When it comes to beauty treatments, I am very particular and set out on a mission to find the best of the best in NYC. After living in the city for 3 years, I can confidently share my favorite beauty treatments & salons that I cannot live without. Yes, they are all a time or financial commitment, but they have long lasting results, minimize your efforts to get ready on a daily basis, and are investments in long-lasting beauty solutions – aka high maintenance to be low maintenance!
When I moved to the city, I spent weeks researching to find the perfect facial place as I am extremely particular when it comes to this stuff (as you should be). I discovered Silver Mirror Facial Bar and I haven’t looked back since. I became a member shortly after my first facial which includes a monthly facial and saving on add ons and products which is great… you do not need to be a member though to go! I get their 50 minute acne fighting facial and add on derma-planing & the facial massage. They have a wide range of add ons like microneedling, deeper peels, etc that “normal facial chain places” do not have. Silver Mirror is located all around the city and you can guarantee the same facial no matter who you go to.
I am sure that you have seen ALL over Tik Tok (maybe even my video on it) about Russian Manicures – and yes, they are worth the hype! When I get a Russian manicure, it lasts for about a month which is crazy. They are so exact about every part of this manicure process including the shape of your nails to your cuticles. I will say the process of getting one takes longer than your normal manicure, and is more expensive, but the results are fabulous and last you for 10x the time a normal manicure does.
My personal recommendation and absolute favorite would be to go to Kerbez Beauty NYC for a Russian Manicure – and Mila the owner is fabulous if you can snag an appointment with her.
Another thing that you have to be super particular about – eyebrows. No waxing or threading though, we only tweeze here! Sania’s Brow Bar is the answer to your eyebrow problems (for both men and women). Everyone on their team is fantastic at cleaning up and shaping eyebrows. What I love is that you will not walk out with entirely different eyebrows and rather they clean & touch them up while helping you see where you need to grow more hair, etc They also have their own line of products which are great, plus eyebrow shampoo! (Did you know that getting product in your eyebrows could be the reason that your eyebrows are not growing? They taught me that aka why you need their shampoo!)
This is the ultimate high maintenance to be low maintenance treatment. Never having to shave is a luxury, which is why I urge everyone to get laser hair removal – it. is. life. changing. My friend introduced me to Erase Spa and I have been recommending it to all of my friends & family since. I have been places where the laser hair removal machines HURT. The machines that they use are a million times better do not hurt which is incredible. They also are always having deals on laser removal packages so definitely get on that!
You do not realize that you need a lymphatic drainage massage until you get one. Lymphatic drainage massages help to boost your immune system, increase circulation, decrease the appearance of cellulite, reduce swelling and sculpt the body. Rise Up Beauty offers in home services which makes the experience 10x better because you can just hop in your own shower after. Their services include a sea-salt thermal wrapped infrared heat blanket, followed by a lymphatic massage. You can even add an add on of the facial massage as well which is heavenly. It is perfect to get a massage like this before a big event, or if you want to do something a little extra for yourself to feel great. See here for some behind the scenes from one of my lymphatic drainage massages with Rise Up Beauty!
I have been doing hair straightening treatments since I was maybe 7 years old – I know, crazy. This is another thing that is absolutely high maintenance so that you can be low maintenance for the next few months after with straight & frizz free hair. I’ve done both the Keratin treatment and Magic Sleek. For Keratin, they carry it in most salons and it has also been my go-to. I recently tried Magic Sleek for the first time which I love. It is “better” for your hair and you leave the salon ready to go (with other treatments you have to wash it out at home). The one thing I will say is that it did turn my hair a bit orange because I colored my hair the same day right before – would tell you to get highlights and color AFTER the treatment and learn from my mistake. For this, I went to THE Magic Sleek salon, but you could also go to any local salon that carries & is trained in doing the treatment.