Finding the best hair salons in London is less about identifying one salon that suits everyone and more about matching the right stylist and expertise to your hair.

London has an unusually wide choice, from established Covent Garden salons and West London colour specialists to independent studios in East London and specialists in Afro, curly and textured hair. A salon that excels at precision cutting may not be the best choice for a major colour correction, while a specialist in extensions may not be the right person for a short, low-maintenance cut.

This guide brings together a selection of respected London salons, looking at what each is particularly well suited to, where it is located and what you should consider before booking. The selection draws on current salon information alongside established editorial coverage from publications including British Vogue and Time Out.

The aim is not to produce a rigid league table. Instead, it is to help you narrow down the options and find a salon that fits your hair, your desired result and your budget.

The best hair salons in London at a glance

Salon	London area	Particularly suited to	What stands out
George Northwood	Fitzrovia / West London	Cuts and effortless styling	Strong reputation for wearable, polished cuts
Charlotte Mensah Hair Lounge	Notting Hill	Afro, curly and textured hair	Specialist expertise and personalised care
Josh Wood Colour Atelier	Holland Park	Hair colour	Bespoke colour and specialist colourists
Adam Reed	Covent Garden	Cuts, colour and styling	Central location and broad service offering
Hershesons	Belgravia / Fitzrovia	Cuts, colour and styling	Large team and range of services
Trevor Sorbie Covent Garden	Covent Garden	Cutting, colour and extensions	Long-established London hairdressing name
Windle London	Covent Garden	Cutting, colour and hair care	Long-running salon with its own haircare expertise
Buller and Rice	East London	Sustainable hairdressing	Sustainability-led salon group
Taylor Taylor London Shoreditch	Spitalfields / Shoreditch	Cuts, colour and occasion styling	Fashion-led salon experience

Services, availability and prices can change, so check the salon’s current booking information before making an appointment.

How to choose the best hair salon in London

The biggest mistake is choosing a salon simply because it has a famous name or attractive photographs on Instagram.

Start with the service you actually need.

For a straightforward haircut, look for a stylist whose portfolio demonstrates the type of cut you want. For balayage, highlights or colour correction, prioritise colour expertise. If you have Afro, curly or highly textured hair, seek a stylist who regularly works with your specific texture rather than assuming every salon will have the same level of experience.

A useful shortlist should consider:

• Hair type: straight, wavy, curly, coily or highly textured.
• Service: cutting, colouring, extensions, bridal styling or treatments.
• Maintenance: whether you want a style that needs frequent salon visits.
• Location: central London is convenient, but a specialist further away may be worth the journey.
• Budget: senior stylists and complex colour services can cost considerably more.
• Consultation: particularly important for colour changes and major restyles.
• Reviews: useful for identifying patterns in customer experiences, but not a substitute for checking the stylist’s work.
• Aftercare: ask what maintenance will be required at home and between appointments.

Time Out’s own London salon guide takes a similar service-led approach, highlighting different salons for different needs rather than suggesting one establishment is universally superior.

The Best Hair Salons in London

George Northwood

George Northwood is one of the better-known names in London’s premium hairdressing scene, particularly for cuts that are polished without looking overly styled.

The salon’s Wells Street location in Fitzrovia remains part of the brand’s London presence. Its Shoreditch salon, meanwhile, is currently undergoing a temporary closure from August 2026 as the business prepares for a new chapter, with clients directed towards its Holland Park and Wells Street salons.

That current change is worth knowing if you have seen older articles recommending the Boundary Street location.

British Vogue has previously highlighted Northwood for his work on recognisable, relaxed hairstyles and described the Shoreditch salon as a destination for effortless styling.

Best for: modern cuts, natural-looking styling and clients who want a polished but relatively low-fuss finish.
Consider: the stylist you book matters as much as the salon name. Look through individual stylist portfolios before making an appointment.

George Northwood official website: https://www.georgenorthwood.com/

Charlotte Mensah Hair Lounge

For Afro, curly and textured hair, specialist knowledge should be high on your checklist. Charlotte Mensah Hair Lounge on Portobello Road is one of London’s best-known specialist salons in this field.

