Is it crazy that an American girl would go all the way to Lisbon for a hair appointment? Hell no,…read morewhen the appointment is at Facto! In full disclosure, I was already in Europe, but I had plenty of other cities and salons to choose from. I did some online research, discovered Facto, and my gut told me it was the right place for me. Was I ever right, and you can bet I'm going back. I'm already planning my return to Europe with a first stop in Lisbon for another fabulous Facto day!
The atmosphere at Facto is ELECTRIC, with owner Antony Millard leading the charge. An absolute gem of a guy--a heart of gold in the guise of a rocker. One of the most touching things to me was seeing Antony's caring, charismatic interactions with all his staff, and how they all engaged with each other. They're obviously friends, but even more so--they're a Facto family.
And as for Ana, my stylist, where to begin? She's pure genius with color, treatment, cut, and style. I went in with badly dried-out hair from a summer of sea swimming, the remnants of a previous botched color job, and a photo of the new style I wanted. Ana delivered all that I wanted and more. We talked about what to do, and it became immediately obvious that she knew how to handle my mess. "I trust you," I said. "Do whatever you want." She painstakingly colored my hair, applied a deep condition/repair treatment (Liquid Hair), cut it brilliantly, and styled it in a way I'm actually able to repeat. During the whole process, she took time to show the up and coming stylists in the salon the various techniques she used. That's pure Facto--everyone pitching in , helping out, and learning from one another.
I couldn't be happier with my hair. It's fresh and new, and yet it also feels more like me than ever before. While I was in the chair (because I spent a good 5 hours there!), I watched several clients come and go. Each person left looking like they felt like the most beautiful person on earth, and the most beautiful version of themselves. And that's exactly how I felt when it was finally time for me to go. Thank you, Facto, and especially Ana and Antony, for the experience! I can't wait to return!
