London’s beauty scene just got a whole lot more exciting, thanks to a fresh crop of newly-opened hair and beauty salons offering pioneering treatments and green credentials. From collagen-boosting LED light therapy to non-toxic, vegan manicures and brilliant blow-dries to customised facials, the capital’s latest launches have got all the bases covered. Here, we’ve rounded up the best new beauty salons in London to book your next appointment.
The New Beauty Salons in London
Over the past three decades, trailblazing hair brand Hershesons has prided itself on shaking up the industry. Not just with its innovative products, but also its unique spin on the traditional salon, creating “rule-breaking” spaces where you can indulge in some brilliant beauty treatments before or after you have your hair cut or blow-dried.
Their new standalone flagship in Belgravia is no exception; the design, courtesy of creative studios GP and Riad & Partner, is slick. Think marble-topped styling and colour stations, ultra-complimentary lighting and chic bathrooms complete with selfie lights. The space is also home to some of the best beauty and wellness names in the business, including cosmetic acupuncturist Sarah Bradden, Brows by Suman, and Dryby Nails.
This new salon in Islington has kept things delightfully simple with just three options – facials, nails and waxing. But while the treatment menu may be pared back, it’s been curated by founder and former beauty PR Mimi Gaston-Kennedy to make you feel your best as conveniently as possible, with all your beauty maintenance under one roof, and is perfectly executed by an experienced team of technicians.
The chic space is a serene sanctuary of pale pinks and forest greens set across three floors, with areas specifically dedicated to each treatment type. Manicures and pedicures take place in the naturally lit basement, using non-toxic, vegan brands, while two private rooms have been set aside specifically for waxing by specialist therapists.
The customised facials are done in chairs on the ground floor, using beauty-editor favourite cosmeceutical brand Medik8, alongside add-ons including diamond-tip microdermabrasion, LED light therapy, and oxygen blast technology, to name a few.
The Light Salon has expanded its ever-growing empire across the UK and US, with the opening of its latest skincare and wellbeing destination at Selfridges Oxford Street. The expert-led brand is the go-to for LED light therapy, which harnesses the power of red and near-infrared wavelengths to stimulate the skin’s cells and boost collagen production, helping to reduce fine lines, improve skin tone and give a healthy, hydrated glow – as well as working on skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis – all while you sit in an ultra-comfortable chair and bask under a warm light.
Benefits are more than skin deep, with the non-invasive treatments improving blood circulation to give temporary relief to stiffness and pain, and encouraging muscle relaxation. Often referred to as ‘happy lamps’, they can also have a dramatic impact on your mood. Treatments include bespoke offerings, tailored to specific skin concerns, as well as a variety of microneedling and full-body options such as Pressotherapy, a deeply satisfying detoxifying lymphatic massage and LED treatment on the body.
A full-service salon in central London that is fully committed to responsible beauty, Snail & Hare in Soho offers a consciously curated menu covering manicures and pedicures, blow dries, facials, aromatherapy massage, threading, waxing and more – providing certain treatments simultaneously for those pressed for time.
Founder Aya Alieva has sourced only eco-conscious, organic brands, including Italian hair care range Oway, which is based around zero-mile biodynamic extracts, hydrolates and pure essential oils; CO2-neutral skincare brand Skin Regimen; and for nails, Gel Bottle Inc and Nailberry polishes, which are non-toxic, vegan and cruelty-free.
This sustainable ethos runs further throughout the salon’s outfitting; furniture is refurbished and reconditioned, and the innovative water-filtration system EcoHeads has been implemented to not only reduce water waste, but also remove the dirt, chlorine and rust often found in urban H2O, leaving hair softer and your blowout lasting longer.
A visit to a Samantha Cusick London hair salon has always felt like hanging out at the home of one of your closest girlfriends, and that’s even more evident in their new Fitzrovia site. Situated on Rathbone Square, just off Oxford Street, the emphasis here is on fun and the kitsch, from the eye-catching palm print wallpaper and neon quotes on the wall to their candy floss-filled Mermaid Martinis.
But don’t be fooled into thinking they’re not serious about hair – colour expertise remains at the heart of what they do, which has made them one of the capital’s go-to destinations for balayage, colour melts, ecaille and their signature SCL beach wave.
Their Fitzrovia salon builds on the success of the Notting Hill site and features their first designated ‘Colour Bar’, designed to showcase the in-depth level of customisation that goes into formulating every client’s colour.
