100a 10th Street, Linden, Johannesburg, South Africa
The Fine Print
Some guidelines and frequently asked questions
Fill in your Client Record Card - The booking system will send you a short form that has all of our consultation questions ready to make the process smoother.
Arrive 10 minutes early and once your reach our purple metal gate, press the left intercom buzzer and we will open and close the security gate after you.
You'll find Hiraeth at the end of the panhandle driveway - Please drive into the open undercover garage, and come on in. We have complimentary WIFI, bathrooms and a courtyard to relax in before or after your session. You are always welcome to come have a refreshment in the studio before we start your session. We offer coffee and tea as well as soft and alcoholic beverages.
Book in advance - especially if you would like to book multiple treatments.
Hiraeth does operate on high occupancy and has many standing appointments permanently booked into the foreseeable future. Due to this you might struggle to find appointments at certain times (Especially weekday evenings, and Wednesday and Friday nights are notoriously busy).
Our booking system does have a waiting list system that you can add your requested treatment and times into, or you can Whatsapp us with the same information. Should someone reschedule, the system will automatically contact the next person on the waiting system. If there isn't anyone on the waiting system, anyone waiting on Whatsapp will be contacted next when there's a break in-between treatments.
The booking system is the quickest, most reliable way to ensure appointments, but Whatsapp allows us more customisation. We do not answer calls at all - our phones are always on silent so as not to disturb any treatments, but we will respond to your whatsapp's as soon as we reasonably can.
A salon/barbershop's biggest resource is time, and we take it very seriously. If you need to reschedule or cancel you can do it via the app, or send us a Whatsapp to let us know.
If you cancel on the day then you have to pay 50% of the value of your missed session before the next session can be booked.
If you are guilty of a No-Show, or if you cancel within an hour of your appointment, you will have to pay the full value of the treatment you missed before you can book another.
We fully understand busy lifestyles, and we don't need a reason for cancellation. We just need to know so that we can move the next waiting guest into that time slot. An empty slot means no income for us, and no income means we can't continue providing the services you love.
We've recently been asked by a couple of new guests what our average client looks like - and every salon lately is a 'bespoke experience for the distinguished, contemporary man.' So let's advertise our salon without the fancy buzzwords:
Firstly - Our average client:
Our average client is a local, between 20 and 50, with a comfortable career and a family. Most are ambitious, with a killer sense of humour, kindess, love of music and animals, and look incredible (thanks to us, obviously). Our guests tend to do more than one kind of service - one practical (think barbering or waxing), and one relaxing (massage, facials etc). They enjoy taking care of themselves and having an 'offline' hour where they can switch their phone off, breathe and forget about their daily stress. They appreciate reliability, comfort, and attention to detail.
Are you a distinguished gentleman? Seeking a scotch by the fireside with a lap blanket and Italian skincare? We can provide that. Are you a sporty bloke that just came from rugby and wants a beer while you catch a haircut and a choef? Sweet, pull in.
You're a woman that is tired of feeling like you're getting hit in the face by a perfumed, glittery powder puff each time you walk into a ladies salon for your facials? We have a relaxing space for you ( ... and we actually do have glitter, just in case you did like that part).
Our youngest guest just turned 10, our oldest late 80s. Our client base is 80% male, 20% female. We have a good population of LGBTQ+ guests.
Our Studio:
We have a gender-neutral studio that feels like home. There's no pretension, no crowds, no sales pitch while we try get our commission target. We don't care about content for social media, or expanding into a huge franchise. We are exactly where we want to be.
There are a million pink fluffy salons for ladies, and a million generic barbershops for men. We are neither. Our premises are a quaint, little hidden gem in Linden, where we encourage you to relax completely. We have a private courtyard, open plan lounge area with a games table, bar and coffee station, and WiFi. You never need to rush coming in or out. We also have showers in the treatment rooms; so that you can freshen up after a massage or wax if you want to head back to work (or if you want to take a dip in our pool).
We treat guests one at a time, with long session times so an overlap is rare - You are unlikely to see the next guest coming in or out.
We care about hygiene - which is also why our treatment times are longer. We need to change a lot of things in-between guests. We use single use where possible (think waxing sticks- absolutely no double-dipping), stored items for repeat sessions (your nail files after a manicure or pedicure are disinfected and kept in your storage container for your next session, so it's sanitary but not wasteful), and all metal implements are cleaned with barbicides/cavicides, put into UV and glass heat sterilising machines. We outsource our towel laundry to professionals.
Lastly - Our products:
We do retail the products we use during our treatments. We stock products for your face, body, and hair. We have both local and international - we prefer cruelty free, environmentally friendly brands.
We try to use a variety on you that suit your needs best, so that you get to test out a few. They are also in the showers, so you can try out the shampoos and body washes.
We never push a sale. If you need product, we will advise you, and let you test out options. We can always source items for you, and shop-assist according to a budget or specific requirements.
SO:
You choose the music.
You choose whether to chat or whether to chill.
You choose your experience - It's all about you.
We just want you to have a good time and walk out feeling good.
We are actually unisex, apart from hair services. We only work on one guest at any time in our treatment rooms, so your session is private, and we can perform all salon and aesthetic treatments for ladies. The only ladies treatment that we do not provide is Hairdressing.
Our private treatment rooms also allow us to perform treatments for ladies that need to unveil. Anyone in the trans community that would prefer privacy is also safe in our studio.
We do also provide couples treatments - please do reach out to us regarding these as they must be booked in advance.
We have recently moved into a new space, so it will take a little while to get it just the way we like it. Please be patient while we upgrade it from functional to homey again. (Also please don't huff the paint fumes, they aren't included in the haircuts).
We share a driveway with some awesome neighbours, so please refrain from parking people in, and respect the peace and quiet of the neighbourhood: meaning wait until you are inside to join us in noisy cackling. Let's be good people.
Arrive on time - if you arrive 12 minutes late we will reschedule the appointment.
We focus on relaxing treatments in a one-one-one setting. Please don't bring your whole action cricket team with, unless you arranged an event with them.
We do not perform happy endings, and if you do try your luck please bear in mind that our therapists have a sadistic streak and access to many sharp objects. We will charge you for the castration. Please seek out a specialist, there are many and they deserve to be supported. Our therapists, however, have other specialties.
Our therapists will always treat you with respect, and in turn will expect you to do the same. What you give is what you get - Bring good vibes, treat everyone in the studio nicely, and we will all have a good time. We will not hesitate to ban guests who are rude to any staff or other guests. You can ask to speak to the manager, but results may vary (AITA by peer review rules apply).
We do not perform any waxing or massage treatments without towels, so you will be covered at all times.
For massage you can keep your underwear on - and we wrap you up in towels and a blanket whilst only uncovering the section that we are focusing on.
For waxing we will need a little more exposure, and any area needing to be waxed has to be clothes free. You can keep your shirt on if we're doing legs for example, but we will still cover your legs with a towel. This applies to any section of the body. We're used to nudity, but we will never force you to feel uncomfortable in your own skin.
In winter we wrap you up like a burrito and keep you toasty with multiple towels, a big fluffy blanket, and an electric blanket in a heated room. We also have hot water bottles and bean bags for those icy feet.
Natural erections do occasionally occur during these treatments due to the hot oil/wax and cold air. We are used to this and ignore it - it doesn't affect our work. You do not need to feel uncomfortable and it passes quickly. We do not perform happy endings under any circumstances whatsoever.
This is a treatment we do not perform. No amount of cajoling, flattery, or bribery will change this answer.
Guys, we have tried. We have not found a method of doing this that doesn't nick the delicate skin. You're traumatised, I'm traumatised, there's blood - No. Just wax it
I will clipper every other hair on your body, but your genitals need to be clipped at home by yourself, or upgraded to silky smoothness with our hypoallergenic, vegan, gothic-black-badass wax. Once you get a wax from me you don't go back. Just trust me on this one.