I regularly visit this great salon in the Northern Quarter to get my nails done by the lovely…read moreHarriet. Harriet came on high recommendations from a friend and I would recommend her to anyone. Friendly team and excellent service. Harriet is fast and my gel nails always look fab and last longer than any others I've had in the past. You also get offered a complimentary glass of bubbles which goes down a tear while getting your nails pampered. Gel nails cost £22 with removal of previous set included. I recently had my gels off which is £5 or free with any service, so I opted for a file and polish which cost £8 and lasted literally 10 days before it started to chip. Amazing! You can book online and I would highly recommend Harriet's service for nails. I can't comment on other beauticians as haven't experienced their services.

I have now been coming here for my Brazilian Waxing for the last couple of months (after an…read moreextended period of being a Brazilian Waxing Company regular who always struggled to get a short notice appointment and never had the same waxist more than once, then a few forays into City Spa Escapes with their fantastic lycon hot wax but extortionate prices) and am finally settled and happy. Conversation with Harriet is never stilted but not too much; she's normal and friendly and down to earth. She doesn't judge me for my low pain threshold and gets the job done quickly and as pain free as possible. It's excellent value for money and a lovely salon too. A very personal service, and you even get a discount in the week running up to and just after your birthday! Couldn't recommend them more!

Being dreadful at styling my own hair and attending a 'go glam' New Year's Eve bash I didn't even…read morebother trying to style my own hair. As usual I left it until the last minute and was amazed that Kara's Blow Dry Bar still had appointments on the night. Handily on John Dalton Street close to it's junction with Deansgate I tripped down to see what they could do. The space is fairly sparse with some large mirrors with chairs on one side and a couple of sinks on the other. I had to wait a while at the desk to be seen, the receptionist appeared to have gone for her lunch and there was no rushing her as she came in, took her lunch to the back and then slowly walked back to greet me checking her phone. Once seen I was taken for my hair to be washed and asked how I would like it styling. Luckily for me I had seen the 'menu' online so went for the Californian blow wave. I wasn't offered this list whilst in the salon which, is a shame, I was glad I had looked it up online! I wasn't expecting the stylist to manage my dry curly hair the way other people's was being styled but you know what? She did it. It was effortless and my hair had that bounce and curl you see in the movies. I was really impressed and, for £18, I don't think you can grumble at the price. The service needs sharpening for me, I was up for having lashes applied and had seen an offer on the menu including them but unfortunately this wasn't offered. I also saw everyone else in the salon had a glass of fizz in front of them, none for me. It's, once again, an optional extra that I wasn't offered. This service could be amazing and with a little brushing up (pun intended) it will hit 5 stars.

I visited Kara's before our Christmas do at All Star Lanes - it being a 50's theme, we were…read moreprepared to properly go 'all out' and get glammed up for the occasion. Not being the best at styling our own hair, myself and two colleagues booked into Kara's a few hours before the party to get victory-curled within an inch of our lives. Inside, it feels clean and inviting. Large mirrors line one side of the room and sinks for washing hair the other. I believe there is a tanning booth hidden away towards the rear of the room, though that is something for another day! We had our hair washed and taken to the styling chairs, which is where it all got a bit uncomfortable for me. I had the newest girl in the shop - it was quite literally her first time doing an up do - and she was rather taken aback by my hairstyle. Despite having photos of 50's styles, as requested, that were based on shorter hair, she kept repeating that she didn't know quite what to do because "your hair is so short." (For the record, it's short on one side, and fairly thick, and I've had it styled before!) I understand that, perhaps, she was just explaining her process to me, but it made me feel really embarrassed and almost like I shouldn't have bothered getting it done. My quiff stayed up all night, but it was nothing special compared to my colleagues' styles. Sorry Kara, but if you're only going to be offering your services to those with easy, long hair, I'm going to go elsewhere.

Whenever I mention the Brazilian Waxing Co to my female friends, the reaction is always the same;…read morethey go white, cross their legs and say 'oooph!' It's pretty much a universal reaction amongst the girls, whilst men either stare blankly as if to say 'eh?' or nudge each other and go 'fnurr fnurr! Eh! Eh! Hehehehe!' like excited monkeys. And nine times out of ten, I'm not even talking about this place because of its waxing of down-there hair. You see, despite its fear-inducing name, Brazilian Waxing Co does more than just your ladygarden. I've been coming here since it opened a couple of years ago, for various treatments but one in particular. Eyebrow threading. If you haven't heard of it, or you're not sure what it is, you only need to know three things: one, it's quicker than plucking, and more precise than waxing; two, it lasts longer; and three, it really, really bloody hurts! But it is so worth it; when I'm done with my threading, I look in the mirror and the pain instantly fades; all I can think of is how great my eyebrows look. As any girl will tell you, a good eyebrow lifts the face. The threading treatments I have had here have always been top-notch, excellent value at £7 and I would recommend it as the best place for threading in Manchester. The only place that tops it is a salon I visit when I'm in London. So, if you need your eyebrows done, you know where to go, but what of the rest of their treatments? Well, I'm not gonna go into too much detail for the faint hearted amongst you, but the bikini waxing service is efficient and they try and make you as comfortable as possible. There's no need to be embarrassed, these girls have seen thousands of downstairses, and they'll see thousands more. What makes me slightly uncomfortable is the design of the shop and treatment rooms, which are basically enclosed booths. The walls don't reach all the way to the ceiling, and sound carries pretty well, so it's hard to relax completely. The basic bikini wax is £10, Brazilian £20, and they'll take it all off for £25 (in for a penny, in for a pound, as my wise old nan might say). In terms of what else they wax; pretty much whatever you want. Arms, legs, tummies, chins. And yes, boys, they do offer the back, sack and crack, at an eye-watering (you're not wrong there...) £50. They also do lash and brow tinting for both genders (in case your manscara isn't quite cutting it...) So if you've got unwanted hair, anywhere, get down to Brazilian Waxing Co.

Thank you so much Miss Kay for making me feel at ease. Lovely job on my legs, Mistress was very…read morehappy and thought they looked very sexy in stockings. Walk to the taxi rank not to far. Thankfully davina

I travel over an hour to get to the Manchester Salon because I'm so pleased with the whole…read moreexperience. Friendly atmosphere, lovely surroundings and excellent care. I am a client of Emma's who is fantastic - highly skilled, lovely person and totally happy with each treatment I've had with her. Wouldn't go anywhere else now :) Annie

This must be one of Manchester's beauty elite's secrets. I came here to claim (yet another) Living…read moreSocial voucher. I first made an appointment over the phone and the staff on the line were professional and an appointment was made on my preferred date. When I arrived, it was early but the place was already quite busy but the staff remained calm and friendly. The reception/waiting area was beautifully furbished, clean and well-maintained. While I was waiting, a lady came to water the plants and pluck out dead leaves and a handyman came to fix/clean the air conditioner. The waiting room was infused with some aromatherapy smell and played relaxing "massage/yoga" music. They had professionally printed treatment lists and literature, which gave me confidence that they would be offering a high standard of service. The prices are very reasonable. You could even purchase a £30 for £60 deal on the Yelp App and if you Check-In here, you get 40% off your first treatment! (I will almost definitely be treating myself again after this visit!)