Because we dread to think what's been lurking under our winter clothes...
Holiday season is just around the corner, whether you’re ready or not. Slinky summer tops are foraged from the darkest depths of wardrobes, forgotten feet emerge from their winter sock dwellings with barnacle-like nails and pasty pins parade about town in a last-minute bid to bag some sun...
If your plans of awakening from your winter hibernation reborn into a bronzed summer goddess haven’t quite kicked off yet, then fear not.
From haircuts to manicures, Body Confidential has rounded up your ultimate summer-ready hit list that will leave you polished from head-to-toe.
Best for hair
Picture this: freshly-cut hair cascading down your shoulders as you stroll along the beach. Dreamy. Now here's where to get it ahead of your hols.
Terence Paul hairdressing academy – cut & blow from £15
If your summer holiday splurges have left you a little strapped for cash, then this bargain budget option will let you get your hair done without being too heavy on your holiday spendings. The academy offers treatments with their trainee stylists at dramatically discounted rates, meaning you can snap up a hair cut for as little as £15 – meaning plenty of pennies left over for cocktails. Trainee stylists are supervised throughout to avoid any hiccups.
64-72 Spring Gardens, M2 2BQ - Book here
Barn//it – cut & blow from £35
A super salon nestled in the city centre, Barn.it offers all your beauty needs under one roof. Whilst the enticing nail bar offers vibrant manis and pedis, the salon boasts a bold reputation for hair – if you want a trend-lead cut ahead of your hols then flock to Barn//it. At a reasonable £35, you can’t go wrong.
34 John Dalton Street, Manchester M2 6LE - Book here
House of Evelyn – cut & finish £54
From the heights of its Murano crystal chandeliers to its gold-trimmed mirrors and glistening marble floor, House of Evelyn oozes opulence from every pore of its elegant £1m salon. A temple of beauty and wellness, the salon provides stylish sanctuary from the buzz of the city centre. Whether you opt for a classic cut and finish (£54) or a complete makeover with a full head of highlights (£79), soaking up the decadence in a salon like no other.
40 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 1EN - Book here
Blow beauty bar - fast braid £11
Relatively new to Manchester, on-demand beauty service Blow LTD have set up shop in Debenhams offering nails, makeup and blow drys (hence the name) for women on a tight schedule. Amongst their extensive blow dry offering, the nimble-fingered team are offering a fast braid service - perfect if your summer aesthetic is off-duty model at Coachella. Blow drys start from £20.
Debenhams, Market Street, Manchester, M60 1TA - Book here
Facials
Radiating summer skin? Yes please. Our favourite facials will help you get that summer glow whether you holiday away or at home.
Bali Health Lounge – ELEMIS facial £80
For the ultimate pre-holiday prep, try Bali Health Lounge’s ELEMIS facial. The famous formula is designed to restore the architecture of the face by using potent nutrients in plant actives that research has shown support the extra-cellular matrix. In a nutshell, it will lift and contour your face, creating a sculpted, youthful effect. Whilst the treatment is overwhelmingly tech-y, the surroundings are serenely stark in contrast with a rustic interior that will calm and sooth the senses.
Bali Health Lounge - 1st Floor, 48 George St, Manchester M1 4HF
Book here
Paloma’s Beauty – Dermalogica Express facial £25
A quick pre-holiday fix that works wonders. Paloma’s Beauty offers a condensed 30-minute facial using skincare saviours Dermalogica. The facial includes a steam cleanse, exfoliation and treatment mask before finishing off with toning and moisturising. Perfect for those looking for an express boost.
Paloma’s Beauty - 1st Floor, 62a Oldham Street, Manchester M4 1LE
Book here
Flint + Flint, Harvey Nichols – Mrs Flint facial £45
Revive dull, tired skin ahead of your hols with Flint + Flint’s signature facial. A hybrid blend of pure essential oils, antioxidants and minerals combine to recharge and revitalise your skin. Whilst the facial works hard to rejuvenate dull cells, you can work hard at relaxing in the spas dramatic yet therapeutic setting. Tired skin be gone.
Flint + Flint - Harvey Nichols, 21 Cathedral Approach, Manchester M1 1AD
Book here
Manicures
Perfectly polished hands to complete your look.
Fantastic Nails – manicure with colour £12
Give your hands a bit of TLC with this budget-friendly manicure. Nails are prepped, primed and filed before a lick of your favourite colour is applied. At £12 a pop it’s an affordable way to refresh your nails ahead of your big trip.
Fantastic Nails and Beauty - Arndale Centre Unit R31 (under Food Court – near Boots), M4 3AT - Book here
Nailista – ‘Two weeks on Shoot’ gel manicure £29
Whether you’re planning on climbing Kilimanjaro or cruising along Rome’s river Tiber, Nail Ista’s ‘Two weeks on Shoot’ gel manicure is guaranteed to stay put no matter what comes your way this summer. The 45-minute treatment includes advanced filing and buffing of your cuticles as well as a hand massage to ensure your hands are intensely moisturised ahead of the holiday sun.
