Around fifteen years ago, I was in the throes of an early romance, and had just returned from a summer abroad when my phone buzzed: “drinks, tonight — at yours?” I said yes, then promptly decided it was time for a preparatory wax after a long hiatus ahead of what would clearly be a clothes off situation.
My usual spot was full, so I booked in to a local salon thinking “how bad can it be?” Very bad indeed, it transpired. They popped a wax roller in a kettle — an actual kettle — let it heat a little but not quite enough, then dragged the semi-soft wax across my skin before tugging away, leaving me the desired bald, sure, but also bruised. I managed three such sections before I announced that I urgently needed to leave and couldn’t complete the wax. I will leave your imagination to complete the picture; suffice to say I kept the lights decidedly off that night.
I don’t tell you this to put you off waxing. On the contrary; if you have surplus hair you wish to be rid of, a wax can be a godsend — provided it’s done well. But that last bit is crucial because a wax executed poorly can be painful or worse, downright dangerous. Consider my cautionary tale your incentive to do your homework. Look at reviews, ask friends, check out the waxing place’s website to determine whether they take matters seriously. Or let me do the legwork for you and just go to one of the below, all of which I’ve visited and would recommend.
A few notes before I go into the specifics of them. First, nowhere should ever dip the stick used to apply your wax in the pot twice — doing so creates a soup of harmful bacteria and if they’re doing something that wreckless who knows what other corners they’re cutting. Second, most experts recommend applying wax in the direction of hair growth, then removing it in the opposite and i have found this to be the least painful method. Finally, many places charge for the wax area rather than the time you spend in the appointment. This I hope will change, but until then know that if you are more hirsute, this works in your favour, and if you grow a few wisps of hair requiring a short session to remove, this system means you pay above the odds.
Strip Hair Removal Experts
I will happily go to any of the Strip branches, but frequent the Notting Hill one, where Lycon wax is slathered on before being quickly torn off. If going there, I would especially recommend Anna, who is so speedy and so delightful to chat to that the whole thing feels less of a chore than usual.
Price: Hot waxes start at £10 for small areas like the nose and ear, with a Hollywood bikini wax costing £52.
Where: Locations include Chelsea, Covent Garden, Notting Hill, Soho, The City, and Islington.
Aveda Institute
If you’ve yet to visit this salon, it’s a must. Yes, the hairdressers are brilliant — but so is absolutely everything else. A rarity. I go for waxes then try to fit in one of their Aveda Aroma massages whenever I go.
Price: From £19 for chin or upper lip, to £90 for a half leg, underarm, bikini, and eyebrow.
Where: 174-177 High Holborn, WC1V 7AA
Gielly Green
This much-loved hairdresser does waxes incredibly well, with Odette using Market Bee hot wax, a choice meaning less pain and less irritation. Good things, basically.
Price: Waxes start at £30 for eyebrows, with a full leg wax priced at £75.
Where: 42-44 George Street, W1U 7ES
The Brazilian Hot Wax Co
Using wax handmade by the owner comprised of Brazilian resins, bees wax, and infused with chamomile extract to soothe, this Soho stalwart has been waxing away for over 13 years now.
Price: A chin wax is £10, while at the upper end a full leg hot wax is £60.
Where: 25 D’Arblay Street, Soho, W1F 8EJ
Luxury Wax Bar
This gem was a recommendation from a fellow beauty journalist I was working with at a magazine years ago, and I’ve since nipped in for plenty of waxes, always finding them and their Italwax hot waxes efficient and well-executed.
Price: Waxes start at £30 for a G-String hot wax, then edge up to £60 for a Hollywood.
Where: Branches include Mortimer Street, Exmouth Market, and Edgware Road.
Cowshed
More spa than quick wax experience, they use Lycon wax here, which they whip off while you relax in one of the eminently calming rooms. It would be hard to leave without tacking on a facial or manicure. I never resist.
Price: From £12 for a lip wax, up to £99 for a full leg coupled with a Brazilian Wax.
Where: In London, you’ll find Cowshed in Primrose Hill and tucked into Shoreditch House.
Urban Retreat
A really good option if East, Urban Retreat have a reputation for excellence across the board, and I’ve always found their waxes deliver on being ultra-professional, very fast, and as minimally painful as it’s possible for tearing hair from the root to be.
Price: Starting from £10 for a lip wax, up to £45 for a Brazilian.
Where: 18-19 London Lane, Barbican, EC1A 9PL
Vaishaly
If you go to Vaishaly and don’t also book in for eyebrow shaping, you’re missing a trick. Either way, the skill of Viashaly and her team as they go about removing hair with their Perron Rigot rose hot wax is unparalleled.
Price: From £10 for an eyebrow wax, up to £50 for a Hollywood.
Where: 51 Paddington Street, W1U 4HR
Hot Waxing London
I’m always reassured when the words ‘hot wax’ are front and centre — it is by far the least painful and most thorough kind of wax for removing coarse hair. As expected from the name, this place are wizards when it comes to the hot wax thing.
Price: Starting at £16.50 for an upper lip, with a Hollywood costing £65.
Where: 2nd Floor, The Kilinik, 16 Devonshire Row, EC2M 4RH.
Harrods
Offering both hot wax (of the ashmira variety) and strip (which I rarely opt for, but there it is), once you’ve found the salon (no mean feat — Harrods is a behemoth), it’s worth checking out all the other services, too.
Price: Ranging from £30 for ears to £275 for a full body.
Where: 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL
