With the holidays mere weeks away — just over six, to be precise — the thought of an extended vacation has never been more on our mind. And considering that most of our favourite salons tend to shut up shop over the break (and beauty appointments are already being booked out), we thought that now was as good a time as any to remind you to lock in your essential, pre-holiday appointments to ensure that end-of-year glow.
After all, six weeks is still enough time adopt a new fitness routine, achieve your brightest shade of beachy blonde, get in that very last laser session or give yourself one final detox before summer truly takes hold. With that in mind, we’ve created a quick and easy shortlist to take the stress out of last-minute bookings.
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Hairdressers
Colleen: This K’Road salon is a firm favourite in the Denizen office, beloved for its talented team and the impressive products its stylists use. If you miss out on an appointment, at least pick up a mask and some conditioning treatments from here, to ensure your summer hair stays healthy.
M11 Studio: The results coming out of Newmarket’s M11 Studio are genuinely second to one. After all, a salon doesn’t garner the kind of reputation that this salon enjoys from nowhere. Our advice? Should you find an available booking, we recommend snapping it up without hesitation.
D&M: Here’s where you need to head if you’re looking to lighten your locks ahead of summer. We have it on good authority that stylist Shannon is the best blonde colourist in Auckland.
Facials
Spring Spa: With a raft of divine facials that cater to your every need, Spring Spa is a tried-and-true destination to prep your skin for warmer days ahead.
The Spa at Park Hyatt: When craving serenity and solitude, a facial that includes a staycation is a must — giving us the little extra downtime we need at this time of year.
The Facialist: For facials grounded in simplicity to enhance your natural beauty, The Facialist offers a raft of yoga-inspired treatments that will have your skin glowing for summer.
Sothys Bespoke Facial from Sofitel Spa: A considered, individualised philosophy underpins this luxurious one-hour and fifteen-minute experience and allows you to get the most effective treatment in the shortest amount of time.
Massages
East Day Spa: Provider of some of Auckland’s most divine massages, we think the stresses of this time of year offer a pretty good reason to book the new ‘The Sleep Specialist’ — designed to help you completely relax and unwind.
Tonic Room: I’ve long been an advocate for Tonic Room’s ‘Balancing Intuitive Massage’, which combines 60-minutes of mind-melting massage with the energetic healing prowess of 30-minutes of reiki.
Skinography: Although Kate’s buccal massages are perhaps her most iconic treatment, the body massages from this Jervois Road salon aren’t to be passed up either. Treat yourself to a ritual membership if you’re seeking this kind of relaxation all summer long.
Makeup Bookings
Beauty By Alexandra: As winner of the 2021 Denizen Everyday Heroes for Auckland’s favourite freelance makeup artist, there are few people we would trust more than Alexandra Stanworth to make us look luminous every time.
Rae Sacha: An extraordinarily-talented makeup artist who has a knack for bringing out the beauty in her clients every time (and creating flawless skin), Rae Sacha is worth booking in advance for any events you have coming up.
Phoebe Watt: Marrying an editorial slant with a decidedly natural approach, Phoebe Watt is the MUA you want on hand for any festive affairs.
Grayson Coutts: Having worked with local and international celebrities, on countless photoshoots and for many a private client, Coutts’ eye and attention to detail make him a glamourous go-to, indeed.
Personal Training Sessions
Xi Labs: Parnell’s newest boutique studio prides itself on intimate, if not one-on-one, sessions that embrace technological advancements to offer you a regime with lasting results.
Core Collective: Beloved by Denizen, both for its proximity to our office and because of the fact that it has some of the best pilates instructors in Auckland, sessions at Core Collective are a surefire way to slip into your healthiest summer self.
445 Run Club: A concept built on running, community connection and really early starts (if the name wasn’t a giveaway), this Friday morning exercise collective is one way to kickstart your weekend.
Manicures
INCO Studio: Purveyors of some of Auckland’s most intricate nail art, INCO is an essential destination for festive designs and fun talons.
Dune Nails: If you are lucky enough to find yourself in Tabitha van der Westhuizen’s books, you’ll already know the importance of making appointments in advance. We recommend keeping an eye on her Instagram for any cancellations — one appointment with her and your nails will never be the same.
East Day Spa: Beloved for its massages, East Day Spa’s subtle, nourishing manicures are also worthy of your attention. The ‘Warm Milk and Sandalwood Manicure’ considers more than just the nail, offering a much-needed relaxing hand massage, too.
Pedicures
The Art of Nails: Conveniently found in Commercial Bay, alongside all of your other essential postcodes, this is our one-stop-shop for any mani-pedi needs, and no one does summer-friendly feet quite like them.
Society: This Grey Lynn neighbourhood salon often flies under the radar but answers all our summer beauty needs. The ‘Yumi Callus Peel’ is a particular favourite to get any feet beach-, pool- or yacht-ready.
Detox Rituals
Little Bird Organics Juice Cleanse: Ahead of the silly season, where we tend to well and truly indulge, so prepping the body for what’s to come can stand you in good stead. Little Bird’s iconic juice cleanse ritual will act as a pre-season cleanser to clear your gut and skin and give you a boost of energy.
Hana Sauna Ritual: Sweating out the sins of the year is one way to prepare for all that is to come, and there’s nothing more relaxing, or effective than a moment of reprieve in an infrared sauna (perhaps with a side of invigorating contrast therapy).
My Beauty Room’s Sheila Perez Method: A sworn-by treatment among those in the know, this treatment is just like a lymphatic drainage massage, and focuses on sculpting and shaping the body via detoxing techniques — perfect for feeling snatched ahead of any occasion, or simply, to feel better in a bikini.
Hair Removal/Waxing
Off & On: Praised for its efficiency and calibre, Off & On is a collection of salons dedicated to body hair and brow services. Here, laser hair removal is made easy-peasy, so should you find yourself in need of a pre-summer touch-up, we recommend paying your closest location a visit.
Loft Skin + Beauty: It’s increasingly challenging to find a salon that offers really good, high-quality waxing services (for those that haven’t gone down the laser route). As such, we appreciate Mount Eden’s Loft Skin + Beauty’s simple, nearly painless approach to hair removal.
Spring Spa: At Spring Spa’s Ponsonby and St Helier locations, alongside their Wellington salon (should you find yourself down that way), hair removal comprises both body waxing and facial threading for those patches that push the bounds of ‘peach fuzz’.
Injectables
Clinic 1: Since recently discovering Clinic 1, we’ve been singing the praises of this incredibly talented team to anyone who’ll listen. Both Renjini and Tessa are efficient and highly knowledgeable about their craft.
Dr Sarah Hart: Beloved for her mastery and precision, there are only a handful of people we would trust entirely with our face — and Dr Sarah Hart is one.
Prescription Skin Care: Here, a medical approach informs beauty, using the latest in technology and new techniques to offer an injectable service that can always be relied upon when required.
