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Beards and Barnets
Beards, barnets, bangs…whatever the size, shape or state of your hair and facial fluff, we recommend you visit one of these. LOTI’s guide to London’s best hair salons and barbers will show you where to go, so you can get the perfect haircut.
WHIP
7 Morning Ln, London E9 6ND
If you just catch a glance of WhiP as you walk past, you’d be forgiven for not realising it’s a hair salon straightaway. With a mix of second-hand furniture, plants, a set of decks and a stash of vinyl, it looks likes (a very cool) somebody’s lounge – it’s only the retro barber chairs that give it away. WhiP is an organic and eco-friendly boutique salon and they take the eco thing seriously, stocking vegan products from Evo and Oway, having refillable bottles for shampoos and only serving vegan bevvies.
Hershesons has a shiny flagship salon in Fitzrovia and it’s pretty mega. Not only does the 5000 sqft space look great thanks to patterned floors, a real mix of seating, plants, and (of course) lots of lights and mirrors, and the open-plan design makes it feel more like a social space than a hairdressers. A host of top beauty talent has been brought on board, so you can also get your nails done by DryBy, facials from Sunday Riley (their first treatment offering in the UK), light therapy from The Light Salon and brows done by Suman Brows. Hershesons is known for their attention to detail and it’s the same here – when you get a hair wash and scalp massage, the chairs you sit in are massage chairs so your whole body gets a good rolling over, and you sit wherever you want too so you don’t have to move around between cut and colour. They’re all about making you feel comfortable.
Gents of London, located on Amwell street between Angel and Farringdon, is one of our favourite barbers in London. Finding the right balance between price and a proper service, this isn’t the kind of place where you feel like your’e being rushed out to make way for the next guy waiting in line, but nor it is it an overpriced salon with unnecessary bells and whistles. It’s traditional and old school in style with a simple list of services that range from a beard trim to a total cut and restyle. The barbers are real pros and take time to understand what you’re after, so that you actually end up with what you asked for. We’ve always been more than happy with any cut we’ve had here and we also like their range of products and styling waxes. Highly recommended.
Paul Edmonds salon in Knightsbridge is certainly swish, but definitely not pretentious. Housed in a Georgian-inspired townhouse you can expect arm chairs and table top lamps, and a personal service. Tailoring all their treatments, it’s definitely not a one size fits all kinda place and perfect for a bit of pampering.
There’s no other way to describe George Northwood’s salon than cool. As well as offering expert cuts, they do colour treatments and blow dries. And with Alexa Chung as a regular you know it’s gotta be good..
Not Another Salon looks like an art gallery, but is the perfect place to get your hair dyed. Specialising in colour they use INNOluxe, a “magic serum” to create any colour you want. And with board games, crazy 80’s books and a Game Boy complete with Super Mario to keep you entertained, you definitely won’t be bored while you’re waiting.
It started in Scotland in 2012 and didn’t take long to open up in London in 2013 which picked them up Best Independent Newcomer at the British Hairdressing Business Awards, and Best New Salon and Best Designed Salon. Ruffians are super easy, it’s like hanging with your mates, they listen and have the skills to make you look boss. Haircuts, beard tidies or close shaves be assured that you are being well looked after.
Uber-trendy salon Bleach specialises in bold and bright dye jobs, so if you’re looking to take your hair to the next level Bleach should be at the top of your list.
If you’re after a DUCKING good blow dry, you’ll be blown away by Duck & Dry. All blow dry styles cost the same no matter what length your hair is and they even do a blow dry & trim combo if you want a total re-fresh. This place is prosecco fuelled and an instagram dream; perfect for a bit of pampering.
CLO&FLO
Chloe & Florence Bellas first launched Clo&Flo in South Kensington, a studio that combines their backgrounds in pilates and hairdressing, and now they’ve expanded to Borough with a second, very Instagrammable salon. It’s a space where you can get your hair done, have a manicure and work out in a pilates session all under one roof making it perfect for busy Londoners.
BLUSH + BLOW
Blush + Blow, founded by make-up artist and beauty blogger Bridget O’Keeffe, is Fulham’s one stop-shop for all things beauty. As well as offering blow dries, hair extensions and colouring, the salon does manicures, spray tans, facials, massages, waxing, microblading, IPL, eyelash extensions, make-up and aesthetic treatments so you can treat yourself from top to toe. You can even get piercings done here too.
RH LONDON
Ethical hair extension specialist Richy Hair is not only good at adding hair to your bonce, they now have their own townhouse in West London with a salon, meaning they can cut, treat and blow dry your locks even if you don’t need extra hair. Located in Chelsea on the super cute Walton Street, RH London certainly stands out from its neighbours with a huge floral display outside, which also doubles as the ideal insta op – just add a new head of hair and you’re influencing in the wild. And with a focus on slowing down and enjoying some ‘me’ time, the four-story townhouse has ample space for clients to relax after treatments.
THE BOHEMIANS
If you’re after the chop in Deptford, there’s one place you should head for and that’s The Bohemians. As the name suggests, it’s boho vibes all the way with lots of exposed brick, vintage and repurposed furnishings (in fact 80% of everything in the salon is recycled and their working towards making that 100% by looking at ways to recycle hair), and plenty of foliage. Inclusivity is also big for The Bohemians; they have gender-neutral pricing, so you’re paying based on the work and on the stylist’s time, and they’ve recently introduced the option to book a silent appointment for those who find it difficult to chat during haircuts or for those who just want some quiet time in the chair. They also use Oway colour at the salon, which offers 100% colour payoff and grey coverage whilst also being vegan, ammonia-free and made with biodynamic and organic ingredients
NEIL MOODIE STUDIO
Stylist Neil Moodie has been in the hair game for 35 years, during which time he’s created iconic looks for runway, red carpets and magazine covers. Now he’s opened his very first solo sustainable and inclusive studio on one side of Old Spitalfields Market. The two-floor space takes design inspo from the mid-century modern movement whilst also highlighting the character of the Grade II-listed building, so there’s exposed brick mixed in with lots of light wood, herringbone floors and dark blue tiling, with most of the materials being repurposed and upcycled (and all of those mag covers Neil has worked on are displayed on the walls downstairs too). The salon prides itself on offering a VIP level of service for every single client, whether you’re in for a wash or a full head of highlights, so you’re guaranteed to be well looked after. With gender neutral pricing, a commitment to sustainability (they use eco head taps, compostable hair towels, eco-friendly cleaning products and no single-use plastics or gloves amongst other measures), and top service, Neil Moodie Studio really does tick all the boxes.