Health and beauty in Moscow

The Chop-Chop founders Danila, Alexei and Evgeny one day got very annoyed by the attacks of Chop-Chop clients' girlfriends who begged them to open a similar beauty-shop for them. A year after the first Chop-Chop opening the guys built up a new team and launched the first female hairdressing salon Ptichka. It is divided in two halls: one for haircuts and another for manicure. The philosophical basis of the shop is naturalness. The whispering of a vinyl record player, light walls, vintage furniture and refined clientele take the everyday routine away as you step in here.

Mr. Right Barbershop is a men only kind of place where true guys can have their hair cut and their beards trimmed or ideally shaved. It is a classical barber shop with an appropriate atmosphere: 60-70s vintage armchairs, stained wooden furniture, and granite table tops. As for the quality of the service, all the barbers are pedantic and very accurate and are always up for a lively chat.

The most renowned public bathhouse in Moscow celebrated its 205th anniversary last year. The atmosphere, authority and its environment may be compared to the legendary Roman thermae but the latter as we all know are in ruins. Sanduny in the meanwhile seems to be indestructible and survived all the hard times, reconstructions and removals, as well as the infamous fire in 1812 and the merciless exploitation of the building in the Soviet era. The large space is divided into five sections, three for men and two for women. There is also a restaurant, a beauty-shop and a laundry set in these spectacular imperial interiors. Some celebrities used to take a steam bath here right besides common people: Asia Argento, John Travolta, and Dolph Lundgren, just to name a few.

This beauty salon is for girls only: pink walls, fabric lamps, antique cabinets, portraits of ladies in gilt frames, tiles in floral. Girls indeed often gather here to have a little chat about boyfriends and to get their nails done. In addition clients are often served with champagne which makes it all even more exciting. There are regular movies screenings, "My Fair Lady" as well.

One of the first real beauty shops where you can enjoy a movie, drink a cup of tea and sit long hours chatting with your friend. The shop works with Essie nail polish brand which means you will have to spend at least an hour choosing the right color out of hundreds of shades. An outstanding color range is the brand's strong point. Besides Essie you will find Deborah Lippmann products of characteristically fancy shades without any dangerous substances added. The girls who work here are extremely pedantic and do everything in a very accurate manner. Besides the armchairs are so comfortable that you will hardly want to stand up.

Fen Dry Bar is a salon of a rare beauty genre for Moscow. You won't get a cut or coloring for your hair, only drying and styling it. However a comprehensive hair care can also be booked in advance. On the weekdays one can also get a manicure here. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays the makeup section is added to the service.

Three friends Danila, Alexei and Evgeny once decided to change their lives. They abandoned fashion medias where they used to work and opened a Chop-Chop barbershop the number of branches which is constantly increasing now. The interiors are in style of classical American barbershops and they do the American '50-'60s hairstyles here as well. It's the first spot in Moscow where you can get a trendy haircut at a good price. Nikolai, Europe's champion in hairdressing, is the head of the masters' gang. They pay attention not only to the hair itself but also to beards. You feel like in a gentlemen's club here: fancy music, free beverages, vintage furniture. Moscow dandies find themselves here when escaping from their wives and girlfriends to pass some time among those who take the hint.

Tsvetnoy Central Market deserves attention literally starting from the entrance. The building created by the architect Yuri Grigoryan is unique for contemporary Moscow. It depends on the season which route to choose when in Tsvetnoy Central Market. In summer you go right up to the roof café with marvelous city view. In winter down to the basement where you will find a Christmas market with local designers stuff. The fifth floor is interesting with its farmers market and gastronomy points (one of them is really Soviet like with all those traditional salads and cutlets). The brand locating scheme is as follows: make up and mass-market goods are downstairs, luxurious brands and selective perfumes upstairs. The upper the floor the higher the prices. Acne, MM6 Maison Martin Margiela, Edun, All Saints, Maje, Sandro, Zadig & Voltair, Reiss, A.P.C., Cédric Charlier, Paul & Joe Sister, Vivienne Westwood are among the brands here. Not everybody keeps in mind a perfume and beauty corner on the third floor though it's the only place in Moscow where perfume maniacs can buy Mai Couture and April Aromatics products.

Previously Winzavod was famous for contemporary art exhibitions, now mostly for selective beauty brands like Malin+Goetz, Panpuri, Acca Kappa, Urban Tribe, Tokyo Milk, PhiLab which may be found in Cosmotheca concept store. The shop is focused on the leading ethical niche beauty and perfume brands from all over the world. Sales launch of every new brand is always quite a happening in Cosmotheca whether it is a party or a public talk with brand ambassadors. In the beauty shop attached to the store they use all the brands from Cosmotheca so that you may not only get new haircut, facial or body massage but also try the products you'd love to. Since recently Faux Pas tattoо studio which has tattooed at least half of Moscow fancy youth locates here.

"It is important to remember that it is not a beauty salon. We won't wash your hair 5 times or fuss around you for an hour and a half. We will give you a neat and quick haircut while you're flipping through businness magazines, comic books or a fresh issue of an American GQ. Come here with your laptop, help yourself to tea or icy-cold Jägermeister – we don't mind. All in all, do what you want" – says on its website. In Chop-Chop they don't just cut your hair, but can also make you great coffee in La Marzocco coffee machine, hand-made in Florence. Or you can simply come here for a cup of coffee to go.