Cons

Scared of it falling off, self-conscious 'bout it, can't move my head with reckless abandon esp in the clubif someone mistakenly grabs at it, my not-so-neat/cute braids underneath will be exposed

Here are some ladies inspiring me to embrace 'Wigdom' with open arms as they rock awesome styles, colors and textures- BeautybyJJ, PatriciaBright, Peakmill. Check them out on IG and YouTube.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toodles!XooX

Lumo Naturals Salon Updated Review (Lvd it!!)

Read my most recent post (Oct 2016) here.
Everyone deserves a 2nd chance or 3rd chance or umpteenth chance that is if they want that chance though and i have to say i'm greatly pleased to have given this salon another chance. I'm proud to say they have now found a customer in me and i will gladly make the trip to Gwarinpa for their service because they have proved to be worth the effort and my hard earned cash. Is this the same gal with no good things to so about Lumo Naturals salon in her last post?  Yup!! Na the same me o my beautiful people! I really do appreciate growth and improvement when i see it displayed and do my best to commend such in order to promote more growth and even much more improvement. 

I called out the salon in a post i wrote in April after 2 visits (late December/early January which i specified in that post) there and getting extremely unsatisfactory service. There was no feedback initially after the post before all of a sudden in July, comments came in on the post and then i got a buzz on whatsapp from the owner of the popular Nigerian blog i had mentioned in the post where i had read up on the salon before my disappointing visit, she asked what was going on between me and the salon and pleaded that i remove her blog name from the post because of some legal thing or smtn like that was being brought up and she did not want to be involved which i perfectly understand. I really wondered why a big fuss was being made about my post since it was about my experience there and i had written it a while back also specifying the period of my visit.

I eventually found out the cause of the fuss. I had forgotten the address of the salon as i was preparing to make my 3rd visit (for the updated review) and decided to google the salon to get the address, as i scrolled down the 1st page of the results, there it was, the cause of all the drama! My post on the salon was on the 1st page of the google results!! No wonder! I had absolutely no clue of this 'cos after my visits to the salon and putting up my post i had more or less written them off, forgotten about it and moved on. I scrolled through to see the other results from Google and found another interesting post, this time from the Lumo Naturals blog and it was a rejoinder to my post (explaining the reason for the service described i my post and being overwhelmed and some other stuff) and that was honestly also my first time seeing their post. The only feedback i had noticed were the comments made on my own blog to the post and the only one i took seriously was that of the Salon Manager who apologized for the service and asked that i pay them another visit nothing about the rejoinder was mentioned in her comment . Anyways all that one don pass, lets move to the koko of this post make i no bore una with my long tori.

I kid u not, this salon is now the ish!! I'm not one to succumb to pressure and though some of the 'commenters' tried to bully me with their comments, i honestly didn't give ahoot about them, i made up my mind not to do an updated review till i visited the salon again for myself especially for the sake of the salon Manager who had commented on my previous post and though it was a bad review was courteous in her comment. Every single item under my 'What can change' list in the 1st review i did on them HAS changed!!! like really really changed and for the better! (i'm sure its not due to my post though as they said they were transitioning to the salon the times i visited, i had no knowledge of this till i stumbled on their rejoinder to my post)

Below is the closing comment that i wrote in the 1st post/review i did about the salon

"I'm furious at this salon because it has a lot of potential, i don't know any other 'Natural Hair' salons and there is a high natural hair community in the FCT from the last NITC meeting i attended. 

What can change?

The salon arrangement

The scheduling process for customers

The seating provision for customers

The no. of staff

The no. of appliances,shoulder towels, shower caps, etc. for customers to use

The customer service

The provision of entertainment for waiting customers (can be looped Natural Hair Youtube videos-hairstyles, advice, products, etc.)

The storage of hair products for sale (against theft)
I believe these changes will take the salon a long way!"

I was very detailed in my last post and i owe it to u guys and it is only fair to the salon that i be just as detailed in this post. I would have taken pictures also but i didn't want anyone to come on here and start commenting about unauthorized pics and what not so i'm gonna put a pic of my hair instead, hopefully the salon manager will take some cool shots of the salon at some point and post it on their blog so i can link it up here and you guys can get a visual of the changes, then again you can just opt to visit the salon and see it for yourself.

