Cocktails & high-end hair care at Sydney CBD salon Mary Keith

An Art Deco-inspired beauty salon in Sydney CBD, offering bouncy blow dries, non-toxic manicures, and excellent cocktails.

When fashion designer turned salon founder Katie Griffin began to put the wheels in motion to open Mary Keith – a project that had been a dream for her and her partner since they met – she recruited an interior designer from Melbourne to work on the design. Several lockdowns later, Griffin decided to take on the task herself, and the result is phenomenal. The brass-trimmed, light-filled space in Sydney’s CBD combines Mediterranean style – inspired by the time Griffin spent living in Ibiza – with Art Deco features.

Arch-shaped shelving spaces house a minimalist collection of high-end, non-toxic beauty products, designer chairs (from Jardan and Sarah Ellison) are perfectly placed alongside tan-coloured treatment chairs, and behind the sleek granite bar – lined with Italian designer tiles from Skheme – mirrored shelves are stocked with bottles of liquor waiting to be crafted into cocktails. It’s clear the moment you enter the space – just off Sydney’s busy Martin Place – that Mary Keith is a beauty salon that goes above and beyond.

Treatments range from vegan mani-pedis to event makeup to lash extensions to blow dries, with a focus on toxin-free, eco-friendly products and practices where possible. And while the treatments themselves are exceptional – with high-end products and a notably talented team – it’s the holistically indulgent experience of Mary Keith that sets it apart.

As you settle in, you’ll be offered to choose a drink from the cocktail menu: a carefully curated selection which includes three monthly specials alongside the classics. I chose a spicy margarita, which was made with hand-infused tequila and struck the perfect balance of spicy to sweet. During treatments, guests are plied with popcorn and San Pellegrino, and a candle burning behind the bar laces the air with something woody and slightly sweet. Though its primary function is as a salon, this place could just as easily function as a straight-up high-end cocktail bar.

“We wanted to create a space that was timeless and elegant, yet still welcoming, relaxing, and beautiful – for our clients to escape and unwind,” explains Griffin.

Appointments can be booked via marykeithbeauty.com.au, and you can follow Mary Keith on Instagram @marykeithbeauty