Fancy having your hair done in a gorgeous listed Georgian house by a celebrity hairdresser who’s tended to the likes of Cara Delevingne, Florence Welch or George Michael, while sipping a beautifully executed espresso Martini (or cappuccino for the more reasonable amongst you), in an intimate atmosphere that feels much more like a friend’s house than a hairdresser? Then, you’ll love newly opened -and very different- salon The Drawing Room, between the City and Shoreditch. Chic-Londres tried it and loved it. read more

Located in the heart of Frog Valley, a short walk away from the Lycée Charles de Gaulle and the French Institute, Nailberry is in many ways the quintessential French neighbourhood salon, with a clientele that includes elegant mamans being pampered in between school runs and A-listers like Cathy Guetta, the vivacious wife of star DJ David Guetta. So far, so Gallic, although one of Nailberry’s star treatments is actually the Japanese manicure (and pedicure), a hard-to-find detox treatment that uses only natural products and leave your nails not only shiny like pearls, but also stronger. Pretty impressive… read more

At £25,000 for six months -that’s nearly £4,200 per month- Biologique Recherche’s bespoke beauty regime, concocted by Philippe Allouche, a French doctor whose clients include Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, is arguably the most expensive in the market. Now available for the first time in the UK at EF Medispa, the chain of luxurious beauty clinics launched by cosmeceuticals guru Esther Fieldgrass, it offers a bespoke approach to beauty that makes normal skincare seem like a Ford Fiesta to its Rolls Royce. For this price tag, clients receive a personal consultation in London with Paris-based Philippe Allouche, as well as monthly bespoke facials and supplies of highly concentrated tailor-made skin formulas, freshly made in the Allouche family’s laboratory. But for those who can’t afford this six-months pampering extravaganza (which is to say almost everyone), there are still ways to experience the haute-couture beauty regime, through facials and the range of Biologique Recherche products, both tested by Chic-Londres.

Being a journalist has its perks, and being invited at the luxurious EF Medispa clinic in St John’s Wood to test the £350 Soin MC 110 by Biologique Recherche is definitely one of them. Described as a “replumping, restructuring and renewing treatment”, the two-hour bespoke facial comprises seven different stages, each tailored to the individual’s “skin instant”, which is the state of the skin at a precise moment in time. In the expert hands of my therapist, the lovely Violeta, my face is cleansed and exfoliated with various concentrated lotions, before being treated with an oxygenated mask and a “mask vivant”, made out of yeast, cucumber and witch hazel. My skin is also treated to a selection of quintessential serums (the purest of all the range’s products, which include placenta, amniotic fluid or pure collagen), as well as massaged with a cream and a finishing serum, pummeled into the skin through movements inspired by physiotherapy, with the aim to revive the muscles and naturally lift the face. read more

Harrods new Pet Spa, which opened earlier this month, has just propelled animal grooming to new heights, with the London department store becoming the world’s premier destination for Very Important Pets- and a place that will make Paris Hilton and her horde of Chihuahuas wishing they lived in London. Chic-Londres was at the glamorous launch, hosted by shoe maestro Patrick Cox and his trendy bulldog Caesar.

The ultimate personal pet grooming service has just come to London, with the launch of the Pet Spa at Harrods, which offers a dedicated retreat for the luxurious department store’s smallest VIPs (“Very Important Pets”) and their recession proof owners- with treatments ranging from £9.95 to a less affordable £295. The Pet Spa at Harrods offers a menu of animal-friendly services, including “pawdicures” for pooches, blueberry and vanilla facials for dogs, full body massages, thalassotherapy mud bath, animal Reiki for all chic pets, and even super-moisturising olive oil treatment and pedicure for tortoises! But it’s not just about getting ready for all those glamorous pet parties, with specialised services including behavioural counselling, nutritional advice, personal training sessions and special treatments like the super sunscreen application (because as with humans, white pets can develop skin cancer). The official launch of the day spa for in-vogue animals was hosted by shoe maestro and party animal extraordinaire Patrick Cox -who has recently turned his talents to patisserie with his new Cox Cookies and Cake bakery- and was attended by array of celebrity canines enjoying an afternoon of pampering and “pupcakes”. Debrett’s, the British ultimate authority on etiquette, even launched for the occasion a new book called Petiquette, that promises to be “the definitive guide to civilised pet ownership”. How very chic… read more

