Sure, you can go to your nearest salon and purchase a treatment; however, NYC is home to more than enough glam experiences that go beyond simply sitting in a chair and getting primped. From mixing booze with beauty to getting paid to model haircuts, factor a few of these fun options below and add some allure to your time in the Big Apple. We’ve hunted down the best places to get glam in NYC so you don’t have to.
Rouge New York
Freshen up with a budget friendly makeover at Rouge New York. Photo courteous of Rouge NY.
Started by Stephanie March, Law and Order: SVU and the show’s makeup department head, Rebecca Perkins, Rouge New York offers budget-friendly makeovers and makeup application. Decide if you want a simple freshening up or something bolder — they have a number of looks to choose from — and relax into one of the fully reclining Hollywood vanity chairs. They offer one-on-one makeup instruction as well $125.
Jill Lindsey Boutique
Kelly & Jones Eau de Parfum. Photo courtesy of Jill Lindsay.
Jill Lindsey is a gift shop, clothing boutique and cafe all in one in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood. One of the most innovative products sold is the Notes of Wine Perfume Collection by Kelly & Jones. Despite perfume and wine typically not going together (the scent can mar the essence of the wine), these perfumes are meant to be paired with wine, the essences of each complementing each other. As Jill Lindsey is also home to a bar, it’s the perfect place to have an experiential afternoon sipping Chardonnays and Merlots while spritzing those wrists and feeling sexy.
Rent The Runway
Wear the latest looks without spending thousands with Rent The Runway. Photo courtesy of Rent The Runway.
While there’s tons of shopping to be had in NYC — especially in SoHo, down Fifth Avenue and Nolita’s Elizabeth Street — for many, once they wear something once it loses its appeal. Rent the Runway, which has both an online store as well as New York locations in Flatiron and SoHo, lets you rent designer clothing and accessories at a budget-friendly price. As in, $1200 dresses for $100. You’ll get to choose two sizes when trivago magazineg out to eliminate any last minute scrambling.
BeautyRx’s Peel Bar at Butterfly Studio Salon
We recommend The Peel Bar’s 2-minute skin fix which refreshes stressed skin and leaves a glow. Photo courtesy of The Peel Bar.
Butterfly Studio Salon’s Peel Bar takes Dr. Neal Schultz glycolic peel from his uptown dermatological practice and brings it to Flatiron – at a fraction of the cost ($225 vs. $50). The 2-minute skin fix refreshes stressed skin and leaves a glow, perfect for a pick-me-up before exploring the nightlife of “the city that never sleeps.” The salon also offers a slew of typical and less-common beauty services, not to mention fun lessons on blow drying, makeup application and hair styling so you can get glam in your NYC hotel room, no help needed.
Dry Bar
Dry Bar has locations all around NYC specializing in beautiful blow outs (they don’t offer cuts or coloring). The sleek salon pampers clients on a budget, with $40 wash and blow drys as well as hair treatments named after cocktails to go with the bar concept. Think a “Floater” 10-minute scalp massage ($10), a “Bay Breeze Hydrating Shot” to moisturize hair ($20) and an “Uptini” updo ($80), not to mention products like “The Chaser” shine pomade, “Hot Toddy” heat protector frizz fighter and “100 Proof” treatment oil, as well as a look book available to pick exactly how you’d like your hair styled. Watch a romantic comedy while sipping a complimentary glass of wine – you’ll feel like you’re back in high school having a slumber party with your (very talented stylist) girlfriends. Download their iPhone app to have a stylist come to your hotel room for a “Dry on the Fly” at the tap of a button.
Beauty Bar
Manicures and Martinis for $10 at Beauty Bar. Photo courtesy of Beauty Bar’s Facebook.
A fun and budget-friendly girls’ night can be had at Beauty Bar, located in an old beauty salon, where $10 scores you a martini and a manicure. For a dose of nightlife this place has a dive bar area and a back dance room covered in pink glitter that also offers free comedy shows on Fridays. Make sure to take a photo by the retro hair dryers in the front.
Salon Apprentice
Behind the Scenes with Aveda. Photo by Aveda CC BY
Gone are the days when a good NYC haircut needed to cost $100. Salon Apprentice is a website where certified cosmetologists offer free and highly discounted salon services to rack up extra hours and enhance their education. Some gigs even pay models (yes, they even call you a model). It’s perfect for those looking to beautify on a budget.
Beauty & Essex
Photo courtesy of Beauty & Essex Facebook.
Despite the name, this popular Lower East Side venue is a swanky restaurant and lounge hidden behind a door in the back of an upscale pawnshop. The glam part, for the ladies, doesn’t come until you head to the Beauty & Essex bathroom. Grab a glass of free Champagne – although don’t forget to tip your bartender – relax on the plush couches and freshen up your look in front of giant big bulb mirrors and plenty of marble counter space.
Stay The Night
Now that you’re feeling glam for a night out in the city, make sure to rest your head at a hotel that will make you feel just as fabulous. We’ve chosen some of the most stylish places in the city to stay the night.
Stay The Night at The Crosby Street Hotel NYC if you are an art lover who is into a wide array of colors, textures and materials, and is contemporary, folksy and often funny.
Photo courtesy of Crosby Street Hotel.
Stay The Night at the W New York – Downtown if you’re the type of traveler who wants to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, yet doesn’t want to sacrifice the view while enjoying a swanky cocktail on a private rooftop terrace.
Stay The Night at the Andaz Wall Street NYC if you’re a history lover looking for a spacious room with high ceilings, large picture windows, deep bath tubs, and plush robes while getting lost within an art-centric book and a complimentary drink from the minibar.
Photo courtesy of Andaz Wall Street NYC.