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This well-staffed hair salon franchise—started in Paris in the 1960s—is known as the Vidal Sassoon of Europe. At the eight corporate-owned Manhattan locations, customers—many of them walk-ins—are whisked from black cushy waiting benches to work stations for a brief but thorough shampoo and head massage before being placed with factory efficiency in front of a mirror. Draped in black, stylists equipped with whirring electronic clippers (a popular European technique) favor precise, sleek cuts accented with an urban edge. The salons offer basic trims, blow-dries, color treatments, trend highlights, kids' cuts, waxing, and barber services for men. Further streamlining the beauty process, hair-care and styling products by Tigi Bed Head, Matrix Biolage, and Redken are for sale on the way out. — Erin Coe

The salon has regular shampoo and blow-dry promotions, and discounts are available for students, corporations, and frequent customers.