A little primping and preening every now and again is needed to combat the stress and pollution of city living, but regular facials, manicures and hair treatments can be tough on your bank balance.
Luckily if you know where to go, there are plenty of affordable London beauty salons and spas that offer luxury treatments at accessible prices.
1. The London School of Beauty and Makeup Salon & Spa
This working beauty salon is part of the London School of Beauty and provides a training ground for students to perfect their skills in manicures, facials and waxing.
An experienced tutor supervises all treatments and bargains include the £8 manicure and £22 deep cleansing facial. The salon is open 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday and booking is recommended.
18-19 Long Lane, London EC1A 9PL
beauty-school.co.uk
020 7776 9767
2. The Beautiful Nails Studio
This cheap and cheerful nail salon is run by a Vietnamese couple with a team of dedicated staff and often has queues out of the door.
A manicure costs £15 and full set of acrylics with airbrush is £28. Open from 9.30am Monday to Friday and 10am Saturday until 10pm.
28 Tottenham Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1T 4RH
thebeautifulnailsstudio.co.uk
3. Cucumba
This Soho beauty salon specializes in speedy “pit stop” beauty treatments that you can squeeze in during your lunch break or when you’re short of time, with a mini massage, manicure or eyebrow wax costing £9.50 for a ten-minute treatment.
Not in a rush? Longer treatments are also available including crystal pedicure, Dermalogica facial and deluxe full-face makeup. Cucumba is open from 10am to 8pm Monday to Friday and closes an hour earlier on Saturdays.
12 Poland Street, London, W1F 8QB
cucumba.co.uk
4. Oki-Doki Nail Bar
The Oki-Doki Nail Bar at Canary Wharf offers various treatments for less than £15 including deluxe manicure and a hot oil foot or hand treatment with mini massage.
The salon is open seven days a week from 10am to 7pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm on Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sunday.
1 Pepper Street, Canary Wharf, London, E14 9RB
oki-dokinails.co.uk
5. Casablanca Spa
Casa Spa on Edgware Road offers an authentic Arabian Hammam experience inside a beautifully tiled cavern-like spa.
The Hammam steam treatment and scrub is a recommended experience here and good value at £49, but if you’re on a tighter budget, you can still enjoy a nail file and polish for £15 or an eyebrow tint for £10. Open 11am to 7pm Monday to Sunday (closed on Tuesdays).
439 Edgware Road, London W2 1TH
casaspa.co.uk
6. Beauty by Rachel
Rachel McGregor is a mobile beauty therapist specializing in waxing and nails, who will visit you at your home, provided it’s in the service area of Essex and East London.
A lip or eyebrow wax with Rachel is only £5 and bio sculpture gel nails cost £25 a set.
beautyeastlondon.com
07985-312-987
7. The Witches Hut
The Witches Hut salon in Clapham has rave reviews and offers blow-dries for £25 and a protein and moisture treatment for only £10. While at some salons you’ll have to compromise on atmosphere for a cheaper rate, not so at Witches Hut – the trendy salon even includes a bar so you can enjoy a drink of your choice while your hair is styled.
Open 9am to 9pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 8pm Friday, 9am to 6pm Saturday and 10am to 5pm Sunday.
13 The Pavement, Clapham Common, London SW4 OHY
witcheshut.com
020 7720 3666
8. Hair by Fairy
This Covent Garden destination offers hair cuts, manicures, massages and beauty treatments at tiny prices for such a central location. Blow-dries and manicures start from £15 or you can enjoy a 30-minute Indian head massage for £30.
The salon opens at 10am and closes at 6pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, 7pm Thursday and Friday, and 5pm on Sunday. Booking is required for beauty and nail treatments.
8-10 Neal’s Yard, London WC2H 9DP
hairbyfairy.co.uk
020 7240 6888
9. Nipa
This salon specializes in facial hair threading and is definitely a no-frills experience, but at only £3 for eyebrow threading and £2 for upper lip, you won’t complain.
Open from 10am to 7pm, seven days a week.
274 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 0AG
nipasbeauty.co.uk
10. Emma for Beauty
This beauty salon in Bethnal Green specializes in waxing and has very reasonable prices. Strip waxing starts from just £5 and a 30-minute Dermalogica facial is £30.
345 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 6LG
emmaforbeauty.co.uk
0207 6135 661
