Is It a Garden? Is It a Plant Shop? No, It's a Salon In Singapore

Picture this: You’re in Singapore—maybe for business, maybe for leisure (to watch a certain concert, perhaps? 😉), maybe for “bleisure,” which is a mix of both—and you’re looking for a place to pamper yourself. Consider it a well-deserved treat after a hard day’s work or if you’re a tourist, the countless steps you’ve taken going around the city (not to mention, its hot and humid climate that can wear you down). If this is you and you have no idea where to go for a pampering sesh, we’ll let you in on a little secret: Parlon Singapore.

Parlon Singapore was launched by the Philippine-based Parlon team at e27’s ECHELON Asia Summit 2023 in June 2023. ICYDK, Parlon Philippines is a technology platform with the widest local network of beauty and wellness centers. It allows customers to easily discover, book, and buy many services for a fraction of the cost. Parlon Singapore is still in its early stages, but that’s the same pathway it’s treading on. Already, it functions as a directory with over 70 beauty and wellness centers in Singapore where, if you go to a page of a certain establishment, you can check out their service menu, find their contact details, and browse through photos of their place and how they service clients.

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I was fortunate enough to be with the Parlon team in Singapore for the ECHELON conference and of course, we couldn’t let the trip pass by without going to one of the establishments listed on Parlon Singapore. Orchard Road was near our place and as the country’s top lifestyle district, I knew that I could easily find a salon in the area through the website.

True enough, there was nVisually Academy. Before booking my appointment, I was able to go through their service menu, pick a service that I would ask them to do, and have a rough idea of how much that would cost me. I got to secure a spot quickly, too, after reaching out to them using the contact details found on their Parlon page.

So, at the top of a sunny Friday morning, I headed to nVisually Academy for a root retouch with one of their stylists. Their selection of stylists varies on the level of expertise (Graduate, Junior Stylist, Stylist, and Senior Stylist), especially since, more than a salon, they are actually a hair academy that aims “to be THE hair academy that provides the most professional, industry relevant and holistic training experience possible.” Also, nVisually Academy is a partner of Walking on Sunshine and Bada Hair, both of which are also on Parlon Singapore.

When I got to Orchard Central where they’re located, I immediately felt as if I was transported to a botanical garden, which was a contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city outside. Their place was filled with lush greenery that gave it an inviting, airy atmosphere. It wasn’t long before my stylist called me to get started. When I said that I was there for a root retouch, he did a quick assessment of my hair and was transparent enough to let me know that the color of my hair, once done with the retouch, would be uneven because of the balayage that I already got a couple of months ago.

With the assessment out of the way, he proceeded to color my roots pretty much the same way that we’ve been used to in the Philippines. If anything, they were methodical and thorough in their process, applying color hair section by hair section. They let that sit for almost an hour before they called me to wash and shampoo my hair. Here comes the fun (and my favorite) part.

Personally, whenever I get my hair done, it’s always the shampoo part that I’m looking forward to the most. At nVisually Academy, they went above and beyond my expectations. As with the coloring part, they were thorough in washing my hair and even went through at least two rounds (two!) of applying shampoo and conditioner. Coupled with a light head massage, I was absolutely in heaven and could honestly fall asleep while they were doing that.

The last part, of course, was the blowdry (they use Dyson, by the way), which, again, they were very thorough with. I didn’t feel rushed at all and that just told me that they really take each client seriously, making sure that they meticulously give the best form of service possible. When it came to the payment, I already knew how much I would be charged (thanks to Parlon Singapore!) and with tax, my total was SGD64.80. FYI, they accept payment via cash and PayNow, which is their version of online transfer.

Overall, my experience with nVisually Academy was 10/10 in a heartbeat. I was sold the moment I saw their warm, pretty interiors and when I got to experience their services, they definitely, undoubtedly won me over. If you’re looking for a quick escape from the busy city, head over to Orchard Central and make a beeline for this salon—you won’t regret it, I promise!

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