Mark Jordan II

Well I didn’t think this place was too bad. For the readers sake I’d better make my expertise clear; I know very little about hairdressing and I’m a man. Still, I don’t think this should mean my opinion can’t be counted.
I’ve been told that Mark Jordan can get extremely busy during term-​time, with hundreds of students fighting for appointments. I went in August and it was completely empty, bar the one member of staff.
I was genuinely impressed, the hairdresser took longer over my hair than any one has… well… ever. Now, I don’t claim to be an expert but I can tell when a hairdresser knows what they’re doing.
For example; I once had a hairdresser take off only one side-​burn. Another time a hairdresser cut my ear. These hairdressers probably weren’t doing a great job. At Mark Jordan though, it was a good cut, it involved styling and all that jazz. This might all have been because I have dead simple hair to cut, and it couldn’t have looked worse than before, but I’ll give them my vote regardless.

Being bold and reckless souls, my best friend and I double-​dared each other to visit this salon and brave the £6 trims.
After being expressly ordered to hand our coats and bags over, we took adjacent seats next to the magazines and nervously waited to be called up.
My friend went first, and went for a casual short-​do with a sharp fringe. I smiled and wished her luck, before returned to my magazine to contemplate whether I wanted an everyday look like my ultimate girl-​crush Alexa Chung, or something a little neater like Cameron Diaz.
Before I could make this life-​changing decision, my friend returned to me with an uneven fringe and an awkward lop-​sided smile. Chung and Diaz vanished, being replaced by a diplomatic and tactful sales assistant.
‘Have one more look at in the mirror’, I said to my friend. The stylist came over, calling my name. She didn’t look too pleased my my hesitation. It was time for desperate measures.
‘Do you think that, perhaps, maybe, it could be argued that this cut might be a little, er, maybe it’s just the angle I’m at but…
THIS GIRL’S FRIEND THINKS I DID HER HAIR WONKY’, bellowed our subtle stylist across the room, making my cheeks as red as my friend’s bob.
At this point, I abandoned all subtly and grabbed by coat back before I had to complete my side of the dare. Becca, if you ever challenge me to rope-​swing across the Grand Canyon, ride a tiger or duet with Lady Gaga I owe you that. I’m just grateful my fringe is straight.
URBAN CHALLENGE: Let your friend go second

This is a very handy hairdressers for students based on the ground floor of Cardiff student’s union. It’s your standard hairdresser, apart from the prices are much, much lower than others, but only for students I’m afraid. If you can’t flash them your NUS card then you have to pay the normal price.
I had a wash, cut and dry and was ever slightly fearful that the prices were all lies and I was going to be hit with some hidden costs as it seemed too good to be true, but alas, there was no need to fear, but hastily tipped her £2, to keep her sweet just in case.
They did a good job, but they did nearly melt my scalp off with the hairdryer, whilst burning every inch of life out of my hair with the straighteners, I hate that, but doesn’t seem to be limited to just this hairdresser, from my experience.
Overall, an excellent place to go to if you are a student and fancy a spontaneous hair do, they rarely seem that busy.

What a complete difference to the last time that I came here!
I have a wonderful hairdresser now. Jess at Vanilla Rooms is a wonderful human being who I completely trust with my hair — that’s a step forward for me.
Well, I went to get my fringe trimmed at Vanilla Rooms but it was shut (because they had an extra day off after the Bank Holiday) so I went over to Mark Jordan in the union.
My friend went ahead of me. Now, we have basically the same hairstyle. So I simply said ‘Could you please do my fringe exactly the same as her’s?’ That seems easy enough to me.
But it was completely butchered. And fringes are quite obvious… right in the middle of your forehead… She said ‘Oooh, is that alright?‘
No, no, it is not. Please fix it.
‘Is that better?‘
No. I’m running back to Jess.