Seven Secrets of Beauty & Wellbeing: Belle Cannan
Turn down a narrow pedestrian road by the side of Peter Jones in London’s Sloane Square and you’ll find the hair mecca that is Salon Sloane. It’s pretty tiny sizewise but its reputation for turning out gorgeous hair is pretty huge.
Founder Belle Cannan (above) used to go to Vidal Sassoon with her mother when she was about five or six; ‘I just used to love watching the stylists cut, and I remember thinking “I want to be a hairdresser when I grow up and to work at Vidal Sassoon”.’ And later on, that’s where Belle did indeed train and work for nine years. She remembers being ‘in such awe of Vidal himself …The biggest reward came much later when Vidal and his wife came to my salon’.
Most of the super-talented team at Salon Sloane have worked for Belle for over 15 years. Which is undoubtedly down in part to her philosophy of rewarding the people who work hard. ‘Over the years this has meant different things to different people; for some it’s a bonus, for other it’s time off, a holiday or even a new pair of scissors - the smallest gesture can be helpful in gaining loyalty.’
A single mother to Freya, now 17, Belle still rates Freya’s father as a ‘champion’ in her life. ‘He always believed in me and has been (and continues to be) a great sounding board for me in business. When times are tough he taught me “slow and steady wins the race”.’ And that’s a useful mantra to remember at the moment, we’d say.
1. Switch my brain to positive
The best wellbeing tip I’ve ever learnt is to tell myself how lucky I am and to stay positive. I’ve somehow found how to harness a positive thought and stay with it. It keeps me proactively pushing forward no matter how stressful and difficult life can feel. It’s amazing how quickly your brain can switch to a new or different mindset. It’s like a form of brain training.
2. Prioritise daily exercise
To me, beauty is very much linked to wellness. Whether it’s going to the gym, doing a Pilates, yoga or body conditioning class, I come out with a sense of calm but also firing on all cylinders with clarity of thought and better/quicker decision making, plus more energy to carry me through the day. If I don’t work out, I feel resentful that I’ve not done anything for myself so I tend to fit this in early in the morning because I always have such busy days talking to clients and my team. This ‘me time’ sets me up for the day in terms of how I look and feel. My worry lines are instantly replaced with a healthy glow. I make sure to moisturise face, body and hands alongside exercise – even more important as I’ve got older so my skin looks nourished, cared for and really glowy.
3. Control my sugar intake
I struggle with trying to do too much and end up getting overwhelmed. Then I don't eat enough breakfast or lunch and just grab something on the go - which means that, before I know it, I’ve turned into a sugar monster, craving chocolate.
If my diet is suffering, I have to make sure I get a green smoothie or some healthy porridge to fill me up for most of the day. I take Nature’s Plus Ultra Sugar Control supplements to help when sugar cravings are bad, and always eat healthily in the evenings. And I am that person who drinks plenty of still water through the day.
4. Bank sleep
I always make sure I’m at home two evenings a week when I can go to bed early and ‘bank some sleep’. And I need a holiday where I can relax properly, by the beach with a good book or by the mountains skiing - even though it takes it out of me with all the exercise, I somehow come back refreshed. You don’t think about work when you’re skiing down the mountain!
5. Embrace expert help
My biggest beauty concern is ageing, whether it’s my hair going grey (I don’t like seeing grey hairs on me even though it’s become fashionable since lockdown) or my skin losing elasticity. I have monthly facials and aesthetic treatments such as the skin booster Belotero Revive with the amazingly talented consultant dermatologist, Dr Alexis Granite who works at Skinesis [that’s facialist Sarah Chapman’s clinic just opposite Salon Sloane].
It’s not about overdoing it - I don’t wear a lot of makeup - it’s about good skin and keeping my hair naturally shiny (even though it’s coloured). That said, I am very comfortable with the wisdom that age has brought me. My own personal journey with how the passing years manifest outwardly has made me more empathetic to others sitting in the chair in front of me. I understand that banishing the greys not only gives clients more confidence but also means they don’t feel invisible. I am open about my beauty up-keep and happy to share what to take and who to see with others who might be feeling the fears I’ve faced.
6. Supplementary help
I take lots of ‘soft’ supplements – multivitamins, collagen, calcium and Viviscal hair supplements. My hair has become finer with age and I find the supplement Viviscal Professional really does help the hair growth and each strand becomes thicker.
7. Treat my hair like my skin
I love the Sisley Hair Ritual Nourishing Balm. It’s a pre-shampoo, which goes on dry hair and is so simple to use. As an intense treatment for the hair, it hydrates, restores and restructures the hair. I really believe in looking after my hair the way I look after my skin!
