Lifestyle

ES Tests: London’s best pedicures



For the girly ‘gram

Blush and Blow pedicure

197 New King’s Road, Chelsea. 0203 866 4569

Treatment: Luxury gel pedicure, £65

Salon vibe: Blush and Blow is a beautifully decorated salon in gorgeous pastel colours, complete with a lovely calm vibe that is perfect for a Saturday afternoon manicure. The staff were great too; my beautician Lorraine was lovely and chatty, and made me feel very relaxed and welcome during the treatment. The luxury gel pedicure consisted of a soothing foot bath, scrub and massage, before the CND Shellac gel colour is applied. Normally I’m not a big fan of people touching my feet, but this was such an enjoyable experience, I didn’t feel any discomfort at all.  Great staff, great setting and, honestly, my toes have never looked this good.

Amelia Heathman

blushandblowlondon.com

For the Spa lizards

The Bvlgari Hotel Spa

171 Knightsbridge, SW7 1DW, 0207 151 1010

Treatment booked: Gel pedicure, £60

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 and magazines 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 Javaughn. 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.

Amira Hashish

bulgarihotels.com

For the Germophobes

London Grace

Locations in Angel, Victoria, Canary Wharf, Clapham, Leicester Square, Marble Arch and Putney

Treatment booked: Top Notch Gel Polish Pedicure, £42

Pedicures at London Grace’s light and bright nail bars come dry-only – that means germophobes need not fear bacteria-breeding waterbaths, 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.

Ailis Brennan

Londongrace.co.uk

For the Meghan stalkers

Nails & Brows

31 Berkeley Street, Mayfair, 020 7499 5245

Treatment booked: Signature Pedicure, £69

It’s 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 good enough for a Duchess. The vibe inside is relaxed, friendly and unpretentious. I had the ‘Signature Pedicure which, to my joy, included a heavenly foot massage. My nails were trimmed and filed, cuticles tidied up and horrid, hard skin buffed away. They use Margaret Dabbs wax to soften your feet and I was so taken with it I bought a tub (£20). Nails & Brows offer CND Creative Play, Kure Bazaar and Essie nail polishes. I opted for a dark mauve colour and two weeks later it’s still going strong.

Suzannah Ramsdale

Nailsandbrows.me

For the problem feet

Margaret Dabbs

7 New Cavendish Street, Marylebone, 020 7487 5510

Treatment booked: Medical Pedicure, £85 (or £125 with Dabbs herself)

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. Guaranteed you’ll leave feeling truly cured with a pain-free spring in your step.

Chloe Street

Margaretdabbs.co.uk

For the blow and go

Dry By

74 Mortimer St, Marylebone, London W1W 7RZ. 0207 637 9477

Treatment booked: Deep Pedicure, £125

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 is designed in a refined and elegant modern style 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. We opted for the signature pedicure with all the trimmings. The experience begins with a shaping, followed by a foot exfoliation with a marine salt scrub and a massage, finishing finally with the actual painting. The salon has a buzzing atmosphere with extremely friendly staff and the paint job is still in perfect shape, even after two weeks.

Ellie Davis

DryBy.co.uk

For the zen seekers

Coco Nail Bar

267 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, W11 1LR

Treatment: Luxury hot stone pedicure, £58

Coco Nail Bar, located in the heart of Portobello Road, rightly has a reputation for offering some of the most relaxing pedicures in London. From the minute you plonk your tootsies into a warm foot bath, you’re in for a gloriously indulgent treat, with massage chairs and a delicious cocktail menu all adding to an experience of ultimate zen. The lovely staff are keen to give customers a treat and my beautician Renee provided plenty of useful skincare advice. The hot stone pedicure uses heated stones to release tension in your tired feet, leaving you ready to bounce back and take on the world. You’ll also get a full cleanse and polish, so your feet will feel fresh and look fantastic too.

Jessie Thompson

coconailbar.com

For the vintage-loving vegans

Painted Lady

65 Redchurch St, London E2 7DJ, 020 7729 2154

Treatment booked: Vegan pedicure, £42

Tucked away on East London’s Redchurch St, The Painted Lady forgoes typical nail salon vibes in place of something wholly bespoke, think vintage furniture and hand-carried foot baths instead of bucket chairs and whirlpools. The newly acquired Vegan gel nail polish range is just as tough as Shellac and radically vibrant, 10 days post pedicure and not a single chip. Staff treat you more like an old friend that’s stopped by, rather than just a pair a feet in a queue, it’s personalised service with artistic flair and a fine place to pamper yourself.

Jessica Reynolds

Thepaintedladylondon.com

For the Soho House set

Cowshed, Primrose Hill

115-117 Regents Park Road, London, NW1 8UR – 020 3725 2777

Treatment booked: Ultimate Cowshed, £70

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 with Cowshed’s sister brand, Cheeky. 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.

Zoe Paskett

cowshed.com



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