London’s best hairdressers

Best for
On demand blow-dries

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Covent Garden

This hair bar opened on a cosy Islington backstreet in 2010, and although that north London branch is closed, there are now beauty bars in Covent Garden and Oxford Street's Debenhams. The young, stylish team offer various different blow-dry styles from £29. Open from 7am till late, simply book online, swing by, and book you’ll be prepped for a night out in no time.

Best for
Natural goodness

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Holborn

For those who care about what is going into and on to their bodies, the Aveda Institute on High Holborn is hard to beat. One of the original purveyors of natural hair and skin products, the brand continues to deliver quality treatments at this vast, airy hair and beauty spa. Time Out has long been a fan of the salon, not only for its fabulous non-aggressive colour and great cuts, but the serene manicure and pedicure booths, tucked away at the back. What makes this salon appealing is it’s refreshingly un-sceney: no air-kissing, fuss or celebrity gossip.

Best for
Own-brand products

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Covent Garden

This buzzy Covent Garden salon has a reputation for styling the uber-gorgeous, as the glossy mag pages on the walls featuring the locks of Kate Moss, Drew Barrymore and Gwyneth Paltrow demonstrate. But don’t be intimidated by the A-lister clientele – the salon has a friendly and down-to-earth vibe. Even the minimalist decor is offset by a huge table in the reception piled with retro board games, tastefully placed art books, and erm, ‘The Complete Guide to Ferrets’.

Best for
Cool wearable cuts

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Oxford Circus

Bloomsbury is well-served by swish salons, and this spot from hairdresser to the (fashion) stars Sam Burnett is no exception. Sleek, smart and with lovely stylists who’ll offer you a glass of fizz while you get your tresses trimmed, it really is five-star service. Happily, despite a large number of awards under this salon’s perfectly-groomed belt, it’s a down-to-earth, friendly place that you won’t walk out of with a ‘directional’ (read: ridiculous) new hairdo. 

Best for
Hair and scalp specialists

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Marble Arch

Whether you’re desperately trying to rectify the disaster of a home perm, minimising the damage from a sloppy salon, or you’re a model victim of a photoshoot involving super glue and a blast furnace, the experts at Philip Kingsley are the people to see. The London Clinic, set in the Edwardian splendour of Mayfair, specialises in trichology – the study of hair and the scalp. The team of trichologists here are pros at dealing with issues such as hair thinning and hair loss and have even collaborated with cancer charities and patients who have had their hair or scalp affected by various treatments, so you can be sure your barnet is in very capable hands.

Best for
Indie Cool

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Dalston Kingsland Overground

Forget slick, minimalistic hair salons, this indie hairdressers has a proudly decadent interior with framed antique photographs, bare-brick walls, a wooden bar lit with delicate lightbulbs and lots of reclaimed vintage furniture. The Dalston massive, try-hard City boys and east London locals tend to come here for trendy looks and dip dyes – but a classic fringe, or even a few Chelsea layers are also perfectly executed by skilled staff who specialise in listening to their customers. Other branches in Clapton, Peckham, Brockley, East Village, Brixton and Streatham, Crouch Hill and PortobelloTopshop Oxford Circus.

Best for
Relaxed vibe

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Clapton Rail

Sean Fordham, owner and regular stylist to Graham Norton, FYI, established himself on the Soho hairdressing scene for 13 years before opening this hip east London salon. With its distressed wooden floors, bare-brick walls and lush green tiles, the interior at this unisex salon is very much as stylish as the hairstyles it creates. Excellent aftercare advice and attentive stylists ensure a regular stream of loyal clients. Plus, this place even produces its own pale ale. Who needs pubs when you’ve got hairdressers like this? 

Best for
Tailored treatments

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Angel

No, it isn’t located in a chapel but a former Victorian pub (that would be the first branch – located in a former nineteenth-century Baptist church in Tunbridge Wells) even so it’s hard to miss this green and orange-tiled salon on the corner of Owen Street and St John Street. The colourful, spacious salon has a unique pricing strategy, charging by time rather than by cut. Prices range from £50-£100 (depending on which stylist you go for) and complimentary drinks are served, including seasonal extras, like scrummy hot-chocolate shots. Set over two floors, each zone has a different artistic theme. We reckon you’ll fall in love with the chic modern interior as much as your new hairdo.

Best for
Cruelty-free colour

Nearest tube
Haggerston Overground

This vegan-friendly Dalston salon was a trailblazer of the dip-dye trend, as seen on the famous barnets of Lady Gaga and Alexa Chung. Founded by colourist-of-the-moment Alex Brownsell, and her agent and friend Sam Teasdale, Bleach has a client list that reads more like a who’s-who of London party people, including Pixie Geldof, Daisy Lowe and Alice Dellal. You'll also find salons in Brixton and Soho.

Best for
Friendly stylists

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Hackney Central Overground

From the cactus-covered walls to the chilled out playlist, this Hackney hairdresser oozes relaxed vibes. Stylists Melissa and Luke are super friendly and attentive – taking their time to understand what you want and making spot-on suggestions if you're unsure – they don't call them the horse whisperer for the hairdresser phobic for nothing. On our visit, Luke snipped and teased our frizzy mane into bouncy natural curls in no time at all, adding the lovely Italian sustainable brand Davines for extra sheen. The duo shares the space with the quirky A/Side-B/Side Gallery, so you can get your art fix post-haircut. And if you arrive early for your appointment, you can pass the time filling in phallic colouring books, cheeky!