London

North
Cuts Too
Beauty therapist Maria is a whizz at doing a mini manicure while your hair’s being blow-dried at this friendly local. It should take about 45 minutes for both: £10 for the nails; from £22 for the hair.
208-209 Upper St, N1 (020 7359 5701) Highbury & Islington tube/rail. Open Mon-Fri 10am-6.30pm, Wed, Thur 10am-8pm, Sat 9.30am-5.30pm, Sun 11am-4pm.

Diamond Nail Salon
This nail salon offers excellent manicures at very reasonable prices. A full manicure takes just half an hour and costs £10; a French manicure taking the same time is £13 and a pedicure taking 40 minutes is £22.
6 Fleet Rd, NW3 (020 7424 9888) Belsize Park tube. Open Mon-Sat 10am-6.30pm, Sun 11am-4pm by appointment only.

Face It
Highgate locals can get a selection of speedy treatments at Face It. A facial using Environ products and taking 45 minutes costs £50, while a revarnish of your talons will set you back £12.
14-17 Highgate High St, N6 (020 8340 1770) Archway tube. Open Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat 9.30am-6pm, Wed, Thur 9.30am-8pm. Feature continues

The Hairdresser
This lovely neighbourhood salon, complete with kitchen table and cafetières, offers blow-dries in just 15 minutes (allow at least half an hour if you’ve got thick, long or curly hair). Haircuts take a bit longer as the staff don’t like to skimp on quality. Prices start at £20 for a blow-dry.70 Amwell St, EC1 (020 7713 0515/www.thehairdresser.info) Angel tube. Open Tue-Fri 10.30am-7pm, Sat 10am-6pm.

Holistic Hair & Beauty
BEST BARGAIN LOCAL
This sweet Highbury Corner salon uses natural hair products such as MOP and will do you a blow-dry in half an hour, provided you’ve got shortish hair and tell them you’re on a time limit. You can also get a half leg wax in 15-20 minutes (costing from £15) and a standard manicure taking 30-45 minutes costs from £18.
107a St Paul’s Rd, N1 (020 7354 1133) Highbury & Islington tube/rail. Open Mon-Fri 9.30am-7.15pm, Sat 10am-5.15pm, Sun 11am-4.15pm.

Klinik
A modern, neighbourhood salon in Exmouth market that has kept its prices low but quality high. A L’Oréal Power Dose treatment plus blow-dry is a very reasonable £27, taking 45 minutes (make that half an hour for a short bob) in total. Add a haircut to this package and it’s £46.
65 Exmouth Market, EC1 (020 7837 3771) Farringdon or King’s Cross tube/rail. Open Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm.

Mad Lillies Hair
Much-loved Hampstead salon Mad Lillies offers all the usual hair services, the quickest being an Instant Conditioning treatment that costs £5 and takes five minutes.
34 Heath St, NW3 (020 7435 3869/www.madlillies.co.uk) Hampstead tube. Open Mon-Wed, Fri 9am-7pm, Thur 9am-9pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm.

171
This bright and friendly local salon offers efficient hair and beauty treatments. A blow-dry will take as little as dhalf an hour for a bob and costs £17.50. A full leg wax costs £24 and takes just half an hour.
171 Upper St, N1 (020 7354 2266) Highbury & Islington tube/rail. Open Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm.

Toni & Guy Essensuals
In the quiet basement of this neighbourhood salon is a Magic Tan machine. Don’t worry about that ‘Friends’ episode where Ross keeps getting his front sprayed – the instructions are clear enough. Choose from levels one to five (for a really deep tan) and it’ll take just minutes. Cost £25.
15 Harben Parade, Finchley Rd, NW3 (020 7722 6111) Swiss Cottage tube. Open Mon-Fri 9.30am-7.30pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm.