New York women rejoice!

There’s a new downtown spot to get women ready for a night on the town. Joli Beauty Bar, the brainchild of Zsuzsi Evans and Meg Black, is meant as a salon fairy godmother for city girls. The cozy space opened its doors in September and features a menu of beauty services—from express options to full hair and makeup—and a host of well thought-out details for a New Yorker’s on-the-go beautification needs. The space features a changing area complete with lockers and steamers, a private space for small events and offers next-day messenger services, as well as the option to bring your own wine. In short, Joli is packed with the practical consumer-friendly elements most salons never thought to offer.

“We just talked about the sucky part of being social in New York, which is something that everyone can relate to,” said Zsuzsi, Joli Co-founder and CMO, adding that by messengering a customer’s personal items to them the next day, clients can seamlessly go from their work day to a night out. “If you go to any New York woman’s desk the bottom drawer is always full of nonsense; shoes, concealer, gum, and we thought, wouldn’t it be great if there was a place you wouldn’t have to lug things around. Most women have cars where they can change clothes and carry things but New Yorkers don’t have that.”

Nestled on 1st Street in the East Village, Joli offers services that range from “starters” and “quickies” like a $20 Express Eye Mask for a fast de-puffing, to a $35 Perfect Set, a dry-shampoo and curling service for a voluminous night look, no water required. “Specialities” and “signatures” include the Approachable Perfection, a 50-minute, $60 service designed to “enhance” a woman’s best features, to a full-on Joli package, which includes hair, makeup, skin treatment, scalp, neck and hand massage and 24 hours of locker use for $175. “Side” orders, which are add-ons to any service, range from a $15 facial contouring session (because honestly how many women can do it on their own?), to $150 lash extensions, which can last up to three to four weeks with proper care.

“It’s not always about a special event, it’s a place where you can just come hang out, get some makeup done and leave looking and feeling hot,” said Meg, a hair stylist and makeup artist, and former Counter Brand Manager of Illamasqua at Bloomingdale’s SoHo. “We wanted to create a different kind of environment where it’s all about service.”

Meg, also Joli’s CEO, explained that the salon’s quirky and customizable menu is meant to offset the cacophony of “cookie-cutter” quick service businesses, which give customers a predetermined portfolio of looks to choose from. “Joli is meant as a kind of physical Pinterest board, where women can explain a look, feel or occasion and get a customized look,” she said.

With a roster of about 15 rotating artists, Zsuzsi and Meg call in a specific stylist to match a particular service need. For example, this Halloween, a special effects artist was on hand to create zombie makeup and other dramatic looks.

The brands on tap at Joli include MAC, Verb, Living Proof and relatively unknown indies Shien and Balbec. “We want it to be a safe haven and a utopia of beauty.”

Since opening day, Zsuzsi said the space is slowly becoming a neighborhood staple, with local repeat customers coming in for quick touch ups, and tourists coming to treat themselves by primping the “New York way” before going out.

“The fact that women are encouraged to meet with friends and get ready together, while sharing some wine and conversation, is a simple yet hard-to-find concept in New York,” said Zsuzsi. “That’s what salons used to be. It was a place women would go and share beauty secrets and recipes and all sorts of other gossip, so the idea that we want you to socialize and take this time for ourself is really important.”

When it comes to growth, it seems slow and steady is the Joli way. “We would want no more than three [Joli salons] in the city,” Zsuzsi said, adding that she and Meg are looking to expand visibility via the hospitality and bridal markets, and have just been named as a preferred vendor for David’s Bridal. “I don’t want to be the Starbucks of beauty bars, for sure. I would love for a lot of different cosmopolitan cities throughout the world to have Joli Beauty Bars, but not too many so each can feel special.”