Atmosphere and staff: The salon is intimidating and enormous, with the look and texture of a smart London restaurant. The staff, however, were friendly and welcoming.

Products and treatments: Our pregnant spy was attracted by the promise of a special treatment: cut, colour and manicure using safe, non-smelly products. Stacey, an experienced colourist, reassured her that the products were all safe for pregnancy, but at no point did our spy get the impression that anything different was happening. For example, when she had her hair washed, the junior wasn’t told to use anything special. However, Stacey added a nice blonde colour to our spy’s mousy hair.

She then received a perfectly competent cut, and her manicure. The manicurist made a point of the polishes being chosen to be unsmelly – but the use of acetone rather ruined the effect.

The experience costs something in the region of £250, depending on stylists. The excellent Stacey may be well worth the money; but as a touchy-feely especially-safe-for-pregnant-person package, our spy didn’t buy it. She did, however, buy Louise Galvin’s range of hair products, Sacred Locks: all-natural, chemical-free and very effective.

Highs: Stacey.

Lows: Not living up to the promise.

Marks out of five: Three.

If you have a salon that you either love or hate, e-mail sarah.vine@thetimes.co.uk

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