Summer beauty special: The gold standard
From the perfect sun-kissed tresses to the ultimate South of France tan, we share our little black book of the best luxury beautifiers to get you goddess gorgeous from head to toe
THE ONE-STOP NAIL AND BROW SHOP
Kill two birds with one impeccably polished stone at London’s new Nails & Brows boutique. Founded by Sherrille Riley – an industry insider who’s been attending to the needs of models and celebrities for more than a decade – it has garnered a reputation for flawless, long-lasting manis and brow MOTs within months of opening. They’ll even tint your lashes, wax your legs and bikini line and give you a massage if you can find a window in your diary. With results this good all under one Mayfair roof, you’ll wonder why you ever wasted time running from salon to salon in the past.
THE GLOW GET 'EM TAN
There’s a huge difference between a so-so tan and a just-jetted-in-from-Cannes glow. The handiwork of James Read falls firmly into the latter camp. When he’s not being speed-dialled by his loyal A-list followers (Lara Stone, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Rita Ora et al) he’s creating innovative tanning products. Book in for his One Week Away Tan at his studio at Harvey Nichols, London, or his new home in Josh Wood’s Notting Hill atelier, then you can top up your golden glow at home with the help of James’s new Tan Maximiser (£24.50).
jamesreadtan.com, joshwoodcolour.com
THE SUPER-NATURAL HIGHLIGHTS
Step away from the foils – for blonde hair that looks like you’ve been gently highlighted by the sunshine, turn to balayage, a technique in which colour is painted freestyle on to the hair. It’s softer at the roots, so you don’t have to redo them as often as you would with foil highlights. It is also much speedier – you’ll be in and out of the salon in 90 minutes. Poppy Delevingne and Donna Air are fans of balayage expert Jack Howard at the Neville salon in London’s Belgravia. According to Howard, you don’t have to be blonde for balayage to work best. ‘It works on all hair colours and makes your hair fresh and youthful. It’s a great way for brunettes to look a little sun-kissed too.’
THE BEST BEACH CUT
Whether or not you’re blessed with natural waves, beachy hair is easier said than done and more often translates to frizzy, salty mess. But get the cut right and you can scrunch and go all holiday. The master of perfect holiday hair all year round is Pol Garcia at London’s Rossano Ferretti Hairspa. He’s the man to see for the choppy bob of the moment – he was behind Pippa Middleton’s recent restyle (right). He’s also the go-to for girls in the know for the perfect ‘no blow-dry blow-dry’ which looks fun, fresh and full of volume for summer dos.
THE LEG PERFECTOR
There’s nothing Professor Mark Whiteley, aka ‘the leg doctor’, doesn’t know about achieving the perfect pins at his clinics in London, Guildford and Bristol. His ‘gold tip’ laser uses the latest technology to combat varicose veins noninvasively, while his VelaShape treatment combines radiofrequency with infrared laser, vacuum techniques and massage to slim, tone and reduce cellulite. Finish things off with a course of laser hair removal and those svelte legs will be fuzz-free all summer long.
THE SWIFT SHAPE-UP
New York-style spinning has finally reached the UK, and it is one of the best ways to burn energy fast before a getaway. London’s fashion set are addicted to Pippa Vosper’s RealRyder classes at the Lomax gym in Chelsea, which are full of glossy-magazine editors and PRs aiming to spin themselves thin. Here the bikes move from side to side for a full body workout of your core as well as your thighs. Alternatively, Psycle is a dedicated spinning studio that arrived in London this year and is the closest you’ll find to NYC’s cult SoulCycle classes, famous devotees of which include model Karlie Kloss and David Beckham.
THE SMILE ENHANCER
Joe Oliver is the man behind the best celebrity smiles. Moving on from the Hollywood dazzlers of old, he takes a less-is-more approach to make the maximum impact with the minimum of dental work. At The Welbeck Clinic in London’s Mayfair he uses high-tech veneers, laser whitening and simple ‘cosmetic contouring’ techniques to get you on your way to a smile worthy of Blake Lively (right). Then you can keep up the good work back home with the help of his Whitening Wands, £45.
thewelbeckclinic.co.uk
THE BEAUTY BAG ESSENTIALS
Byredo parfums Perfumed Oils The sleek rollerball bottles make these perfect for travelling, and they smell every bit as sultry as they sound: Bullion (pink pepper, black plum), Bal d’Afrique (limoncello, cardamom) and Oud Immortel (violet and cedarwood). £47 each, liberty.co.uk
Julisis Gold Elexir Day Based on the ancient principles of alchemy, this melt-upon-contact serum is like liquid gold, creating a stronger, more radiant complexion. £189, victoriahealth.com
By Terry Cheek to Cheek Eau de Blush This rosy liquid loveliness washes over the skin – use on cheeks and lips. £29, spacenk.co.uk
Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche Shimmering Touch A bubble-light gel body hydrator with a subtle shimmer. Perfect for summer soirées. £42, 020 7493 3836
Soigne nail colours Translated as ‘elegantly dressed’, Soigné’s sorbet-shades S/S 14 collection, including Kiwi (right), will ensure that your nails are just that. £11, soignenails.com, from July
Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color On-trend yet wearable, these new brights should be paired with bold prints and the biggest shades you can find. We love Blazing Red (right), Miami Pink and Cosmic Pink. £19, bobbibrown.co.uk
Additional images: Marcus Ohlsson/Trunk Archive, Rex Features, Photoshot, Tobi Jenkins
