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subscribe to beauty blog via RSSStrip: Downtown’s Best Asian Import Since Uniqlo
July 27, 2010 3:17 pm
One of the countries where I’m certain that hygiene and general cleanliness are a top priority is Singapore. It’s a place, after all, where spitting and gum-chewing in public were banned so that streets could remain spotless. So it comes as no surprise that at Strip, the Singaporean chain of chic waxing salons that just opened its first location in New York’s Nolita neighborhood, hygiene is top priority. The Strip mantra is simple: HSQ—hygiene, speed, and quality. The airy new industrial-style space is split in two—on one side is Strip, focused on hair removal (via waxing or Intense Pulsed Light therapy), and on the other is Browhaus, which is dedicated to all things arch and lash-related. Restaurant-style menus hang behind each check-in counter, outlining prices and precise treatment options, and the walls are lined with art inspired by greats like Miró, but made entirely out of wax—get it? Each of the nine spacious treatment rooms features heated beds, sealed hygiene kits, and, to combat any possible anxiety or discomfort, Bach’s Flower Essence (a calming elixir) and squeeze toys. More reassuring, though, is the staff’s expertise—everyone on staff undergoes a four-to-eight-week intensive training program in Singapore, and auditors frequently visit from Asia to ensure that everything is running smoothly. And then there are those treatment chairs on the main level in the Browhaus area—exact replicas of Singapore Airlines’ famously comfortable first-class recliners—so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the brow-shaping and lash-extending ride.
Strip/Browhaus, 56 Spring St., NYC, (212) 431-1121, www.strip-usa.com.