Charlotte Mensah developed her expertise at the London College of Fashion and trained under Winston Isaacs, a major figure in British Afro hairdressing. Her Hair Lounge now operates from 347 Portobello Road.

The salon describes itself as specialising in Afro and curly hair, making it particularly relevant for clients who want stylists with experience working with natural texture rather than treating it as an occasional service.

British Vogue has also singled out Mensah as a leading choice for Afro, textured and curly hair.

Best for: Afro, curly and textured hair, natural styling and specialist haircare advice.
Consider: explain your usual routine, previous treatments and long-term goals during the consultation. Texture, shrinkage and previous chemical services can all affect the final result.

Josh Wood Colour Atelier

If colour is your priority, Josh Wood Colour Atelier in Holland Park deserves consideration.

The salon is based at 6 Lansdowne Mews and focuses heavily on personalised colour. Its current service menu includes balayage, colour, styling, extensions and treatments, with balayage prices varying according to stylist level and service.

That tiered pricing is a useful reminder that London salon prices can vary significantly even within one business. A complex colour service also cannot sensibly be compared with a basic cut-and-finish appointment.

The team includes stylists with different specialisms, including curly hair, precision cutting, texture and movement, grey-hair transitions and hair extensions.

Best for: balayage, highlights, grey blending, colour changes and bespoke colour work.

Consider: bring photographs of your desired result, but also be prepared to discuss what is realistic for your existing colour and hair condition.

Adam Reed

Adam Reed has a Covent Garden salon at 75 Long Acre, making it a practical option for people combining a hair appointment with time around the West End.

British Vogue included Adam Reed among its London salon recommendations, highlighting its curated approach to colour and the range of treatments available.

The location is particularly useful if you are already visiting Covent Garden, Soho or the surrounding West End. It is also an example of why location should be considered alongside stylist expertise: convenience can make regular maintenance much easier.

Best for: cuts, colour, styling and central London appointments.

Consider: if you are booking colour, check the exact service duration and whether a consultation or preliminary testing is required.

Hershesons

Hershesons has established London locations in Belgravia and Fitzrovia, alongside a blow-dry bar at Selfridges on Oxford Street. The current Belgravia flagship is at 8A West Halkin Street, while the Fitzrovia flagship is on Berners Street.

The salon is particularly useful for people who want a broad choice of stylists and services under one brand. Its team includes specialists in cutting, colouring and extensions.

Its Belgravia space also combines hair services with other beauty and hospitality elements, although those extras should not be the reason you choose a stylist. The quality and relevance of the hair expertise should come first.

Best for: cuts, colour, styling, blow-dries and clients who want a choice of specialists.
Consider: identify the individual stylist or colourist you want before booking rather than choosing purely on the salon’s brand reputation.

Trevor Sorbie Covent Garden

Trevor Sorbie Covent Garden has a particularly strong connection with Covent Garden. The flagship salon dates back to 1979, according to the company’s history, and the group now operates salons in several UK cities.

The Covent Garden salon has also been highlighted by Time Out for its personalised approach to cutting and colour. Time Out reported that the salon uses gender-neutral pricing and that its stylists include experienced professionals and educators.

Trevor Sorbie also offers specialist services including grey blending and hair extensions. Its current grey-blending service is designed around the client’s existing colour and desired grow-out rather than applying one standard formula to everyone.

Best for: cuts, colour, grey blending, extensions and occasion hair.
Consider: allow enough time for a consultation if you are changing colour substantially.

Trevor Sorbie official website: https://trevorsorbie.com/

Windle London

Windle London is another established Covent Garden option, located on Shorts Gardens.

The salon says it opened in 1988 and now has a team of haircare professionals working across cutting, colour and styling. It also operates Windle Lab, where its own haircare products are developed and tested.

That combination of salon services and haircare development makes it an interesting choice for people who want to pay closer attention to hair condition as well as the finished style.

The salon is also particularly convenient for people spending time around Covent Garden, with the Covent Garden Underground station on the Piccadilly line nearby.

Best for: cutting, colour, styling and clients interested in ongoing haircare.
Consider: ask your stylist how the proposed cut will behave as it grows out and what products are genuinely necessary for maintenance.