Tattoos, however trendy they might be, are not usually that chic… But it might change very soon, when Chanel launches its Trompe l’Oeil, a decalcomania set of ephemeral skin jewellery that has already got the fashion world delirious with envy.

Created for Chanel’s last show in Paris by Peter Philips, the brand’s Global Creative Director of Makeup, those fake tattoos were so talked about in fashion circles that they will now be launched commercially in shops.

Faithful to Coco’s spirit, they recall the emblematic codes of Chanel (black colour, chains, pearls necklace…), while injecting a slightly rebellious yet elegant edge to its classical fashion. They can be worn as necklace, garter (as recently seen on model of the moment Daisy Lowe) or around the wrist and ankle. read more

Housed within an original listed building between Buckingham Palace and Piccadilly Circus, this luxurious London spa offers a quintessentially Parisian beauty experience.

The place The recently opened 263-square metre spa belongs to luxurious French hotel Sofitel in Pall Mall. Distributed over three floors, it has retained the original features of the building (formerly a bank), which include impressive rose coloured marble walls and decorative mouldings on the ceilings. At the same time, the mood is definitely contemporary, with bright pinks, huge lampshades and amusing notes such as a topiary giant French poodle!

The experience The client is welcomed by a spa butler, who discusses treatment’s requirements and offers a choice of music and room fragrances.There are five treatment rooms, each equipped with patented massage tables, as well as a private Turkish steam bath, showers with aromatic essences, and chromatherapy and hydrotherapy baths. At the end, the client can stay in the deep relaxation room, where tea is served. read more

As the founder of three super successful brands -the Bliss spa chain, cheep and cheerful beauty products Soap & Glory and Fitflop, the anti-cellulite shoe sensation -, few people are more qualified to talk about beauty than Canadian Marcia Kilgore (40). The former beautician to Uma Thurman, Madonna and Demi Moore moved from New York to London in 2004 and lives in South Kensington with her French husband and their two young sons. Here, she offers some frank advice on how to look good and explains why good products needn’t be expensive.

What is your definition of a good facial and what should it achieve?

Anyone can just scrub some cream and a mask on your face and do a nice massage, and call it a facial. But a good facial means that you should leave the spa feeling like your face has been worked out, after a deep cleaning that includes removing dark heads and a lymphatic drainage. If you just want to relax, then book a massage: a good facial shouldn’t be relaxing.

Which treatments are worth having in a spa and which ones may as well be done at home? read more

Kathleen Baird-Murray is the author of How to be Beautiful, a Beauty Guide for the Intelligent Woman, and of Face Value, a novel exploring the world of cosmetic surgery. She is a regular contributor to the Sunday Times Style magazine and has been the beauty editor-in-chief for Tatler magazine. She lives in Notting Hill with her French husband and their two children.

Is it worth investing in a very expensive face cream?

Ah! This is the million dollar question. Yes, it is worth investing in whatever makes your skin look better and quality comes at a price. But there’s no rule that says that has to be a high one. Soap & Glory, sold in Boots, is super cheap but the products, developed by the former facialist who founded Bliss spas Marcia Kilgore, are amazing. I’m also a big fan of some expensive ranges, like M-Lab which I’ve had great results with. If money is tight, spend it on a cleanser or exfoliator rather than a face cream. No matter how good the cream, if you’re not cleansing properly and exfoliating regularly, it is not going to work. Eve Lom’s classic cleanser also acts as an exfoliator and will leave your skin looking fresh and vibrant. read more