Dressed to the nines in a party dress and gold heels, I am sipping a drink and laughing with a friend as we debate what to order next from the barman. So far so festive, but I’m not at a Christmas party.
In fact, it’s only noon, my hair’s in curlers, and we’re in one of London’s most exclusive hair salons.
Jack, our stylist-slash-waiter, wields a hairdryer more effectively than James Bond ever fired a gun, and pours pink champagne with as much style as 007 shakes a vodka martini.
It’s all part of the service here at Jo Hansford, located in top department store Harvey Nichols — just one of a growing number of salons that are now offering a fully-fledged Christmas party, complete with a licensed bar, while you get ready for . . . well, your next Christmas party.

Many salons offer full-fledged Christmas parties, with a licensed bar and a host of other amenities. Pictured: Emily Hill at Jo Hansford in Harvey Nichols
Every woman knows that the most enjoyable part of a night is getting dressed with your friends, sharing your make-up, and drinking copious quantities of wine.
Instead of doing it at home with a messy eyeliner application, or having to do it again after the first tip is applied, you can now style this look.
It was a common practice in the past to enjoy a glass of champagne with our hair. But this is a new — and fabulous — world.
Some of these super salons even have private members’ clubs on the premises.
‘We’ve been crazy busy since mid-November,’ explains top hairdresser Joanna Hansford, whose client list includes HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and Hollywood A-lister Angelina Jolie.
‘Many of our clients said they spent so long in leisure-wear during the lockdowns, and saved money by not buying clothes or going out to nice places, that they are making up for it and want the works!
‘It’s as if we’ve all had this collective realisation that life is short, we need to make the most of it and remember to have fun.’
The popularity of pre-party salas is capturing the imagination this December. We may have overcompensated in 2021 after the pain of Christmas being cancelled in 2020.
Ricky Walters is a ‘pioneer in cosmetology’ (the science of beautifying hair, nails, and skin) who has tended the tresses of Sandra Bullock. He was also an early adopter of this trend, opening Salon64, ‘a social hub for the 21st-century trendsetter’, in West London in 2017.
He also agrees with the assertion that it is enjoying a boom in popularity this year.

Rachel Foster, 35 years old, is a professional in public relations. She says that this Christmas, getting ready to go out makes her feel more important. Pictured: Rachel Foster kicks off Christmas celebrations with her friends at Beards And Brows in Altrincham, Greater Manchester
‘We’ve seen huge numbers of group bookings,’ he says. ‘Make-up artists, blow-dries, cocktails and canapés — we have it all covered. Ladies don’t want to be cramped in a friend’s flat all fighting over an undersized mirror, rushing to do their make-up and hair.’
Once his team have primped and preened clients, at 7pm the salon transforms into a private members’ club and the party goes on until 11pm.
Of course, it’s also convenient for the salon owners, who make the most of a captive audience by flogging us fizz while our hair is being expertly de-frizzed.
Ricky thinks that the rising demand can be attributed in part to people who work remotely. ‘Many city dwellers have moved out to the suburbs,’ he explains. ‘So groups of friends need one central location to get their glam on in a “home away from home” setting.’
Rachel Foster (35), a PR professional, believes that dressing up for a night out is more important than ever.
It’s the most enjoyable part of the evening to get ready with the girls
Beards And Brows is Altrincham’s new salon. You can have a Christmas hair party there, and also enjoy cocktails with your blow-dry at the bar.
She says: ‘We decided to start our work party at the salon before a meal at The Ivy and a night of karaoke, because we wanted to put the fun back into everything.
‘I’ve got two small children. Before lockdown, I probably would’ve forgotten to brush my hair before the annual Christmas party, never mind booking into a place with an on-site bar and DJ.
‘But like everyone else, I spent 18 months sitting at home in comfy clothes, social distancing and now we can enjoy ourselves again.
‘Getting ready to go out together used to be the best part of the night.

Emily (picture) says pre-Christmas parties at a salon for the whole family sounds like more fun than last-minute present-wrapping
‘And if you think about how many separate appointments all the girls need to get ready for a big night out, it makes sense to get them all done at once with a salon deal which also offers bottomless prosecco.’
Beards And Brows’ treatments close at 8 p.m. but customers are free to continue partying till 11 p.m.
Andrew Sharples, the salon’s creator, started offering pints on his premises after going to get his hair cut with his ex-girlfriend: although he was finished after half an hour, he had to wait outside for another three and a half hours before she was done.
Beauty Club, with celebrity stylist Moe Harb, is another new favourite in London’s Oxford Circus, catering for non-Londoners travelling to the capital, who need a one-stop make-over shop (hair, nails, the works) before their night out.
Cocktails are matched to your nails — like mojitos to manicures. There is a DJ, mixologist and disco ball.
‘We take the concept of a “nail bar” quite literally,’ says Jennifer Read-Dominguez, the salon’s co-founder. ‘Cocktails are matched to your nail design — French manicure to fizz, mojitos to manicures. We have a disco ball, DJ and mixologist on the premises.’
Beauty Club’s customers range from groups of elegant women heading out for a nice meal to models and television stars.
For a special treat, whole families are welcome. Andy, of Andy’s Salon in upmarket Wimbledon, tells me: ‘We offer pre-Christmas parties for the whole family — in one hour, we can get clients cut and blow-dried with instant repair hair treatment and perfect nails.’
That sounds more entertaining than gift-wrapping last minute or staying at home with your mum and sister to prepare for Christmas dinner.
These salons have a seriously glamorous look and are decorated to match any bar’s cocktail menu.

Emily says standing under mistletoe with your tenth mince pie feels better when you’ve had a relaxing hour in the salon chair. Rachel and her friends from Beards and Browns
Harvey Nichols is where I had my hair done. There’s a salon upstairs where you can have your colour done, and also sip champagne from a bar that has foils.
A three-year renovation at Harrods has resulted in an impressive beauty hall that spans 90,000 feet.
Treatment spaces include a Conditioning Bar, Hairdressing Rotunda, Eye Zone, and a Hair Extension Library —which doesn’t sound half bad if you’re a Saudi princess and want to book the whole place out to prep for an evening with your girlfriends.
But what about if you’re just a normal woman who wants to look her best before attending a Christmas party?
Following our Champagne at Jo Hansford, Harvey Nichols, our friends and me stopped by Knightsbridge bars before going to the first season-opening drinks party.
And I must say, standing under mistletoe with your tenth mince pie just feels better when you’ve had a relaxing hour in the salon chair, caught up on all the essential gossip with your best friends and know you are looking your very best.
The year 2022 might see me swap party-parties for pamper-parties permanently — particularly with all that pink champagne flowing.