Everywhere I look, everyone and everything seems to be multitasking— some are great like BB and CC creams for skin and hair and some are distracting like people walking, talking on their phone and snacking. Others are ingenious and delightful, like the luxe, simultaneous blow-dry and nail salon new to the Upper East Side in Manhattan, Fix Beauty Bar.
I jumped at the opportunity to give this all-in-one beauty spot a try; I can always use a hair boost, nail touch-up and extra minutes in the day. On the second floor, the space feels calm and a world away from the bustling street and rush-hour traffic below. Seated with a complimentary glass of bubbly on the custom lavender-filled coffee table, I get to work selecting my ‘do— the Kim, a big voluminous head of wavy curls— from a look-book of hairstyle options. I figured go big or go home, though my stylist later tells me the more subdued beach waves are the most popular. After a relaxing shampoo, I get to pick my polish from a wall of top designer lacquers and my manicurist gets to work while a blow-dryer whirrs around my head.
All I had to do was sip my champagne— the receptionist offers refills for any dwindling glass— and the over-sized mirrors around the walls allowed me to check in on their efficient work. In less than 45 minutes my hair was turn-heads-on-the-subway voluminous— the Kim style lived up to its namesake reality star— and nails were a shimmering peach. It was the perfect party prep spot, now if only I had a planned a night on the town to show off my look but it made even a standard evening feel a bit more glamorous.
— Jennifer Barnes