Want to know where the frow go to ready themselves for London Fashion Week? From a jet-lag busting facial, to a long lasting blow dry and that all important subtle spray tan, Editors know that a spot of pre-planned beauty prep goes a long way during in LFW. After all, looking front row ready doesn’t happen overnight. With shows scattered all over the city, running around is part of the job so it’s vital they have a tried & tested beauty pit spot in every neighbourhood. Read on to find out where they go and what they have…
By Rebecca Hoffnung
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1 Aveda Lifestyle Salon & Spa
Best for: a head to toe beauty haven
Conveniently located between Covent Garden and Tottenham Court Road, the Aveda Lifestyle Salon & Spa is a three-floored beauty and wellness powerhouse. Offering a plethora of hairdressing, beauty and spa treatments, this salon is an ideal hangout spot for editors who like to stop in for a quick touch up between shows, with skilled therapists on call to help tackle every skin, hair or body dilema there is. The dream.
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2 Cristina Coelho Bespoke Facials at Wimpole Therapeutics
Best for: a front-row ready facial
Any Editor looking to tackle a skin issue before fashion week knows that booking in for a session with A-list facialist Cristina Coelho is key to ensuring their face is front-row ready. Specialising in high tech and bespoke facials, from CACI to Environ, each treatment at this luxurious salon is completely tailored to the specific needs and requirements of each client, so they can rest assured in the knowledge that their complexion will be youthful and glowing just in time for the big day.
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3 Aer Blowdry Bar
Best for: a hardworking blow dry
Arguably the coolest new beauty salon in Kensington, Aer Blowdry Bar specialises in big and bouncy express blow dries, and will have you in and out of the front door within an hour – ideal for pressed for time editors rushing from show to afterparty. Also offering easy blow dry add-ons such as express updos and straightening treatments, this brightly lit, modern little salon will be packed with the glitterati in the run up to fashion week. Why not book yourself in to see what all the fuss is about?
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4 Decleor Botanical Spa at House of Fraser
Best for: a spot of facial pilates
A signature treatment at the Decleor Botanical Spa at House of Fraser, Facial Pilates provides a natural lift for the skin, helping to improve contours and plump the skin. No amount of make-up or filters can compare to the glow your skin is left with after this amazing facial. You'll find it on the Instagram and Snapchat feeds of many an editor, including our own Editorial Director, Liz Hambleton. At £90 for 90 minutes, handily based just off Oxford Street, it's an affordable face fix and has the added bonus of being incrediby relaxing.
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5 111Cryo
Best for: a full-body freeze
Located in the iconic Harvey Nichols department store in Knightsbridge, 111Cryo is a salon like no other, with models, trainers and fashion editors alike lining up to experience the benfits of their cryogenic freezing treatments. Sounds scary, but its positive side effects to the mind, body and soul have been proving incredibly popular, with many returning again and again (both before and after Fashion Week) to experience the euphoric and reparative properties of their facials and freezing chambers.
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6 ColourRiot Nails
Best for: bespoke nail art
Nowadays, an on-trend mani is almost as important as the outfit you’re wearing it with, so come fashion week, a little nail art action can go a long way. And where do the frow go to get their talons polished to perfection? Based in Fitzrovia, ColourRiot Nails offers a wide range of manicure add-ons, as well as an impressive menu of intricate nail art. An A-list haven in the run up to fashion week (and the rest of the year too we might add) this hip little nail studio will go as bespoke as you want, and will happily create personalised designs for you as you wait. You'll be hooked after just one visit…
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7 Face Place at Rosewood London
Best for: a discreet facial
Whether it’s a model prepping for a show or a member of the frow looking for a discreet pre season skin boost, Face Place at The Rosewood Hotel has the fashion pack lining up for their highly renowned signature facials. Known to tone, firm and lift the skin using a combination of extraction techniques and galvanic currents, this facial is ideal for keeping the face bright and lifted for fashion week and then some. Extra bonus? Many an editor book themselves in at the Rosewood during LFW, so heading down to Face Place in the basement of the hotel is all but a hop, skip and a jump away.
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8 House of Elemis
Best for: a party ready pedicure
No outfit is complete without a proper pedicure to show off your party feet in style. Which is why you’ll find plenty of editors getting their toes prepped and polished at The House of Elemis in the run up to LFW. But this isn’t your regular buff and polish, this specialised treatment uses heat powered softening and massage techniques, combined with hot wax to soften and smooth feet, leaving them supple and refreshed. During fashion week, editor’s spend a serious amount of time running around in heels, so this restorative treatment ensures feet are in tip top shape before any big event.
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9 ESPA Life at Corinthia
Best for: a personalised massage
Why have any old massage when you can have an entirely bespoke one especially tailored just for you? From the massage style to the aromatherapy oils used, the personalised massage at ESPA Life at Corinthia is just what every editor needs to rewind and rejuvenate before a hectic week of back to back shows. Starting with a consultation with the masseuse to ensure every need is met, this spoiling treatment is a must-have for many members of the frow, made even more luxurious by the pampering surroundings of the Corinthia spa amenities.
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10 Face Bar
Best for: a makeup touch up
Whether an editor is after a fast fix or a full on makeup look before a show, bringing in the experts in the glamour department is well worth it for that all important street style snap. And to ensure their makeup stays fresh from morning til night, many enlist the help of a professional makeup artist – this is where Face Bar in Shoreditch comes in. Featuring a range of highly experienced makeup artists, many of whom have worked on international fashion week shows and in high fashion editorial, this fast-paced makeup bar promises to have you looking (and feeling) like a million dollars before you walk out the door. Create a bespoke palette or go with one of their exclusive fashion-forward looks, the choice is yours.