The Sample Room

About The Sample Room

The Sample Room is a boutique hair salon housed within a historic brick building near the clock tower in Cambridge's town centre. Led by salon director Lisa and an experienced team of creative stylists, the salon brings together precision cutting, contemporary colouring techniques, and attentive hospitality in an upbeat, welcoming environment.

Taking its name from its former role as part of the old National Hotel where traveling salesmen once displayed their wares, the salon blends historic charm with modern haircare. The team specialises in blondes, balayage, global colour, and precision restyles, partnering with professional haircare brands and using ammonia-free, PPD-free colour systems to ensure hair health and integrity are never compromised. Every visit is designed to feel like an uplifting occasion, complete with a signature refreshments menu on arrival.

Inside The Sample Room: Cambridge's Heritage-Steeped Hair Haven

Located in the charming town centre of Cambridge near the landmark clock tower, The Sample Room offers a welcoming, luxurious escape where top-tier hairdressing meets warm hospitality. Housed inside a handsome historic brick structure that once formed part of the old National Hotel, the salon carries a rich sense of place. A century ago, traveling salesmen utilized dedicated hotel display spaces known as sample rooms to showcase their wares. Today, looking up reveals the original "SAMPLE ROOMS" inscription preserved above the doorway—a nod to the past that anchors the salon's distinct character.

Founded on the idea that every hair appointment should feel like an uplifting occasion, the salon pairs a lively, upbeat atmosphere with serious technical craft. From the moment guests arrive and select their favorite drink from the signature refreshments menu, the focus is entirely on attentive, personalized care. The team believes that great hair should be easy, simple, and fun, taking time during every consultation to tailor styles to each individual's lifestyle, hair texture, and daily routine.

Custom Colour and Signature Blondes

The Sample Room has built a formidable reputation across the Waikato region for its exceptional blonde work. Whether clients seek clean, icy platinum shades or soft, lived-in tones of caramel, butter, and toffee, the stylists deliver refined dimension while prioritizing hair strength and health. As proud users of O&M colour—an ammonia-free and PPD-free line—the salon delivers gentle, high-performance colouring without compromising hair integrity.

Beyond blondes, the team excels in rich brunettes, vibrant copper tones, seamless balayage, and precision cutting. For clients seeking low-maintenance beauty, the salon’s Petite Collection offers express options like the Face Frame Refresh and Gloss & Blow, allowing guests to maintain brightness and glossy shine without spending an entire afternoon in the chair.

Advanced Smoothing and Nourishing Care

To restore strength and manageability to unruly or frizz-prone hair, The Sample Room offers Nano Kare Brazilian Nanoplasty. Formulated without formaldehyde, this vegan smoothing system gently relaxes curls and controls volume even in humid weather, creating long-lasting softness and radiant shine that lasts up to six months. Supported by deep conditioning additions like Fusio and Metal Detox treatments, clients leave with renewed hair and an effortless bounce.

Signature items

• Blonde Work & Balayage
• Nano Kare Brazilian Smoothing
• Face Frame Refresh
• Women's Cut & Iron Waves
• Gloss & Blow

Menu

Cuts

• Women’s Long Cut (Below Collarbone) — Precision haircut for hair past the collarbone, includes blow-dry/finish with optional iron waves.
• Women’s Short Cut — Tailored haircut for shorter styles, includes blow-dry/finish with optional iron waves.
• Teen Girl’s Cut (13-17 Years) — Haircut tailored for teenagers aged 13 to 17.
• Pre-Teen Girl’s Cut (Under 13 Years) — Haircut service designed for children under 13.
• Men’s Haircut — Classic or contemporary precision cut tailored for men.
• Teen Boy’s Cut (13-17 Years) — Haircut styling tailored for teenage boys aged 13 to 17.
• Pre-Teen Boy’s Cut (Under 13 Years) — Gentle, stylish haircut for boys under 13.

Colour

• Half Head Foils — Foil highlights across half the head to add brightness and dimension.
• Full Head Foils Above Shoulder — Full head foil application tailored for shorter to medium hair lengths above the shoulder.
• Full Head Foils Below Shoulder — Comprehensive full head foil application designed for longer hair past the shoulder.
• Bleach & Tone (Root to End) — All-over lightening and toning service from roots right through to the ends.
• Bleach & Tone (Root Re-Touch) — Targeted lightening and toning application for maintenance of root regrowth.
• Global Colour — Full all-over colour application creating rich brunettes, warm reds, or vibrant tones.
• Roots Re-Touch — Regrowth touch-up to maintain and refresh existing global colour.
• Balayage Above Shoulder — Custom hand-painted balayage lightening tailored for hair above the shoulder.
• Balayage Below Shoulder — Bespoke hand-painted balayage colour service for hair extending past the shoulder.

Treatments

• Fusio Treatment — Targeted salon add-on conditioning treatment to nourish and enhance hair texture.
• Stand Alone Toner — Toning service to refresh, balance, or adjust colour tone between appointments.
• Metal Detox Treatment — In-salon detoxifying treatment that clears mineral and metal build-up in hair fibres.
• Excellence Treatment (Nano Kare Brazilian Smoothing) — Vegan nanoplasty smoothing treatment relaxing curls, eliminating frizz, and lasting up to 6 months.
• Express Treatment (Nano Kare Brazilian Smoothing) — Formaldehyde-free smoothing service eliminating frizz and controlling volume for up to 3 months.
• Aura Beauty Treatment — Quick flash hydration treatment that tames frizz and adds silky shine for around 3 weeks.

Petite Collection

• Root Refresh — Quick in-between root colour tidy focusing on hairline and partline roots, with express blow dry.
• Gloss & Blow — No foils, designed to add shine, richness, or brighten dull faded ends, with express blow dry.
• Face Frame Refresh — Brightness around the face between appointments with foils along hairline and partline, toner, and express blow dry.
• Lived-In Foil Balayage Refresh — Regrowth blending with soft foils to stretch out full colour appointments, toner, and express blow dry.
• Shot Shine Treatment Intense Masque — Five-minute intense masque add-on delivering deep moisture and shine.

Frequently asked questions

Where is The Sample Room located?

The salon is located at 8 Lake Street in the centre of Cambridge, near the historic clock tower.

Do I need to wash my hair before a colour appointment?

The salon requests that your hair be freshly shampooed up to 48 hours prior to your scheduled colour service.

What kind of hair colour products does the salon use?

The Sample Room uses O&M professional hair colour, which is free of ammonia and PPD.

Is the Nano Kare Brazilian treatment a chemical straightening service?

No, the Nano Kare Brazilian treatment is a vegan hydrating, smoothing, and relaxing alternative that eliminates frizz and controls volume, rather than a permanent chemical straightening service.

How do I book an appointment?

Appointments can be booked online via their Kitomba booking portal, or by contacting the salon directly by phone or email.

What is the Petite Collection?

The Petite Collection features time-friendly and lower-maintenance refresh services—such as Root Refreshes, Face Frame foil packages, and Gloss & Blow sessions—designed for clients looking for a quick turnaround.

Tips

• {"body":"When arriving at 8 Lake Street, look above the entrance doorway to spot the historic 'SAMPLE ROOMS' inscription from the old National Hotel.","title":"Look for the Historic Inscription"}
• {"body":"Settle in at your chair and ask about the salon's signature welcome drinks menu while having your consultation.","title":"Try the Refreshments Menu"}
• {"body":"Ensure you have washed your hair within 48 hours before arriving for any foil, balayage, or global colour appointment.","title":"Prep Your Hair for Colour"}