The Very Best Beauty Destinations in Wellington

From sculptural manicures to directional haircuts, holistic beauty treatments and a spot of retail therapy.

There’s plenty of pampering to be had in the capital, with Wellington’s robust beauty offering catering to even the most discerning clientele. Wellington is home to a plethora of salons, day spas and stores worthy of a visit.

These six spots will see you sit back and relax in an oversized copper tub, trial an artful new manicure, or find inner peace with an East-meets-West holistic beauty treatment.

Best of all, most are within walking distance of each other (especially important on a blustery day in the capital) in the heart of Wellington’s CBD.

Buoy Salon & Spa

Situated inside Wellington’s Majestic Centre, Buoy Salon & Spa is exactly that — majestic — with floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass roof, drenching the entirely monochrome studio with brilliant sunshine. Industrial accents in gleaming hints of silver add a level of opulence that’s sure to have you forgetting you’re sitting in Wellington CBD and not a New York City loft apartment. Unlike other salons where you can practically rub shoulders with a fellow client, at Buoy each station is an island, curved and floating, placed proudly at intervals across the floor and backlit to ensure colour accuracy and precision. Interiors aside, what you really come to Buoy for is its expertise when it comes to all things hair. For the past 35 years, the team has been creating exceptional hairstyles for clients, as evidenced by its longstanding reputation as the place to visit if your tresses need a little TLC.

Address: Majestic Centre, Level 2, 100 Willis St.

Contact: Buoy.co.nz

Off & On

Whether you’d like to smooth skin, fluff up your brows, or plump lips, Off & On’s Wellington location boasts the same expert personal grooming and appearance medicine services which we’ve come to know and love about the beauty franchise. With six locations spanning Aotearoa, take off unwanted body hair (should you wish) with waxing, facial dermaplaning or laser hair removal, add on brows or lashes, or try something slightly more invasive (but equally, effective) with injectables, dermal filler or needling to smooth fine lines and wrinkles or address volume loss.

Address: 22 Panama St.

Contact: Offandon.co.nz

Body Haven Day Spa

For a superior soak, look no further than this urban sanctuary, which promises total relaxation with a candlelight bath in one of its copper tubs. Known for its healing properties, copper is said to assist with flexibility and energy production. A welcome escape from the pressures of city living, Body Haven’s menu boasts a range of luxurious spa treatments, including massages, scrubs and personal grooming services to leave your body in ship-shape condition. If you’re unsure which treatment is right for you, allow one of Body Haven’s spa personnel to tailor a spa ritual that’s right for you, or gather a group of friends to try a spa party — complete with a massage and facial — for up to six people.

Address: Two Wellington locations: 2/2 Tory Street and Ground Floor, Spark Building, 42/52 Willis St.

Contact: Bodyhaven.co.nz

Hana-Akari

With a name that’s telling of its founder Miki Tameishi’s Japanese heritage, Hana-Akari means the brilliance of cherry blossoms, a metaphor which defines her mission for her holistic beauty practice: to illuminate her clients beauty. A fusion of Japanese expertise and techniques with Western training and experience, Miki draws on her background in reflexology, champissage (Indian head massage), reiki and aromatherapy to create balance in mind, body and soul. The most unique treatment on offer? A yoni sauna. Channel your inner Gwyneth Paltrow with a vaginal steam, touted to “cleanse, detoxify and heal your delicate womb space”.

Address: 278 Cuba St.

Contact: Hana-akari.co.nz

Naillington

Few nail salons can say they were shortlisted for an interior design award, but Naillington can. Working with commercial design specialists Tailor Inc. on its warm, sanctuary-like space, each area inside the salon feels inviting and homely, from the cosy nook in which to wait and select your polish of choice, through to the plush Eliz Spa massage chairs to recline in during a pedicure. Their combined efforts saw the space shortlisted for the 2022 Interior Design Awards, one of only 27 businesses across Aotearoa to do so. As impressive as its interiors is the calibre of nail art created in the chair, with Naillington technicians specialising in hyper-real designs creating using myriad polish options — from Builder-In-A-Bottle (BIAB) to Gel X or Dip Powder (SNS). Beyond nails, the salon also offers eyelash and eyebrow tinting as well as waxing appointments.

Address: 28 Willis St.

Contact: Naillington.com

Bebyhada

Sure, Lambton Quay has Mecca, but if you’re after an entirely different shopping experience, talk a stroll down Victoria St where you’ll find a small yet charming K-beauty and J-beauty boutique. Bebyhada, which loosely translates to “baby skin”, achieves its mission to help everyone achieve soft, smooth, baby-like skin with its budding range of products imported from South Korea and Japan. Bebyhada launched its online platform in early 2023, shipping K- and J-beauty to beauty fans around the world. Its swift success called for a bricks-and-mortar store, and the Victoria Street store opening in April drew crowds down the street and around the corner. Discover the skincare innovations from well-known K- and J-beauty skincare brands like Cosrx, Dr. Jart+, Innisfree, Shiseido and Shu Uemura lining its lavender walls, alongside whimsical makeup from Etude, Peripera, Rire and Unleashia.

Address: 16 Victoria St.

Contact: Bebyhada.co.nz