Dirty, gray Moscow would hardly seem a town for the beautiful, but with so many well-turned-out women running around, you cannot help but wonder how they do it, as you contemplate your weary self in the mirror and wipe Moscow's grime off your weather-beaten face. How do they always manage to look like they just walked out of a beauty parlor?


Well, it takes some extra effort and commitment. And like anywhere else, a lot depends on finding the right hairdresser -- someone who won't go to town with the scissors when all you want is a trim, for example.


Moscow now has a variety of beauty centers that cater to a variety of needs, which should keep those bad-hair days to a minimum and help you feel like a queen -- even if you just got splashed by those mafia goons whizzing by in their Rolls Royce.


Lady Anne. One of Moscow's better-kept secrets, this salon, a Russian-Spanish joint venture, uses the medium-priced Spanish Lady Anne trademark products and provides a surprisingly inexpensive range of services. The interior is no frills but clean, and staff, refreshingly, are not overbearing.


A haircut starts at 70,000 rubles ($18), which includes set and blow dry; highlights run an added 45,000 rubles.


A full body massage, which is more for skin than muscle, runs approximately 80,000; hair removal starts at 30,000 rubles and a deep penetrating elektrokatiodermal facial is a reasonable 48,000 rubles.


Lady Anne. Ulitsa Chernikhovskogo 4, Metro Aeroport, tel. 155-89-29. Appointments and walk-ins. Open Monday through Saturday 9 A.M.-9 P.M.


Tressals. One of Ireland's latest contributions to the Russian market is the Tressals Beauty Salon, just above the Garden Ring Supermarket on Ulitsa Seramitchova. Since August 1994, Tressals has been offering foreigners and Russians what they define as an "image consultancy."


"We try to provide a different angle in hairdressing," said Helga Kampff, whose title is manager and artistic director. "We can decorate someone from head to toe."


The salon offers a variety of hair and beauty services, including counseling on the latest styles in European hairwear.


"Some clients come in and tell us they want just to change their look completely," said Kampff, who attributes Russians' interest in getting a total renovation to the popularity of Western styles.


Ladies' hair care starts at 156,000 rubles for a simple haircut and can reach approximately 390,000 for foil highlights together with a wash, cut and blow dry. Tressals' Gents salon offers treatments with cut and blow dry averaging 136,000. A beard trim costs 58,500. Tressals also offers a scalp massage for 78,000 rubles.


Tressals is the only licensed carrier in Moscow of Decleor, the upmarket French cosmetic line based on plant extracts and "essential oils" to soothe skin ravaged by Moscow's harsh conditions.


Skin treatments include a mini-facial for 105,000. The Cadillac of facials costs 440,700 -- the "Avenue Decleor Facial," which lasts an hour and 45 minutes.


Other services include capillary treatments for 265,200, eye-area treatment sessions for 780,000 for a course of six, as well as counseling on make-up techniques for 159,000 rubles per lesson.


Tressals is also beginning its Bridal Special -- a six-week program of weekly sessions for soon-to-be brides who want take care of all of their beauty needs before the big day.


Tressals. Serafimovitcha Ulitsa 3, Metro Borovitskaya, tel: 231-8207. Appointments and walk-ins. Open seven days a week, 9 A.M-9 P.M.


Wella Dolores. Wella Dolores bills itself as the most exclusive coiffeur in Moscow and says its clients include some of Russia's most glamorous celebrities, diplomats and other glitterati who, as Wella Dolores' managing director Tatyana Belchenskaya, puts it, want to get their hair done by "masters."


All hair services are provided in a very posh and carefully designed interior that also has an adjoining cafe.


The products are by Wella, the well-known German hair-care company.


The staff of more than 30 hairdressers and assistants boasts some of Russia's hairdressing stars, including Sergei Zverev and Irina Boranova, both winners in international hair competitions.


Though prices vary according to the stylist, generally a haircut starts at 45 DM ($30) plus 17,000 rubles; highlights start at 71 DM plus 20,000 rubles.


A full leg-wax job is 20 DM plus 10,000 rubles, and a facial and makeup session runs 56 DM and 22,000 rubles.


Wella Dolores. Ulitsa Myaskovskogo 12, Bldg 2-3, tel: 290-5137. By appointment only. Open Monday through Saturday 8 A.M.-9 P.M.


Yves Rocher. One of the first European beauty salons to operate in Moscow, the well-known French company provides services for both men and women.


A haircut with set and style runs $45. Men's haircuts cost around $30, depending on what treatments are provided.


Skin-care treatments are performed using Yves Rocher products, which are marketed as naturally pure. Various types of facial massages are available. Leg waxing runs approximately $15.


Yves Rocher. Pervaya Tverskaya Yamskaya 4, Metro Okhotny Ryad, tel: 923-5885, 292-0716.


Appointments and walk-ins. Open 10 A.M.-6 P.M, Monday through Friday.





Other places to get coiffed in Moscow include:


Penta Renaissance hairdressing studio


In the Penta Hotel


Olimpiski Prospekt 18/1


Tel. 971-6301, ext. 2337


Appointments and walk-ins.


Open 10 A.M.-10 P.M daily.





Jacques Dessange


Pervaya Tverskaya-Yamskaya 7


Tel. 200-5744


Appointments and walk-ins.


Open 9 A.M.-9 P.M. Monday through Saturday.