7 Insider Beauty Spots to Know in NYC
Where to go for cool-girl hair, glowing skin and under-the-radar brands.
Where to go for cool-girl hair, glowing skin and under-the-radar brands.
Vivrant Beauty
Frustrated by the lack of great beauty retailers in her Harlem neighborhood and the overall difficulty in finding beautifully-packaged and effective products that catered to black hair and skin, owner Desiree Verdejo quit her job as an attorney and opened Vivrant Beauty this summer. The airy uptown boutique stocks under-the-radar brands like the kale-based Youth to the People and Kesh Beauty, plus a range of cosmetics and hair care for women of all ethnicities (among Verdejo's favorites: Becca foundations, which range from porcelain to dark chocolate, and Briogeo's Curl Charisma line).
Vivrant Beauty, 220 Saint Nicholas Avenue, vivrantbeauty.com.
Georgia Louise Atelier
Georgia Louise, the facialist every major actress books an appointment with before awards season, recently moved her practice from an Upper West Side studio to a spacious and tranquil Upper East Side atelier, where, she says, it "feels like getting a facial in your own bedroom." Louise, whose schedule is too packed with A-listers to take on new clients, has spent the last year building her line of highly effective skin care and training two aestheticians in her methods that guarantee clients walk out looking five years younger. (Pro tip: Call to make your appointment at least two weeks in advance.)
Georgia Louise Atelier, 114 E. 71st Street, georgialouise.co.uk.
White Rose Collective
As of September, models and fashion insiders who want to primp in peace have White Rose Collective, hairstylist Teddi Cranford's by-appointment-only salon, to escape to. The intimate East Village studio houses only three chairs, though there are never more than two in use at one time, and focuses on one thing only: really cool haircuts for prices much lower than you'd expect ($100-185).
White Rose Collective, 170 E. 2nd Street, whiterosecollective.com.
Tenoverten Financial District
Tenoverten's fourth nail salon, an unexpected oasis on the second floor of a crowded, not-so-glamorous FiDi street, might be our favorite yet. It's huge (and not even just by NYC standards), stocks the most well-edited wall of NARS, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel polishes, along with the brand's own line, and offers top-notch sugaring services. You'll be hard-pressed to ditch your tea and the cozy pedicure chairs and get going after you're done.
Tenoverten, 121 Fulton Street, tenoverten.com.
ION Studio
Italian hair care brand Davines' (an editor favorite) has opened its first flagship salon in North America in this newly renovated SoHo space. It's bright and airy, minimal without being stark and staffed with creative talent (Alessandro gave us the best bang trim and blowout we've had in a long time) and friendly reception.
ION Studio, 41 Wooster Street, ionstudionyc.com.
Hortus Nailworks
This tiny salon on a tree-lined street is a hidden gem full of charming details—exposed brick, reclaimed wood chairs and tables, rows of terrariums—you'd expect from a storefront in the countryside, less so the Lower East Side. Its selection of 5-free polishes and soy remover, small-batch organic skin care and all-natural sugaring services make it the salon of choice for the health-conscious.
Hortūs Nailworks, 210 Forsyth Street, hortusnailworks.com.
Blackstones
Everything about this East Village salon screams cool, from the tatted-up stylists to the mid-18th century decor to the model clientele. We're big fans of Five Wits, Blackstones' exclusive hair care line, and the fact that it's the kind of place you can go with your boyfriend for the perfect his & her cuts.
Blackstones, 19 E. 7th Street, blackstonesnyc.com.
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