It counts numerous Hollyoaks and Coronation street stars amongst its regulars, boasting a star-studded line up of clients including actors Shayne Ward, Haiesha Mistry, Sophie Austin, Daisy Wood Davis, Nadine Mulkerrin, Lucy Fallon, Sair Khan and Mollie Winnard.
Reality TV star and glamour model Jemma Lucy is a fan too, as is X Factor star, singer and presenter Jake Quickenden, who found himself in the tabloids recently following a brief fling with Love Island’s Darylle Sergeant.
They come from far and wide to get glammed up at the opulent Manchester salon, a £1m venture that boasts striking Murano crystal chandeliers, marble dressing tables and custom-made Italian massage beds amongst its luxury fittings.
Situated just off King Street, a stone’s throw from Hotel Gotham – another favourite with visiting VIPs and celebrities – the salon is a self-proclaimed ‘one stop shop’ for beauty lovers looking for an indulgent pampering session.
Its treatment list covers all bases, spanning everything from hair and nails to make-up, facials, massage and waxing treatments.
They even have their own branded make-up line.
Sip on chilled glasses of champagne as you treat yourself to popular treatments such as the 4-minute nonsurgical facial, which promises to deliver the tuck of a facelift without the nip, or the kooky-sounding Hopi ear candle treatment; designed to restore balance and fix inner ear problems such as tinnitus, sinus problems and stress headaches.
To be clear, an ‘ear candle’ is not an actual candle but a hollow linen tube filled with beeswax, vitamins and oils. Its pointed end is placed in your ear, and the wider end is lit creating a light suction that generates a massage-like effect on the eardrum. Fancy.
Another treatment favoured by Manchester’s celebs is the salon’s signature Carita Diamond treatment which combines cell stimulation and LED therapy with traditional and scientific massage techniques.
It’ll set you back £125, but is well worth it to get you feeling all sparkly and red carpet ready for that special occasion.
The salon was opened in 2017 by actress Sadie Frost, who joked at the time it was the “furthest she’d ever travelled for a blow dry” – and has remained a firm favourite with the city’s glitterati ever since.
But there’s no snobbery here. It might be well loved by the A-list crowd, but founder Evelyn Congle has gone to great lengths to create a warm and welcoming for everyone.
So next time you’re looking for a luxury experience, why not give it a go? Diamond facials aside, it’s very reasonably priced – with a blow dry starting from just £26 and manicures priced from just £15. Not too shabby.