Buller and Rice

For readers who want sustainability to be part of their salon choice, Buller and Rice offers a different proposition.

The salon group currently operates in Newington Green, Walthamstow and Wanstead and describes itself as a sustainability-focused London salon group. Its practices include refill options and partnerships with brands such as Davines and Oway.

This is particularly relevant for clients who consider the environmental side of their beauty routine, but sustainability should still be weighed alongside the actual hair expertise you need.

The salon says its team includes specialists in curly and textured hair, fine and thick hair, blondes, balayage and barbering.

Best for: sustainability-conscious clients, colour, cutting and a broad range of hair types.
Consider: tell the salon what matters most to you environmentally, as well as what you want from your hair.

Buller and Rice official website: https://www.bullerandrice.com/

Taylor Taylor London

Taylor Taylor London Shoreditch, at 137 Commercial Street in Spitalfields, is another established East London option.

Time Out describes the salon as a fashion-oriented space with a strong emphasis on stylist expertise and personalised service. Its review also notes the salon’s position close to Spitalfields Market and its reputation for editorial and fashion work.

The Shoreditch location makes it a natural option if you are already around Spitalfields, Brick Lane, Liverpool Street or the City fringe.

Best for: fashion-led cuts, colour and occasion styling.
Consider: premium surroundings can add to the overall experience, but concentrate on the stylist’s portfolio and the specific service when comparing prices.

Which London area is best for hair salons?

London’s strongest salon clusters are spread across several parts of the capital.

Covent Garden

Covent Garden is particularly strong for established salons and central London convenience. Trevor Sorbie, Windle London and Adam Reed are all located in or close to the area, while Brooks & Brooks also operates from Great Queen Street. Time Out has highlighted Covent Garden as an important concentration of established London hairdressing talent.

It can work particularly well if you want to combine an appointment with shopping, lunch or a West End theatre visit.

West London

Holland Park, Notting Hill, Belgravia and South Kensington are strong choices for premium salons and specialist colour or textured-hair services.

Josh Wood Colour Atelier is based in Holland Park, while Charlotte Mensah’s Hair Lounge is on Portobello Road. Hershesons has a major presence in Belgravia.

East London

Shoreditch, Spitalfields, Newington Green, Walthamstow and Wanstead offer a different mix of independent and sustainability-focused salons.

Taylor Taylor’s Commercial Street salon is particularly convenient for Spitalfields and Shoreditch, while Buller and Rice has locations across East London.

Best London salons by hair need

There is no single winner for every category. A more useful way to approach the choice is to match the salon to your appointment.

If you need…	Look for…	Shortlist
A precision haircut	Strong cutting portfolio	George Northwood, Trevor Sorbie, Windle London
Balayage	Experienced colourist	Josh Wood Colour, Adam Reed
Grey blending	Colour consultation and grow-out planning	Josh Wood Colour, Trevor Sorbie
Afro or textured hair	Proven specialist experience	Charlotte Mensah
Curly hair	Stylists experienced with natural texture	Charlotte Mensah, Buller and Rice
Hair extensions	Dedicated extension specialist	Trevor Sorbie, Hershesons
Blow-dry	Styling-focused service	Hershesons, Adam Reed
Sustainable hairdressing	Refill and lower-waste practices	Buller and Rice
Central London convenience	West End location	Adam Reed, Trevor Sorbie, Windle London
East London	Shoreditch / Spitalfields / East London locations	Taylor Taylor, Buller and Rice

This table is a starting point rather than a ranking. Individual stylists within the same salon can have very different strengths.

How much should you expect to pay at a London hair salon?

There is no useful single “average price” for London hairdressing.

A basic cut and finish, a senior stylist appointment, balayage, colour correction and extensions involve very different amounts of time and technical work. Location also affects prices.

For example, Josh Wood Colour’s current published menu prices balayage according to both the service and stylist level, with half-head balayage starting from £230 and full-head balayage from £295 at the lower listed stylist levels.

At the premium end, individual stylist prices can be substantially higher. Hershesons, for example, currently lists some senior stylist services at considerably different rates depending on the stylist and service.

