New Yorkers, especially women in the city take great pride in their appearance; in fact, generally speaking, New Yorkers are an extremely well groomed lot. Salon and beauty treatments are extremely common as a result of which numerous nail salons, hair salons and spas that offer a wide range of treatments are to be found all over the city in each and every neighborhood. Recommendations are an excellent source of hair and spa services, so be sure to ask those friends and colleagues who have exceptionally styled hair.
Many regular salons offer simple massage services along with their waxing and nail services. Laser hair removal treatments, skin care treatments are also immensely popular in New York City. Every year fashion magazines like Allure (http://www.allure.com/) and Glamour (http://www.glamor.com) rate the services of the more well known establishments in New York City and other parts of the country in their annual beauty lists.
Prices vary with the type of establishment and level of service offered. The more upscale and high end the salon/spa, the higher the prices. And, if the salon features a celebrity hairdresser like Frederic Fekkai (http://www.fekkai.com/) or Nick Arojo of the TV series ‘What not to Wear’ fame (http://www.arrojostudio.com/studio/team/masterteam.htm), the prices are naturally stratospheric if you want a cut by the master himself.
As a rough guide to non-celebrity services, a blow dry (called a blow out in NYC) tends to be priced at approximately $30 upwards depending on the length of hair while a hair cut should set you back another $30-$50 if no fancy styling is required. Highlights, color and straightening treatments are priced at $50 upwards. Manicures and pedicures range from $7 for a simple manicure to approximately $15 for a pedicure and a combination of both a manicure and a pedicure is often priced at around $27 though salons often offer specials on ‘slow’ days.
You do have to make an appointment if you want to avail of the services at one of the top end salons. Appointments are not usually required at neighborhood salons where ‘walk-ins’ are welcomed.
Hair Salons
Aside from these high-end hair salons, there are countless more moderately priced salons that offer haircuts, styling and color services at their various locations around the city. Try Bumble and Bumble Hair Salons (http://www.bumbleandbumble.com), Supercuts (http://www.supercuts.com) and the salons that belong to the Paris based Jean Louis David group (http://www.jeanlouisdavid.com).
Spa Services
While some salons only offer hairdressing services in New York City others offer a whole host of spa services like waxing, threading, manicure-pedicures and massages. Some of the popular all inclusive salons that are located in NYC are:
- The Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa (http://www.reddoorspas.com/)
691 Fifth Avenue at 54th Street
New York, NY 10022
Phone : +1 212 546 -0200
- Bliss Spas (http://www.blissworld.com/ ) Bliss operates from three different locations in New York City.
- Dashing Diva Nail Salons (http://www.dashingdiva.com/DashingDivaStore/t-home.aspx) The Dashing Diva nail salons also have several outlets in New York City and also has facilities for spa parties and bachelorettes.
- Aveda Salons (http://www.aveda.com/) Aveda is a leading hair care brand in the US and its many salons in New York City offer hair care, skin care, massage and other spa services for both men and women.
Aside from these rather upscale salons and spas there are many other salon chains and stand alone beauty parlors that also offer similar services at more modest prices. Manicure/pedicure salons are particularly abundant and also offer other services such as waxing and facials. While the staff employed in these various salons and spas are mostly foreigners, they generally speak, or at least understand, English.
It is customary to tip anyone in the salon who has rendered a service to you and the accepted norm seems to be 10% of the price of service rendered. If you are getting your haircut then you must also tip the shampoo girl/boy who washes your hair before it is cut.
In New York City, even children are expected to be well groomed and there are hair salons which only work with children’s hair. Cozy’s Cuts for Kids (http://cozycutsforkids.com/) is one such salon which operates out of two locations on the Upper East of Manhattan.
