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beauty / NYC Guide

Beauty services in New York City – my top recommendations

Looking for Botox, facials, haircuts, and highlights recs in New York City? I got you covered!

I remember being interested in beauty since I was a kid. The romantic reason is that I’ve seen my mom apply her Avon moisturizers daily during my childhood. The problematic reason is that I’m a woman, and we all know about society’s pressure to be beautiful, gorgeous, and perfect. But that’s a subject I’m not gonna cover today. I won’t also be hypocritical and pretend I don’t particularly appreciate feeling good about myself. So, with that being said, let’s get to what matters: beauty services in NYC.

I must confess that I’m a DIY girl when it comes to beauty. That’s another thing I learned with my mom. With two daughters, she knew that going to a salon every time we’d had a party would be costly: hair, manicure, makeup. So, she taught us to make our nails at home, take care of our hair, etc. I learned more tricks with time, like makeup, waxing, and skincare.

I think those are not bad skills to have. They give me a sense of independence and save me a lot of time and money, especially in a city like NYC, where beauty services are not what we can call affordable. But there are some things that I can’t just do at home. So, here are my top recommendations when it comes to beauty services in NYC.

Facials

  • FILD Studio offers different facials – but since you are treating yourself, get the 60-minute one. And if you like extractions, Keiko is your girl here. Her hands are magical, and my skin keeps glowing for days after.
  • LANY Organics – If you are looking for a relaxing experience, I highly recommend LANY Organics. Laurie Adams is so sweet. She uses products from Dr. Alkaitis and takes a supernatural/organic approach. The environment is super cozy and relaxing.
  • Hydrafacial – I tried the famous Hydrafacial at World Spa – but luckily, you don’t need to go all the way to Brooklyn to try it, since there are tons of spas in the city that offer this treatment. Hydrafacial is a facial performed via the device for deeper penetration and longer-lasting results. The wand works like a vacuum to open pores for a deep cleanse and easy extraction of impurities and dead skin cells. It also allows the active ingredients in the boosters to penetrate deeper for the most effective treatment possible. I was stunned by the results. Find a hydrafacialist here.

Botox

  • I have mixed feelings about Botox and fillers. I remember feeling so bad about myself in the past when I did fillers – I felt pain, and my blood pressure went down, which made me ask myself: why am I doing this? On the other hand, Botox is an easy and quick fix. And it really made a whole difference in my esteem when I did last year. The only time I got Botox here in the city was at FILD Studio as well. It was super fast, plus I liked how it lasted – it’s almost time to go back.

Highlights & Hair cut

  • I have been getting highlights on my Hair for over 6 years, and it’s one of the things that it’s a big deal for me – so I don’t trust every hair stylist on this task. I’ve been doing highlights with Dani for years – I’m gonna link her IG page here – and I absolutely love her attention to details and her professionalism. In general, I think Brazilian hair stylist always kill it when we are talking about highlights. Dani is also amazing with haircuts.
  • Also recommend Filipi Bolchevi – I haven’t done highlights with him, but a friend of mine did more than once and he is really good! I got a haircut with him, and I loved his attention to detail.
  • Finally, when I want a trim, I go to Davida Salon on the Upper East Side. The service was great, and the price was reasonable!

Bonus tips

  • We should not gatekeep great tips, so if you are on a budget, you should check Salon Apprentice. This website is used by salons and hairdressers to find models for cuts, hairstyling, and coloring. The services are either free or they charge a small fee to cover the products used. There are several salons in the city – you should pay attention to available dates and requirements. I also suggest checking out the salon’s and professional’s website and Instagram. PS: I have a friend who has gotten her highlights done several times using this hack.
  • I know dermatologists are not necessarily affordable – especially considering how messy the whole health insurance situation is. Luckily, there are some interesting online services offering solutions. Agency is one of them. They provide anti-aging skincare personalized by a dermatology provider. I tried last year. You respond to a questionnaire and send some pics of your skin, and they create some personalized formulas for you. The kit includes a cleanser, a moisturizer, and two formulas: one anti-aging, featuring tretinoin (you can only get tretinoin by prescription) and a dark spot, featuring azelaic acid and other active ingredients. You can try through their free trial – you only pay for the shipping, which is a nice deal.

Do you have any good recs of beauty services in NYC? Drop them on the comments!

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