We’ve put together a hair-raising list of the best blow drys in London for instant glam.
Special occasion? Big meeting? Night out? A fresh blow dry is the ultimate confidence booster and thankfully the rise of the ‘blow dry bar’ has made them accessible to all. No bookings necessary, no celebrity price tag, just a lot of hot air and an (almost) instant lift.
[Photo: @drybylondon]DryBy is the brainchild of sister duo Krisztina van der Boom and Anita Puluczkai who set out to bring a bit of the Budapest spa culture to London. Pick your style from their signature collection and enjoy a moment of zen in their chic surroundings. They’re keeping things simple – with just five styles to choose from – so we reckon this place is perfect for the perpetually indecisive. We all know someone who takes hours to order! Their blow dry is priced at £35.
[Photo: @chelseyraysbrook]With four blow dry bars across London (and one in Birmingham) Hershesons is a force to be reckoned with. Priced at a very reasonable £30, they offer 12 different signature styles – with some rather out there options thrown into the mix. The braided ‘Dirty Ballerina‘ bun, for example, is not your average blow dry offering. There’s a lot to choose from though, so if you want to stick to the classic, bouncy curls look, their stylists will be more than happy to make that happen.
[Photo: @luludumas]Welcome to the salon of your Instagram dreams! This place couldn’t be prettier if it tried… Oh, and they do a good blow dry, too. Take your pick from their look book and sit back and relax as they turn you from ugly duckling to swan princess. Blow dries from their signature look book cost £35, up-dos cost £45, and you can even opt for an express blow dry and ditch the wash for £30. AND they offer ‘bottomless prosecco Thursdays’ for £43 (including the blow dry). Afterwards, we reccommend making the most of the photo-op offered to you on their pretty chair swing.
[Photo: @blowltd]Blow Ltd. have got 9 styles on their menu to choose from all priced at £40. With three London locations – including a very handy Canary Wharf salon for all you important business-exec-type women – and an on demand service, you’ll never be stuck searching for a salon again. They aim to get you in and out faster than you can say ‘hair emergency’ with their speedy 40 minute sessions. Ok, you probably could say ‘hair emergency’ quite a few times in 40 minutes, but you won’t, because you’ll be far to relaxed to care.
[Photo: @harishair]With four locations around west and south west London, Hari’s is another blow drying powerhouse. They even offer feather and braid services for those of you after a little extra edge. The only downside we can see is that they’re a bit vague about their prices, blow dries are priced ‘from £30‘ and we don’t know about you, but every time we read the word ‘from’ we panic we’ll be duped into paying £60 because we accidentally opted for the ‘style director’… This is all just speculation though, and we’ve heard good things about Hari’s – so definitely worth a go! Apparently their menu of juices is pretty excellent, too.
[Photo: @cloandflo]Clo & Flo’s chic salon in South Kensington is one-of-a-kind. No, literally, they’ve only got one location, but it really is worth a visit. Priced at £30 for short hair and £35 for long hair, they give you a wealth of ultra-glossy options to choose from. They even offer a ‘gym-proof blow dry’ and a selection of pretty braids for those of you looking to really make it last.
[Photo: @ruubyapp]Ok, this one isn’t strictly a blow dry bar, but we thought it was worth a mention because it definitely offers something different. For £45 you can call a member of the Ruuby team out to your home/office/hotel for an on-the-go pick me up. If you’re at the office, just make sure you’ve got a quiet place to get your hair did, otherwise your colleagues might start getting a tad annoyed at the noise. They cover central and greater London, but if you’re not sure if you’ll be within reach just download their app and fill in your postcode to check.
[Photo: Blade Salon]If you’re looking for a place where you can pre-drink before a night out whilst simultaneously having your hair magically lifted beyond recognition, then Blade is your place. They’re pioneering the ‘hairclubbing’ revolution. Be gone awkward salon chit chat! Never again will you have to spend an hour desperately trying to fill the silence with small talk about your holibobs. Alcohol is the solution… And we think we can get on board with that! If you’ve got hair above your shoulders expect to fork out £27 for a blow dry or £36 for long hair. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a cocktail as you’re beautified. Bliss.