Pretty Pinkies at The Powder Room

I kicked off my Tuesday afternoon by popping to The Powder Room in Soho for a summer pedi. Within the hour, I was scrubbed, filed, nipped and polished - all with Mavala products - and now have perfect pinkies for my impending holiday to the party island. 

The downstairs parlour where my pinkies were pampered

The salon itself is a hidden gem, just tucked away from the bustle of Carnaby St among a sprinkling of vintage boutiques and craft shops. Offering a charming menu of make-up, hair styling and manicures, The Powder Room oozes 50's kitsch with its oh-so-girly pink and black decor, touches of lace and one-off mirrors, old-style dressers and custom made stools and storage boxes. The therapists - aka 'The Powderpuff Girls' - are perfectly groomed, with thematic coiffed hair, mini fascinators and pink and black tunics with bow detailing. Pretty and petite from the outside, the salon's reception/retail area is just a taster of what the salon offers, as the real beauty appears downstairs, where a studio room caters to makeovers and pedicures, drenched in natural light from a stunning glass ceiling.

The 'ring finger' trend on my tootsies

A Mavala virgin (I've met the minds behind it but never before tried the products), I was asked to pick a polish from the new six-strong summer collection, a splattering of neon shades demoed in pop art packaging. I opted for a hot fuchsia pink (apparently the most popular with press) but ever the non-conformist, I asked for a touch of turquoise on my fourth toe on each foot to test out the 'ring finger' nail trend, as shown off by tennis ace Serena Williams at Wimbledon. But will it catch on? The therapist loved it, and so do I! And despite having to get on a tube, train and walk about a mile through torrential rain in flip-flops (that jingle when I walk - who puts mini BELLS on flip-flops? Accessorize does), my feet are still looking and feeling pretty rosy, even if they're not the most photogenic pair of flippers in the world...