Tom Ford Beauty Store - 3 Market Building, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8RA

The newest addition to the Tom Ford enterprise: a stand-alone beauty store situated in the heart of new beauty mecca Covent Garden.

Opening its doors just last week, the store offers a range of out of this world services: you can try on lipsticks virtually with the help of augmented reality cameras, mix your own fragrance at the in-house laboratory, or ask for a make-up session to be recorded and sent to you via email.

The interior is reminiscent of the sci-fi films made in the early noughties; with round mirrors, framed with glowing-white neon lights. Pretty products are displayed on gigantic slabs of white marble and the elegant black-leather chairs could have easily been used as a prop in a Star Trek episode.

The shop is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the contemporary obsession with technological developments. Although Tom Ford products are renowned for their extremely high quality and inventive design, the shop is worth a visit just for the experience.

Book an appointment: tomford.com

BIRCHBOX POP-UP at 43 Carnaby Street, W1F 7EA

The popular online store has opened its first physical location on London’s Carnaby Street for the holidays.

Until the 30th of January, you can pop in and try the same services you would use on the website, plus more.

Beauty boxes with a fantastic selection of small-sized products are sold for 15 pounds a pop. Products are categorised based on how much customers like them, and each shelf caters to a different budget, across a range of brands.

The founders, Katia and Hayley wanted to recreate the cosiness and comfort of being at home, a vibe that has become synonymous with Birchbox. No fuss, no promos, just good quality for decent prices.