Review: Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa Abu Dhabi

Rossano Ferretti has become THE go to celebrity hair stylist. And with a celebrity client list including Kate Middleton, Linda Evangelista, Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lawrence to name but a few, when an opportunity arises to have your hair cut by a name as legendary as his at the new Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa Abu Dhabi - you don't say no.

I'm normally very cautious about who I let cut my hair - so deep rooted is my fear of bad hairdressers that it took more than three years before I let my regular hair dresser loose with anything more than just a trim to my locks - but I knew this was an opportunity too good to pass up. So, invited to the grand opening of the new Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa in Abu Dhabi, I found myself in this lucky position, with none other than Rossano Ferretti himself in charge of cutting my hair.

At around US$1500 a pop, a cut with Rossano is often referred to as the most expensive haircut in the world, and I figured that if I can't trust a hair stylist at this level, there really was no hope for me. I've always liked the part in those 'Next Top Model' TV shows where they get their model makeover by the celebrity stylists, I've always watched those moments wishing for a similar experience, where someone at the very top of their game just takes charge and tells you what needs to be done for a result that will work for you and flatter your face.

And that's pretty much how it was with Rossano. He started off by asking me what my dream hair cut was, and I didn't really know how to answer. Quite honestly, I've had so many bad hair experiences in my time that my hair dreams don't extend far beyond "just avoid completely buggering it up please"! So it was a question that took me aback really, which in itself is pretty ridiculous when you think about it, haircuts shouldn't really be quite so horrific a prospect that we have basically no expectations at all. Rossano continued, asking me a few general questions about my lifestyle, all the while circling me, touching my hair, examining my freshly washed mop from every angle to ascertain what he needed to do.

He asked if I was happy to go a bit shorter and I told him, I'm here to let you do whatever you think needs to be done, and with that, he started cutting. The hair cut itself is evidently something of a science. Although it appeared as though he was just chopping wildly at parts of my hair, somehow it all came together perfectly. You see, his famous 'Method Cut' uses special scissors designed by Rossano himself that cut less of the hair than traditional scissors, and there is no parting of the hair to ensure symmetry or any of the other techniques you may have been used to seeing before, it's all about working with the natural state of the hair as it is, the natural fall of the hair - to work with it and to bring out the best in what already naturally exists. His famous and oft quoted line is 'you cannot modify hair', and I for one find that quite a comforting thought, as it seems much more likely this way that the end product will be a hair cut you can manage and maintain without too much effort. And let's be honest here, when it comes to beauty routines - that's what I'm all about. There's nothing worse for me than receiving a hair cut that looks fabulous out of the salon but that will not sit right or do what I want after the first wash at home.

Having read numerous reviews and articles about him before we met, Rossano, while certainly a little intimidating and quite blunt at times was much friendlier and more personable than I'd expected. And through everything he told me, as a journalist, I couldn't help but feel that although he was to a point 'selling me' his ideas, he really did seem to be a man of great integrity. It felt to be far more than marketing, and having devoted the past thirty odd years to devising his own unique technique, it's clear that hair is something he is passionate about, that he cares deeply about what goes into his products and the people who work in his salons representing his name.

I was over the moon with the finished cut and look, although my first concern after leaving the salon was whether I would be able to recreate the look at home myself. And honestly, while I haven't managed to recreate quite such a sleek and finished look myself (I'm terrible with a brush and blow dryer), my hair does feel lighter and genuinely is much easier to manage. When I had told Rossano that I wanted low maintenance hair, his response was that "every good hair cut is low maintenance" and the proof it seems, IS in the pudding.

And the really good news is that you don't have to fork out $1500 to get it. Cuts at the salon start from Dhs300, or for the full 'The Method' experience which includes the RF signature cut and blowdry, the cost is between Dhs450-650 depending on the length of your hair. You can also feel confident you're in safe hands - all Rossano's staff train with him and his sister (his sister heads up the training academy in Parma, Italy) in the Parma based training academy and Method Directors all have many years of experience working with Rossano internationally.

But much more than a hair salon, Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa has a wealth of top notch beauty and spa services also from nails and lashes to massages and facials. My morning at the spa actually started with a massage, and though I'm not normally a fan of spa treatments in villa style establishments, the Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa has proven to be the luxurious exception to the rule. The massage was an experience that was up there with some of the best five star hotels not just in the city, but internationally too, just for the attention to detail alone. But the superior skill of the masseuse was also very noticeable, I could feel myself melting away into a relaxed state surprisingly quickly, and I found myself transported back to spa days I've spent in Europe.

A bright, airy, luxurious environment with highly skilled internationally trained stylists and therapists - what more could you possibly ask for? Even home visits can be arranged if you prefer!

Find out more about Rossano Ferretti Hairspa Abu Dhabi online.