Before booking, ask:

1. What is the full expected cost?
2. Does the price include toner or treatment?
3. Is a consultation included?
4. Will additional product or colour be charged?
5. How long will the appointment take?
6. What will maintenance cost at future visits?

This is especially important for colour. The cheapest initial appointment is not necessarily the cheapest option over a year if the result requires frequent corrective work.

What to take to your first salon appointment

A good consultation can prevent many disappointing haircuts and colour appointments.

Bring:

• Two or three photographs showing what you like.
• A photograph of your current hair if it has recently changed.
• Information about previous colour or chemical treatments.
• Details of any extensions you currently have.
• An honest description of your normal washing and styling routine.
• An idea of how much time you are prepared to spend styling your hair.
• Your approximate maintenance budget.

British Vogue’s salon etiquette guidance specifically recommends bringing visual references, particularly for new clients or when requesting a significant change.

Also tell your stylist what you do not want. “I want something like this, but I don’t want to lose more than two inches” is far more useful than simply showing a photograph and hoping the stylist interprets it correctly.

Hair colour safety: don’t skip the allergy conversation

Colour appointments require more planning than a haircut.

Hair dye reactions can cause itching, burning, rashes, dryness and blistering. The NHS says symptoms can take up to 72 hours to appear and identifies PPD, or paraphenylenediamine, as an ingredient found in many permanent and some semi-permanent dyes that can trigger irritation or allergic reactions.

The UK hairdressing industry has also developed a harmonised professional allergy-testing approach. The Hair & Barber Council says professional colour services can use manufacturer-specific professional protocols, Allergy Alert Tests or certain universal screening tests.

Do not assume a previous negative test means every future colour service is automatically safe. Different products can contain different formulations.

If you have previously reacted to hair dye or black henna, tell the salon before booking a colour service. The NHS specifically warns that previous black henna tattoos can increase the risk of an allergic reaction to PPD-containing hair dye.

A reputable salon should be able to explain its current allergy-testing requirements and the manufacturer’s instructions for the product being used.

Pros and cons of choosing a premium London salon

Pros

• Access to highly experienced stylists.
• Greater choice of specialist colourists.
• More extensive consultations for complex changes.
• Specialists for particular hair textures and techniques.
• Established salons may have strong training and education programmes.
• Better access to advanced colour and extension services.

Cons

• Prices can be significantly higher.
• Popular stylists may have limited availability.
• A famous salon does not guarantee that every stylist is right for you.
• Central locations can make appointments less convenient.
• Complex colour services may require several appointments.

The key lesson is simple: pay for relevant expertise, not just the name above the door.

A simple way to shortlist the right salon

If you are starting from scratch, use this five-step process.

1. Define the result: Do you want a trim, complete restyle, balayage, colour correction, extensions, curls or a blow-dry?
2. Identify your hair type: Be specific. “Curly” can cover a wide range of textures, and Afro-textured hair has its own technical considerations.
3. Find the relevant specialist: Look at the salon’s stylist profiles and portfolios rather than relying solely on the salon’s overall reputation.
4. Check the consultation and price: Ask for a clear explanation of what is included before agreeing to a major service.
5. Think about maintenance: A beautiful salon result that takes 90 minutes every morning to recreate may not be the right haircut for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final thoughts

The best hair salon in London is ultimately the one that understands the result you want and has the technical experience to deliver it.

For a haircut, concentrate on the stylist’s cutting work. For colour, look for a colourist whose portfolio matches your starting point and desired finish. For Afro, curly or textured hair, specialist experience should be a priority rather than an afterthought. And for any chemical colour service, ask about allergy testing before the appointment rather than on the day.

London gives you plenty of choice across Covent Garden, Fitzrovia, Belgravia, Holland Park, Notting Hill, Shoreditch, Spitalfields and East London. The smartest approach is to narrow that choice according to hair type, service, stylist expertise, location and ongoing maintenance.

Before booking, check the salon’s current service menu, prices, availability and testing requirements. Then take a few clear photographs for your consultation and be honest about your hair history. That small amount of preparation can make a much bigger difference than simply choosing the salon with the most famous name.