I called the phone no. i found online to book an appointment, the person was courteous and noted the time and day i will be coming and also told me how much the hairstyle would cost after i described it to her. I received a call from their landline about 20mins to my scheduled appointment to confirm if i would still be coming (i was very impressed by this). I got to the salon at around 3:30pm on Thursday, it was a nice sight for my previously sore eyes, the salon was refreshingly light and airy,a beautiful beige/eggshell off-whitish wallpaper was at a section, while the rest of the walls had an off-white paint color to it that blended very well and made the salon space seem more spacious and airy. There was a 2-seater sofa in the corner with a small table, a TV was up on the wall, the hair dryer has been replaced with a wall mounted mount one that can be moved to where the customers are seated. The main customer section is now fitted with 3 mirrors with drawers attached leaving enough leg room space. I also spotted a pot plant in the corner, the chairs where mostly green or orange with just about 2 black ones in the mix, these colors added a very nice touch to the space and y'all know green is my fave color anyways. There were 3 staff clad in work aprons in the salon while i was there and they were extremely courteous, 1 of them picked the attachment while the other 2 braided my hair, this was the part i enjoyed the most to be honest 'cos i'm not a fan of picking attachment and i was able to enjoy my novel (Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie). I was also given a consultation form to fill which is a good thing as this will aid feedback from customers and help build a relationship with them if properly reviewed. There were about 3 wall shelves, 2 of which contained the hair products for sale (Jamaican black castor oil, Natural Nigerian products, Shea butter, Argan oil and much more) while the last shelve was close to the washing area and contained mostly products for washing. There were also wall hooks with hair bands/scarves, Spritz bottles, combs and similar hair accessories for sale. I also noticed that they had hair clasps and ankara bangles for sale. My favorite feature of the salon has to be the Natural hair quotes hung on the walls and the centerpiece lighting, it was too gorgeous!!! The lighting was a dangling 3 step cube with colorful yarn of turquoise, red and yellow spun randomly with a different color on each cube, it gave the salon the nice finish that it needed. The salon was also kept clean as the floor was swept as soon as i was rounding up with my hair. They also had an air-conditioner installed and two wall fans and there was also a generator and there's enough ventilation through the window and 2 screen doors in the salon. There's also a fridge although i don't know if they sell refreshments as i did not ask for any I took a look at their general rates and they were very reasonable and affordable.

A proper towel was around my neck while my hair was being braided, i had already washed my hair and de-tangled at home before heading to the salon, i bought my attachment from the market closest to the salon as the salon does not sell extensions or weaves. 2 people braided my hair while the 3rd picked the attachment and asides for a customer i initially met there, once she left i was the only customer there till i left. My hair was started around 3:50pm give or take after the attachment had been pick and cut and they were completely done (trimming and all) by 6:58 pm  ( i looked at the time to be certain) which is approx 3 hours and very good timing for the braids i did. I paid 3k for the braids (which is really affordable for Abuja even if i add the cost of transportation to/from the salon) and filled the consultation form and left a very happy customer! I do not know their closing time, i'm guessing it depends on customer traffic but they closed shop after i left as i was the only customer there. I will definitely be referring this salon to my friends (both naturals and otherwise) henceforth. My braids are extremely neat, they were also very careful with my front hair. I'm glad i got to do this updated review and at the changes in the salon. Great customer service and prices! What more can a natural gal ask for :D Keep up the good work! 

This is not a sponsored post and i was attended to just as any other customer would be, as my identity was anonymous and i also paid in full for the service rendered. Naturals in the FCT! this is where you wanna get your hair done! Call to get an appointment, their land line 09-2911727 works and they give preference to customers who book an appointment over walk-in customers, You can visit their blog for more info on them. Avoid unnecessary antics to get u to relax ur hair  from regular salons because the stylists think your hair is too hard or any of that annoying stuff!!

Change is the only constant thing, Embrace it.

Toodles!XooX

Hair Salon Review (Late December post)

For an updated review (October 2016) click here in order to be properly informed of the current status/service of the salon. Thank you.
To Read my August, 2014) review on this salon click here.

The post below is the 1st post/review i did on the Lumo Naturals Salon from my visit there in December 2013 and  January 2014. They have since improved immensely and were transitioning as at the time this post was written as contained in their rejoinder. You can visit their blog as well.

A popular Nigerian natural hair blog i frequent and the Dealdey site linked me to Lumos Naturals blog & salon. After going through the blogs i was super eager to try them out! I found a discounted deal on Dealdey and jumped at it. I bought 2 of the deal which covers 4 people in total. I was about to be thoroughly disappointed, i was totally unimpressed with the salon after an early morning trip all the way to Gwarinpa. There weren't enough chairs for customers and i had to sit on stacked broken plastic chairs, there was only one hair dryer which had no front cover to prevent the air from escaping and they had to improvise using a towel. There was only one steamer available so d queue was long for use of both appliances. There was no signboard outside so I had to walk into where the cardboard post with pencil was placed n ask if i was at the right place, as did other customers that came in after me.

There were just 2 face sized towels available for customers to make use of. The customer service was quite poor and only one of the stylists seemed to know how to handle natural hair properly (Precious) and I waited for her to work on my hair. There was no source of entertainment for the many waiting customers (neither TV or Radio). They do not sell weaves or attachments. Honestly I wouldn't willingly visit this salon again except to buy Natural Nigerian hair products.

2 customers complained about their time that was being wasted, 1 of d kids who got twists noticed her hair was loosing after being creeped and when it was brought to the attention of the stylist she sed dey dnt usually creep twists but she did 'cos dat was wat the customer wanted. The customer replied dat the stylist shld v informed n advised dem accordingly instead of just goin ahead wen she knew the hair would loosen, she left, visibly upset, with her kid n sed she'd cm in January to redeem her  own coupon. Luckily I had a novel n music on my phone to entertain me during all of this, at 12:24pm 1 customer left n I noticed one watching d TV series 'revenge' on her fone while anoda 'picked' her attachment herself to avoid any delays wen it was her turn. Only 1 adult had started twists, we were nw 5 adults left standing while the heavily pregnant mother of 3 of the kids came in with d last one complaining 'bout how slow d stylist was (very true) and after ranting for 'bout 10mins left saying she'l b back soon and would scatter d shop if her kids were not done by den (serious hormones!).

They did not keep to the normal first come-first served scheduled appointments 'cos no tags or number were given to customers to indicate who arrived first and they were quite slow. Although the shop is small I think the shop can be better managed to efficiently cater to more than one client at a time. It was rather easy for me to locate d plaza which is a plus since i'm not familiar with the Gwarinpa environs. I got to the salon by 8:10am 'cos when i called to book an appointment, i was told to come earlier than 9:00am which was the indicated opening time on the deal i bought. I had to wait till around 9:00am when one of the 2 stylists present came to put the coconut cream treatment in my hair n I had to wait for the person in d steamer to be done then I steamed my hair. Around dis time d owner left leaving only the 2 stylists there to attend to 4 kids and 5 adults making 8 individuals in total. I finished steaming ended round 9:45am around wen d 3rd stylist came around. I had to sit around till 11:30am to get my hair washed n get in the dryer. At 11:48am only 1 adult (she fixed) and 1 kid had finished their braids while anoda kid was rounding up her twist. The 3rd kid n 1 adult took the places of the people that had finished and started their braids n twists. 8 adults were now waiting including myself as my hair was now dry.3 people were ahead of me 'cos dey came earlier than i did (7am).

2 pairs of people had to sharing 2 chairs while the remaining  managed the stack of 2 broken plastic chairs while anoda sat on the chair at the washing area.I noticed no one was keeping an eye on the products on display and anyone could have easily nicked one.