Nailista - Police Street, Manchester M2 7LQ - Book here
Sienna Spa - signature manicure £45
Massage meets manicure with the Sienna Spa’s signature nail treatment. The manicure combines popular nail treatments with a holistic approach – hot stones, hand and scalp massages and heated therapies are used to lull you into sleepy sereneness as your nails achieve perfection. It’s nails but not as you know it.
Sienna Spa and Health Club - Radisson Blu Edwardian, Peter St, Manchester M2 5GP
- Book here
Wax
Get silky smooth for the sun at these top venues.
Brazilian waxing company – bikini £12 / Brazilian £22
These Oxford-road based masters of body waxing know a thing or two about getting that silky smooth finish. Whether it’s your arms, legs, back or crack – the team at the Brazilian waxing company can handle your waxing needs. Prices start at as little as £12 for a bikini wax – a popular style that the experts can whizz through in under 10 minutes.
Brazilian waxing company - 3 Oxford Rd, Manchester M1 6EY - Book here
The Waxing Company – bikini £12 / Brazillian £23
You can get absolutely anything and everything waxed at this Peter Street establishment. Arms (£17), ears (£7), nipples (£8)… you name it, the Waxing Company will wax it. The salon also offers variations on typical intimate waxes, from the ‘Basic Bikini’ (£12) to Thong Waxes (£16) and the bold Hollywood (£28) offering more choice depending on how adventurous your feeling. For an extra £5, you can choose to use Lycon wax – an advanced new treatment that catches shorter, more stubborn hairs.
The Waxing Studio Ltd - 65 Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5PB - Book here
Spa Satori – bikini tea tree wax £10 / Brazilian hot wax £24
Whilst waxing is never going to be a relaxing experience, the experts at Spa Satori offer treatments designed to make it as pleasant as possible. Instead of typically used hot wax, several treatments offer a tea-tree-infused option to encourage antiseptic healing alongside a soothing cream for immediate relief. Those who prefer the traditional method can enjoy a hot wax in the calming surroundings of the spa.
Spa Satori - 112 High Street, The Northern Quarter, M4 1HQ - Book here
Spray tan
If you’d struggle to tan whilst bathing in the tropics, then fake it before you’ve even hit the beach.
Tanning Shop – Versaspa auto spray tan £12.99
Sick of tan lines and smudges? Then try a Versapa auto tan from Tanning Shop. The machine lets you pick which colour you’d like before three 60-second bursts of tanning solution are sprayed on your body from all angles. So long as you follow the instrcutions and turn around in time, then the result will be a flawless, all-over tan.
Tanning Shop - 74 Cross Street, Manchester M2 4JG - Book here
Urban Oasis Debenhams – Vita Liberata full body tan £20
80% organic and non-toxic, Vita Liberata’s intensely moisturising formula is a popular choice with lovers of fake tan. Market Street’s Debenhams hosts Urban Oasis, a relaxing hideaway tucked into the depths of the store that offers full body and half body spray tan treatments in just 20 minutes.
Debenhams Mezzanine Floor, Market Street, M60 1TA - Book here
Rose Beauty – San Tropez spray tan £28
Boutique beauty salon Rose Beauty offers a range of spray-tan options for a natural-looking tan, including both St Tropez and Xen Tan treatments. Application is done by a beauty therapist who will use an airbrush to emit a fine mist of tan all over your body. The treatment takes 35 minutes – including 10 minutes drying time – and after a development period of 8 hours you will awaken as a bronzed beach goddess.
Rose Beauty Salon - First Floor, 38 John Dalton Street, M2 6LE - Book here
Pedicure
Body NQ - File and French pedicure £11
For polished toes with a natural look, Body NQ has a bargain budget option for just £11. Toe nails are filed into the perfect shape then finished with a French pedicure. Perfect for perusing Parisian streets at your leisure. Le feet, c’est chic.
Body NQ - 10-14 Hilton Street, Manchester, M1 1JF - Book here
Nailista - ‘Ready for the Runway’ pedicure £25
If you haven’t properly seen your feet before the sock-ridden days of winter, then Nailista’s premium treatment is exactly what you need to tackle those talons. The salon’s popular ‘Ready for the Runway’ treatment promises to buff away any dead skin, dry patches or extra toes that you may have harvested over the winter months, whilst a soak treatment and massage will restore silky smooth skin. Lashings of your favourite polish finishes the summer-ready look.
Nailista - Police Street, Manchester M2 7LQ - Book here
The Lowry Spa – Fire and Ice Pedicure with gel £85
Prefer luxury jet-setting over budget hostel-hopping? Then choose a pre-holiday treatment to match your lush lifestyle. The Lowry Spa’s ‘Fire and Ice’ manicure is as extravagant as it sounds; warming scrubs, oils and hot stones are applied to the hands to stimulate the skin before cooling masks are applied to calm the skin. A polish of your choice to finish and you’re ready to jet-set (£75/£85 with gels)
50 Dearmans Place, Chapel Wharf, Manchester, M3 5LH - Book here
