Tried and TESTED

Young Ldn

WESTBOURNE GROVE’S FINEST MANICURES

Ican’t cope with gel nails, which is unusual, according to sta at young LDN. This Westbourne Grove salon was, unusually, set up to cater to the beauty needs of young Londoners, but you don’t have to be young to visit. The manicure stations are comfortable and spacious, and fully equipped with countless colours. They specialise in nail art, and for longevity most people choose gels for this. But they took my aversion in their stride and o ered up a million shades of regular polish. I was able to sit back in a plush chair and enjoy a jasmine tea (when my hands were free). I chose my colour from their selection of nontoxic, cruelty-free and vegan polishes, and just sat back and enjoyed the pampering. The result is beautiful, healthy, naturallooking nails that go with everything and look e ortlessly elegant – and I took advantage of the nail art skills to go for a few delicate hearts, delicately outlined with the finest of brushes and filled in with the care and precision of a surgeon. My nails have never looked so stylish. youngldn.com

Neil Moodie Studio

KERATIN TREATMENT

Hair stylist Neil Moodie has been a leading figure in the fashion industry for over three decades. He debuted into the world of editorial styling in 1993, working with iconic photographer Corinne Day on an editorial for The Face magazine. This led to a quick succession of bookings, the first being for Italian Vogue followed by his first ever advertising campaign for Miu Miu. His new Spitalfields studio is a stylish and popular spot, and a new line of keratin treatments are much in demand – partly, apparently, because they’re huge on Tiktok. I went for the Express version, which promises results that last six to eight weeks and only takes an hour. There’s a more elaborate treatment that takes longer – and lasts longer – but, there was the risk that it could leave my fine, flat hair even flatter. The Keratin Complex Express Blowout promises to smooth and de-frizz hair, while reducing colour fade and improving the texture generally. It’s a simple process – the keratin is simply brushed on and left for a little while. It feels and smells lovely, and once removed, it’s like I’ve got someone else’s hair. In a good way: gone are my straggly, frizzy locks and in their place is a smooth, shiny head of all new hair. And several weeks later, it’s still going strong. This is going to become a habit. youngldn.com