The customer dat left earlier cm bk with drinks n snacks n asked for her position on the queue. this was when the stylists bothered to try to recognize the order in which we came we cm. She left n sed she'l be bk wen she feels her turn would be closer. Anoda customer left round 1pm (the lucky ones). At 2pm,another adult n kid started their twists as one finished n complained dt she shld v bin informed dt her hair cannot be packed in d style she wanted instead of being told it can be done and dey end up doin crap. 2:20 pm I'm still waitin, d customer dt asked her turn is bk n visibly frustrated n complainin dt she's still gonna v to wait a while b4 her turn. 2:30pm dey conceded washed her hair,put d treatment n put her in d steamer. 3:00pm pregnant mum came back, luckily her daughter's hair was done so we never got to find out if she intended to carry out her threat. I dozed off after that. 5:00pm the lil girl n 1adult hav finished deir twists n d last kid has taking her place. The lady previously under d steamer has had her hair washed and is now under the dryer. The 2 other stylists take a break to eat n resume work bk not long after while d last stylist took her own break. 2 shower caps were being alternated and reused in their unwashed state for all the customers that had to steam (quite a no. of people).5:43pm they started washing the hair of one of the ladies waiting and then put her in d steamer while they washed her friend's hair. 5:58pm they started the twists on the lady dt got out of d dryer after she complained her attachment wasn't mixed well.All this while I just sat waitin with the head wrap being used as a towel on my shoulders, observing all the drama.

I finally started my hair @6:26pm after the stylist finished twists n used her hand to pack d dirt/hair on d floor to sort of clean out d salon (brrrr). Water n rosewater was used to detangle my hair. 6:52pm d last kid finished her hair n dey washed d hair of d girl outta d steamer since 6:00pm as well as dat of her sis who was don steaming by dat time, deir oda friend cm bk around den washed her hair n gt in d steamer while d 1st of d oda 2 got in d dryer.few mins later she cm out to make her twists while her sis gt in d dryer.The stylists begged her to not do the long braids she wanted to 'cos dey were tired and dey felt her hair was too short bt dey finally agreed to do wat she wanted. 7:13pm NEPA (PHCN) strikes but luckily dey brot it back around 7:20pm n tk it again by 7:33.Finished my hair around 9:00pm and i wasn't a pleased customer.

2nd trip(January, 2014),gt dere by 12pm n left 10pm. dey v a sign, dts d only change.

I'm furious at this salon because it has a lot of potential, i don't know any other 'Natural Hair' salons and there is a high natural hair community in the FCT from the last NITC meeting i attended.

What can change?

The salon arrangement

The scheduling process for customers

The seating provision for customers

The no. of staff

The no. of appliances,shoulder towels, shower caps, etc. for customers to use

The customer service

The provision of entertainment for waiting customers (can be looped Natural Hair Youtube videos-hairstyles, advice, products, etc.)

The storage of hair products for sale (against theft)
I believe these changes will take the salon a long way!

Toodles!XooX

Head Massage!

I'm totally hooked on my new hairdresser. This is the first time i'm having a male hairdresser and i must say i'm thoroughly impressed. First of all he's extremely patient and this was what had me going back to his salon after my first encounter there. He attended to me so well even though it was my first time there. The salon is just about 2 minutes walking distance from my office so i decided to try them out one of the days i was less busy at work and wanted to wash my hair, i ended up washing, steaming and blowdrying my hair. Good for me 'cos i wasn't missed at work. First thing i loved was that he handled my hair with the utmost care and anyone that knows me knows i cherish my nappy hair and only place them in reliable hands and once u mess up with them, u never get to touch them again!! That said, he had passed the first test test. The second test was when he had shampooed my hair and was washing it, some hairdressers usually use their nails when washing the hair and end up hurting the scalp, he on the other hand had his nails trimmed real low and used his finger tips instead. The third test was when he was conditioning my hair and this i must say was the deal closer!! He massaged my scalp and i must say it felt real good!! *Happy sigh...lol...and also he asked if i wanted warm or cold water unlike some that just assume and use what they feel, he used warm water all through and at the end used cold water. It was awesome!!!!!!! Pardon my use of so many exclamation marks, i'm just trying to use it to express how i felt. Also he did not complain that my hair was natural or try to make me texturize my hair like most first time hairdressers do instead he combed and straightened it with care and i felt like a Queen when he was done. He's also quite patient with me. I ended up tipping him after the whole

session and i've become his customer ever since and i must say i'm enjoying my hair massage and getting value for my money and tips. He made me realise how sweet a head massage can be and i've tested out my theory on a few volunteers and a lucky few will enjoy the luxury of getting one from me. ;) Also i can stop by at the salon during my lunch periods since the salon is close to my office.
Who says life aint sweet!

Toodles!XooX