When I was working full-time, a good facial, some pretty work clothes and a new hairdo were mandatory items on my to-do list before I started a new year at work. As a stay home mum, these things are luxury.

Just so you know, I haven’t had a haircut in a year. 

No money anyway, no time anyway, nobody’s gonna be looking anyway. It’s sad, but I tell you it’s really easy for a mom consumed by motherhood to think this way all the time.

Turns out God was more interested in the way I looked than I was about myself. Before the year ended, I was invited by Salon Vim by Chez Vous to review their services and try out anything I wanted.

Say what? Try anything I want? All I need is a haircut! Somebody trim those split ends please!

So I excused myself from mom duties last evening, headed down to 313@Somerset, plonked myself on the Salon Vim chair and told them that it’s been a year. A good long year. The good folks at the salon fussed over me, made sure I was comfortable and listened attentively to my complaining and requests: I need hair easy to maintain – I hate my flat hair – I only have 10 minutes to shower on most days – Please don’t cut it too short I don’t want to shock the kids – blah blah blah…

And then the stylists decided. They would give me a hair makeover which would still be easy to maintain and rid the flatness in my hair. I wouldn’t need more than 10 minutes in the shower and I would return home to wow the kids, not shock them, they promised.

So I got a hair cut, a L’oreal X-tenso soft perm and the latest hair colour trend known as Sombré, a technique that allows for a softer, more natural diffusion of colours fading gradually from top to bottom (I had my base in warm brown and the highlights in very light iridescent golden brown.) All these while sipping a nice warm drink, chitchatting with friendly people that came to work on my hair and flipping pages of the latest fashion mags, something which I haven’t done for a long time.

Talk about pampering your tresses. Last night was my night!

I’m very impressed by the professionalism displayed by the folks at Salon Vim by Chez Vous and their energy, drive and excellent service. The senior stylist that attended to me was meticulous, attentive and extremely knowledgeable. He would explain to me what he was doing, how I could take better care of my hair and accommodate my every request. It was past 9 pm when the colouring was done and it was time for everyone to go home but he – Ymond, that’s his name if you need a referral – wanted to take the pampering further still, and asked if I would like to stay for a 40-minute hair treatment!

I couldn’t wait to get home to the kids and so that hair treatment would have to wait for another time. Till then, I had myself a wonderful evening styled and pampered by the most professional of people, so thank you Salon Vim by Chez Vous for the new look and for making over this mother who would otherwise continue to look frumpy in 2014!

And just for Motherkao readers! Here’s a discount code for you:

If you’re looking to un-frumpify yourself (did I just coin a new word again? hurhur) with a hair cut / new look / some Sombré highlights or simply want some me-time to be pampered, Salon Vim by Chez Vous is taking 10% off your bill for any hair services with them when you quote <Motherkao blog>. Limited to first time Salon Vim customers only.

Salon Vim by Chez Vous is at 313@Somerset and you can call +65 6884 7757 | +65 6884 776 for any appointment. Connect with Salon Vim on their Facebook Page to see their latest creations and styles and get inspired. Hey, just in time for the Lunar New Year too!

Disclosure: I was invited to Salon Vim to try out their services for the purposes of this review. No monetary compensation was received for this post and opinions here are my own, but I sure was spoiled silly for four hours with all that stuff that was done to make over my tresses. That, plus I also got to take home some L’oreal products to care for my hair and a brand new look!