London

West
Elemis SpaPod at Harvey Nichols
Small but beautiful, the Pod is perfect for a lunch-hour pamper. The new tri-enzyme resurfacing power booster facial doesn’t take much longer to have than to say: just 30 minutes. You’ll leave with a radiant complexion for £45.
109-125 Knightsbridge, SW1 (020 7235 5000) Knightsbridge tube. Open Mon, Tue, Sat 10am-7pm, Wed-Fri 10am-8pm, Sun 12noon-6pm.

New York Nail Company
Fast and good value, NYNC offers a 30-minute basic manicure that includes a quick consultation for £20. If you’re just after a ‘shape and paint’, you’re looking at 20 minutes and it’ll make your wallet just £14 lighter. Threading is also great value here if you’re feeling a bit fuzzy: the upper lip takes just ten minutes and costs £10.
7 Kensington Church St, W8 (020 7376 9376/www.newyorknailcompany.com) High St Kensington tube. Open Mon, Sat 10am-7pm, Tue-Fri 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Feature continues

Otylia Roberts Beauty Centre
Downstairs from the Greenhouse salon, Otylia Roberts is famous for her quick, painless (well…) waxes. Get a Brazilian for £49 in just half an hour. A full leg wax costs £52 and takes 45 minutes, while a half leg is £34 and takes 30 minutes.
142 Wigmore St, W1 (020 7486 5537/www.otyliaroberts.co.uk) Bond St tube. Open Mon 10am-6pm, Tue-Thur 10am-7pm, Fri 10am-5.30pm,
Sat 9.30am-4.30pm.

HQ Hair & Beauty Store
Not just products but lots of speedy treatments here too. A Hollywood wax (that’s the lot off, girls) is £45 and takes 30 minutes while a Fake Bake spray tan (done by a therapist for best results, not in a booth) takes 20 minutes and costs £35 the first time and £20 for a top-up a week later.
2 New Burlington St, W1 (0871 220 4141) Oxford Circus tube. Open Mon, Sat 10am-6pm, Tue, Wed 10am-7pm, Thur, Fri 10am-8pm.

Richard Ward Metrospa
The glamour pusses of SW3 are always popping into this huge, high-spec salon for a quick wash and dry of their tresses. The Superfast blow-dry is one of the best and quickest in town: it costs £45 and you’ll be out well within half an hour.
82 Duke of York Square, SW3 (020 7730 1222/www.richardward.co.uk) Sloane Square tube. Open Mon-Sat 9am-7pm.

Stannard & Slingsby
This mid-range salon does a Wella hair treatment for £12.50 that will take a mere 20 minutes. Of course the blow-dry (from £36.50) will add on another 20-30 minutes, but this is still speedy (and cheap for Kensington).211-213 Kensington High St, W8
(020 7937 0333/www.stannardandslingsby.com) High St Kensington tube. Open Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Thur 10.30am-6.30pm, Sat 9am-5pm.