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The Standard
London's best pedicures to get summer-ready feet
By Chloe Street and Hayley Spencer,
12 hours ago
TGB
From the one that corners the niche between luxury beauty salon and uber-professional podiatrist, to the super luxe spa where you can take a dip after, these are our favourite places to get a perfect pedi — all tried and tested.
For the ultimate gel pedi
The Gel Bottle pedicure
Multiple locations
If you love the long-lasting benefits of a gel pedi or mani, no doubt you’ve heard of BIAB™ (Builder in a Bottle), created by The GelBottle Inc. You can use the brand’s salon finder tool to book in at a convenient location to get a refresh with the vegan, cruelty-free shades. For an after-work appointment I had a speedy but super relaxing treatment at the gorgeous Urban Retreat (18-19 Long Ln, Barbican, EC1A 9PL). Marble sinks with rose gold fittings and raised comfy chairs ensured it felt uber luxe. My brilliant technician perfectly shaped my nails, buffed and exfoliated my feet (without tickling me as is my usual fear) and gave them a generous moisturise to finish. My tired feet looked their freshest yet.
Salon vibe: Blush and Blow is decorated in gorgeous pastel colours, with a lovely calm vibe that is perfect for a Saturday afternoon pedi. The luxury gel pedicure consists of a soothing foot bath, scrub and massage, before the CND Shellac gel colour is applied. Great staff, great setting and, honestly, my toes have never looked this good.
This 2000m² spa is a super luxe oasis in the heart of Knightsbridge. The staff are experienced, friendly and attentive. Pedicures take place in the salon area with a good selection of drinks to enjoy as you sit back and relax in the very comfortable mani-pedi chair. The time flew by as I chatted to my fabulous beautician. He took great care to ensure my nails were shaped to my liking with cuticle care and hard skin removal included. The OPI polish resulted in a smooth, shiny finish. I left feeling truly pampered. It is worth dedicating some time pre or post pedicure for a dip in the pool. Clad in textured Vicenza stone, it is the spa's pièce de résistance.
Locations in Angel, Victoria, Canary Wharf, Clapham, Leicester Square, Marble Arch and Putney
Treatment booked: Top Notch Gel Polish Pedicure, £68
Pedicures at London Grace’s light and bright nail bars come dry-only – that means germophobes need not fear bacteria-breeding water baths, the eco-conscious can rest easy in the knowledge that London Grace are saving over 100 litres of water a week, and your feet still walk off supple and finely finished with either shellac or polish. Your feet may stay dry, but your evening need not – each location has a well-stocked bar offering coffee, cocktails and even champagne.
Treatment booked: Manicurist Non-Toxic Gel Pedicure, £92
It was rumoured to be Meghan Markle’s beauty salon of choice and set on Mayfair’s Berkeley Street, just across the park from Clarence House and Buckingham Palace, the location is certainly A-list worthy. The vibe inside is relaxed, friendly and unpretentious. I had the Haute Pedicure, which, to my joy, included a heavenly foot massage with wax to soften my feet. My nails were trimmed and filed, cuticles tidied up and horrid, hard skin buffed away.
Sore? Knobbly? Dryer than the Atacama? If these are words that best summarise the state of your tootsies, you want to hot foot it (sorry) down to Margaret Dabbs stat. Cornering the niche between luxury beauty salon and uber-professional podiatrist, the Margaret Dabbs clinics (located in Marylebone, Notting Hill and within Liberty’s) are the gold standard when it comes to medical grade pedicures. The first half of the treatment is spent sat with a white-coated podiatrist as they scalpel and soothe your feet, then you skip (light as air!) to the beauty therapist’s chair where she paints with precision. It is guaranteed you'll leave feeling truly cured with a pain-free spring in your step.
Dry By is spread over two floors, so if you need a blow dry, you can easily kill two birds with one stone at the hair salon on the upper level. The downstairs, however, is where the manicures and pedicures take place and it is a refined and elegant space with marble décor. The pedicure station is in the cosy corner of the room with big chair and a pregnancy-style pillow for each person that is so comfortable, you could easily fall asleep. I opted for the signature pedicure with all the trimmings. The experience begins with a shaping, followed by a foot exfoliation, finishing finally with the actual painting with CND Shellac. The salon has a buzzing atmosphere with extremely friendly staff.
The Cowshed Primrose Hill, one of five London outposts from the Soho House spa group, feels like a real escape. The salon is bright and rustic with its white panelled walls and plush armchairs. The Ultimate Cowshed is a real indulgent experience with the full works included: bath, exfoliation, mask, foot massage and polish. You even get a head and shoulder massage thrown in while the mask works its magic. With a cafe right next door, you can tuck into a cuppa and croissant while your toes are painted. I walked out on a cloud, my feet softer than they’ve been in months and, a week later, the nails look as good as new.
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