Beyond finessing one’s appearance, a good beauty routine can be easily deemed an indulgent act of self-care. From mani-pedis and massages to facials and clinical therapies, a trip to the salon can be both rejuvenating and restorative. As Britain’s capital and affluent den, London is home to a treasure trove of luxury beauty salons led by some of the world’s most notable aestheticians and artists. Read on to discover the best beauty salons in London.
DryBy, Marylebone
DryBy is a luxe Marylebone salon noted for its nail art. The expansive space is fitted with communal marble tables, chrome fittings, copper-stemmed leather chairs, and seductively dim lights. A winding black staircase leads to the palatial haircare section.
DryBy is owned by the iconic beauty entrepreneur Krisztina Van der Boom, who has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Glamorous UK, Daily Mail, and The Times for her labour of love on Mortimer Street. Indeed, in the past few years, DryBy has become synonymous with elevated manicures, immaculate haircare, and a minted ambience.
DryBy even has a royal connection, as the salon Meghan Markle relied on for her rosy wedding mani-pedi, donning the shades “Unmasked” and “Negligee”.
Pfeffer Sal, Fitzrovia
Tucked away in the quaint cobblestoned alcove of Warren Mews, Pfeffer Sal is a skincare boutique dedicated to treating your skin with tender love and care.
Relying on both science and nature, Pfeffer Sal curates bespoke treatments with the philosophy of enhancing one’s inherent beauty without altering their natural features. Most importantly, clinical therapies are accompanied by restful massages.
Exposed brick, soaring windows, sparkling white studios, and divine house products make for quite the wellness escape. Signature facials, advanced treatments, and facial boosters are just some of the therapies on offer at this iconic Fitzrovia salon. Guests can also access educational blogs, skincare products, and at-home treatments to ensure that salon-fresh feeling remains.
Neville Hair and Beauty, Belgravia
Neville Hair and Beauty is Belgravia’s favourite neighbourhood salon that proudly views “beauty as a necessity.”
A typical Belgravian marvel, the salon is housed within a stunning Georgian structure with exposed brick, floor-to-ceiling windows, and understated furnishings. Established in the early 90s, Neville evolved into a five-storey salon that was responsible for revolutionising hair colour styles with several celebrated colourists, hairdressers, and beauticians on board.
While it is famous for its haircare, Neville offers quality mani-pedis, facials, and reflexology services. It also houses an avant-garde brow bar, perfectly rounding off its beauty package. The salon’s roster of clients includes celebrities, models, royals, and wealthy London locals. Model Yasmin Le Bon and singer Duncan James have been famously sighted at Neville’s relaunch party.
Blue Tit, Crouch Hill
Soaked in iridescent hues of blue, motifs of the blue jay, and intricate tilework, Blue Tit is a playful retreat in the clamour of north London.
With a laid-back ambience and welcoming team of hair experts, Blue Tit doesn’t take itself too seriously, instantly putting guests at ease. Celebrating one’s beauty and individuality is their motto –a promise they deliver with bespoke hair products and a sharp eye for style.
The salon’s offerings include styling, cutting, treatment, and colouring services, all of which have received positive acclaim by guests as well as critics. Blue Tit has been featured in The Review, TimeOut, Vogue Business, Grazia, and Harper’s Bazaar.
Kichi, Mayfair
Kichi specialises in pioneering facials by relying on scientific technology and natural ingredients. Established by celebrity aesthetician Natasha Clancy, this salon makes no secret about its powerful magic – active minerals, antioxidants, and cold-pressed seeds. Medicinal ingredients from Asia, such as the Ashwagandha plant from India and Tsubaki (Camellia oil) from Japan are key ingredients in Kichi’s products.
The gorgeous parlour offers an array of treatments, from microneedling and acne reversal to micro-channelling and wrinkle prevention. Kichi was the first salon in the United Kingdom to acquire the non-ablative lutronic LaseMD laser, which is used for a taut, poreless, and blemish-free appearance dubbed the “Baby Face.”
Kichi’s revolutionary skincare practice has been featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Grazia, Elle, The Evening Standard, Hello, and many other notable publications.
Harrods Hair & Beauty Salon, Knightsbridge
Harrods is synonymous with luxury, sophistication, and regality, and its beauty salon is a destination in its own right.
Harrods’ first ever salon was the “Hairdressing and Manicure Department,” which opened in 1894. It was a standalone structure located a few yards away from the Harrods building. The salon was recently made in-house, in what the director of beauty called a “quest to bring customers a world-class proposition that delivers expert hair and beauty experiences.” Unsurprisingly, they delivered.
Inspired by the original salon, Harrods Hair & Beauty is a baroque gem, complete with baby-pink walls, copper furniture, gold finishes, peach marble flooring and panels, cream stone counters, and handsome walnut-hued cabinetry. With state-of-the-art facilities such as a hair extension library, conditioning bar, eye zone, and backwash room, the Harrods salon embodies a harmony between 80s glam and advanced technology.
Ilapothecary, Kensington
Ilapothecary is an award-winning British beauty brand that has built a remarkable wellness legacy by borrowing the rudimentaries of herbology, naturopathy, phyto-actives, and homoeopathy. Their flagship store, in addition to an assortment of skincare products, presents a series of holistic health treatments.
Ilapothecary’s power lies in its ingredients, which comprise live stem cells, silk, gemstones, and rare aromatherapy oils. These natural remedies are leveraged to combat wellness traumas caused by modern woes, such as pollution, mental strains, burnout, and hormonal imbalances.
Some of Ilapothecary’s popular services include a “Supreme Silk Facial,” “Chakra-balancing massage,” bespoke facial acupunctures, and an “SOS Immune System Support” therapy.
Ilapothecary has captivated some of Hollywood’s glitterati –Demi Moore has been spotted at their Kensington store a few times.
Radiance London, Fitzrovia
The quaint pavements of Fitzrovia are peppered with independent establishments, from cafes to upscale boutiques. Radiance Salon is undoubtedly one of the most charming venues on Charlotte Place, with its powder pink facade and gilt signage.
The deceptively compact space houses a maze of treatment rooms festooned in florals that offer innovative facials, lash lifts, massages, and so on. Radiance takes pride in its unrivalled quality, having partnered with the likes of Dermalogica, Guinot, Dermapen, and AlumierMD.
The salon’s “Radiance London x Decléor Ultimate Glow” treatment has won over many of London’s beauty influencers, with the Evening Standard proclaiming it is guaranteed to “make you feel like a dewy goddess.”
There’s no better retreat from mundanity than a beauty day-out in London. From the stately grandeur of Harrods to the modern glamour of Marylebone’s DryBy, these are the best beauty salons in London.
