Hair
PATRIZIA MANIAS
Milan brand Patrizia Manias has a shiny salon in Covent Garden and the space is molto elegante, we’re talking polished floors, orange leather chairs and a sleek black central unit with mirrors rising up from the middle. In fact if you were walking past and couldn’t see someone with foils in, you could easily mistake for it a gallery or high-end furniture store. These guys are known for innovative colouring techniques and super bouncy blow-dries. And, if it’s not just your hair that needs a little TLC Patrizia Manias can take care of your body too, as they offer a range of beauty services.
BOND
Bond is a boutique women’s-only salon that’s recently been listed as a finalist for the Most Wanted Awards’ ‘Best New Boutique Salon’. It’s tucked away on a quiet street just off Brick Lane – think loft apartment vibes with high ceilings, wood floor, exposed brick and orb lighting. The stylists are super friendly and really make an effort to give you a personalised service. Bond also has full length beds at the basins rather than just chairs so you don’t strain your neck so much, and you can properly relax during the head massage. It’s the perfect balance between a relaxed atmosphere and attentive, personal service, making it the kind of salon you just keep wanting to come back to.
BILLI CURRIE
We all know Chiltern Firehouse and Monocle Cafe, but one of Chiltern Street’s lesser known independent businesses is hair salon Billi Currie. And whilst it might not necessarily have the glitz and glam of Firehouse but what it lacks in plush sofas and champagne it makes up in talented hair stylists and experience, having been resident since 2007. The salon is spread over two floors with wash basins below and cutting chairs above. It offers a super efficient service, they use Evo products (which means they are sulphate-free and not tested on animals) and the whole team have quite the CVs.
THE LION & THE FOX
Yes it might sound like a local boozer but The Lion & The Fox is a creative hair salon that’s a cut above the rest. Founded by hair stylist Tim Pateman and photographer Leo Cackett, this industrial space features a cut and colouring floor, alongside an art and photography gallery. And whilst treating yourself to a new do, you can sip on Square Mile Coffee or even a glass of vino selected by Ruth Spivey. Trust us, you’ll want to make the most of every minute of your cut and colour appointment here.
DUCK & PLUCK
Get your brows and lashes done alongside your blow dry as the Mayfair branch of Duck & Dry has launched Duck & Pluck. The brow and lash bar offers a range of threading and tinting services, meaning you can get all multiple treatments under one roof rather than trekking across town to different salons. With its straw lamps, bright yellow chairs and stone bar, it’s as Insta-worthy as the rest of Duck & Dry – and don’t forget to take advantage of the prosecco bar either.
ADAM have eight barbers around London, with the latest opening up in Spitalfields (where Rola Wala used to be weirdly enough). ADAM successfully fuses the traditional Turkish barbers with some of the more hipster salons that have popped up in London in the last few years. The design is vert futuristic, almost nightclub-y, with lots of mirrors, lights and a thumping soundtrack. There’s beers, whisky, and Turkish coffee on offer so you’ll be well looked after before you’ve even had a hair snipped. There’s a big range of pro services on offer, from a traditional haircut which includes a consultation, wash, cut, dry, second wash, hot towel, friction scalp massage, dry, finish and style, to new grooming services such as facials & manicures. We even had the tiny hairs on our ears singed off with a flaming cotton wool bud – a new one on us! With reasonable prices and top service, ADAM is probably about the most fun you can have at the barbers.
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.
For the ultimate grooming experience, Ted’s Ultimate VIP experience is the one. You’re in Ted’s VIP lounge in the basement of Ted’s Grooming Room, Mayfair for this masterclass in Turkish barbering, which includes a hair cut, beard trim and cheeky neck rub. After you’ve got into the chair, you get offered the drinks list, which covers everything from bourbon to tea. Then the towels get flung over you and the barber whips into action with precision, flair and panache. Your eyebrows get trimmed, your skin is covered in black wax and sticks go up your nostrils and are left to set. Then the fire comes out. The traditional Turkish ear-flaming is over before you’ve time to check if you need to sign a waiver. The black wax is quickly and sharply removed (it’s relatively pain-free) and you do feel an immediate lift in your skin, and you also get to see what’s no longer up your nose. After an exfoliating scrub, an eye mask goes on and you’re left to relax before the wet shave kicks in. Finally, there’s a scalp, face, arm and shoulder massage followed by a hot towel. Go on, treat yourself to some VIP love at Ted’s.
PHILIP COLBERT | HUNT PAINTINGS
Unit London is presenting Philip Colbert’s largest solo show to date at the Saatchi Gallery. Described as ‘the godson of Andy Warhol’ Colbert works in a pop art style whilst referencing the digital age (spot the emojis and the instagram likes) and exploring the way we now consume information. The Hunt Paintings exhibition consists of 25 pieces, including large scale oil paintings, sculptures and a virtual reality experience.
Expect to feel luxuriously pampered at Taylor Taylor. The salons are dripping in gold with bronzed vintage mirrors and oversized chandeliers…there’s even a brass topped cocktail bar in the Portobello salon. They offer a range of hair services, from cut and colour to straightening and blowouts, and all services are priced based on how experienced of a stylist you prefer so you don’t have to spend loads on a new ‘do’.
DKUK is not your typical salon by any means – but don’t worry, they still know their hair. Architect Sam Jacobs turned this salon into a gallery, removing all mirrors and replacing them with artwork. The space still has mirrors, but they aren’t meant for checking yourself out. They act as an illusion to make the space seem a bit bigger – and a play on how we are (or aren’t) seen. Next time you’re in need of a tidy-up, give this place a go.
PALL MALL BARBERS
Pall Mall Barbers is one of the oldest barbershops in London, with a 121-year history. They offer a reliable range of gents barbershop services from cuts to beard trims and wet shaves. They also make their own products so you can continue the grooming at home. For traditional trims you can’t really argue with a shop that’s been around since 1896 can you?
Manicures, cocktails and virtual reality? Yes, WAH Nails isn’t any ol’ salon. Not only is it probably the coolest place to get your nails done in town, but also one that has thought about every little part of the experience – there are phone chargers in each station, built-in gel lamps, tv screen and wireless headphones. What more could you want?
Murdock keeps us in ship-shape condition pretty much all the time. The barber shop has an old-school vibe and won’t only sort your beard and barnet out, but also do full-on facial treatments with a good old scrub, hot towels, beard oil, moisturiser and cucumber eye cream – and it’s so worth treating yourself to one.
Buller and Rice is big on sustainability from the interiors to the eco-friendly Oway products. They keep things simple and if you’re new to colouring their balayage is perfect for a softer look. Each of the salons serve vino from local wine bars and at the Walthamstow one they have a product refill station too.
BLUE TIT
Blue Tit’s salons are all about the vintage décor and their friendly bunch of talented stylists. It’s a winning formula that’s gained them many fans (us included). Each spot has a different look and feel – Brixton is more industrial chic whereas Dalston is quirkier – but they still use all-natural Davines products and will give you a bangin’ cut.
You’ve got craft beer on tap, bi-monthly Cut Throat Comedy night that are free for all and top-notch acoustic sessions, all in the sleek and swanky interior inspired by a butcher’s shop. It’s a mix of contemporary style, traditional techniques with some of the top session stylists in the biz attending to your beards and barnets.
Run by the eccentric, multi award-winning barber Johnny BaBa, who started working in a barber shop when he was just 11. Barber Barber rock an old school approach that have both the gentleman and the scoundrel at heart. You can even find a secret man cave in their basement where you can enjoy a beverage or two.