Dubai’s glut of luxury spas, grooming parlours and beauty treatment centres means there’s never any excuse for letting your beauty routine slip. Get the essentials sorted, each in under an hour, with Time Out’s favourite super-quick spots for men and women.

Hair

Beauty Within: Ask for Mirvat, a young Lebanese woman who’s a dab hand with a pair of scissors and has always given us exactly what we’ve asked for, with no messing around. The salon also sells great hairpieces, which are a the perfect time-saver if you can’t be bothered with in-salon extensions.
Cut and blow-dry Dhs250-Dhs300. The Jewels, Dubai Marina (04 430 8719).

Hair Works: There are several branches of this salon around Dubai, so it’s usually relatively easy to get a last-minute appointment, although Jumeirah Beach Residence houses our favourite of the group. What’s more, a cut
and blow-dry won’t break the bank. Ask for Uzma, who re-styled our locks and gave us a great new sweeping fringe in less than 40 minutes.
Cut and blow-dry Dhs240. Ladies only. Various locations including Jumeirah Beach Residence (04 437 0222).

FOR HIM Man/Age: Getting an express short-back-and-sides in this town often means cutting corners (pun wholly intended) when it comes to quality. Happily, this isn’t the case at Man/Age, where stylish gents can get their manly manes shorn in less than 30 minutes for a price that’s right. While it’s advisable to make a booking, in the past we’ve arrived without an appointment and have been seen straight away. Ask for Reggie.
Dhs80 for a men’s haircut. Men only. Arjaan Rotana, Dubai Media City (04 437 0868).

Nails

Tips & Toes: Last-minute Larrys (or Lauras, in this case) will be pleased to hear Tips & Toes can almost always fit you in on the day. A quick manicure takes around 30 minutes, so you’ll be finished well within the confines of your lunch hour. If you’re really pushed for time and are more concerned about chipped nails than the state of your cuticles, a polish change takes just 15 minutes. The boss never needs to know.
Dhs80 for manicure, Dhs35 polish change. Ladies only. Various locations including Amwaj 4, Jumeirah Beach Residence (04 429 3477).

Salon Kalm: Some nail salon neck and shoulder massages may leave you feeling borderline abused, but not here. Book a manicure – 40 minutes without polish, 50 minutes with – and have
a 30-minute massage at the same time. You’ll make it back to the office just in time, providing you don’t fall asleep in the super-comfy chair.
Manicure Dhs60 with polish, Dhs55 without. Neck and shoulder massage Dhs70. Ladies only. Shoreline Apartments building 8, Palm Jumeirah (04 451 9988).

FOR HIM 1847: This male grooming lounge knows its client base well. It’s not cheap, and primarily serves business customers, but this means you can expect minimal messing around – we were
in and out in less than 25 minutes. As well as being super speedy, the staff are extremely professional, and the atmosphere is relaxed – there’s even MTV playing in the background. For a manly manicure, it’s our go-to.
Dhs85 for manicure. Men only. Various locations including Emirates Towers Boulevard (04 330 1847).

Waxing

N.Style: There are a number of N.Style branches around town, but it’s the staff at Marina Mall who have managed to ensure we return every three weeks (as instructed) for a wax. As many women will attest, hair removal is not an experience one wishes to draw out, so we’re extremely grateful to Loeiley for her remarkable efficiency, completing a Brazilian wax in less than 10 minutes.
Bikini wax from Dhs40. Ladies only. Various locations including Dubai Marina Mall (04 434 2616).

Spaces: Not only are the technicians at this salon quick, but they also use a fantastic hard wax, which means no messing around with strips. This spot also gets 10 out of 10 for hygiene (there’s no double-dipping in the wax pot). If you forget to make an appointment, or just optimistically turn up, they’ll always try their best to squeeze you in at the last minute.
Half leg from Dhs50. Ladies only. Oasis Centre Mall (04 515 4400).

FOR HIM Urban Male Lounge: Whether you’ve something of a rug across the back or just a few unruly strays that need dealing with (it’s getting warm enough for the beach again, after all), get it seen to here.
The last time we visited we only had to wince our way through 20 minutes for a back wax, rather than the usual 30. Rarely are we so grateful for efficiency.
Back wax from Dhs180. Men only. Mall of the Emirates (04 395 1103).