Over the last few decades, Houston has quietly become a major player in the international beauty industry, a place where new brands — a la Drunk Elephant — go from clever pipedreams to celebrated bestsellers almost overnight. These days, despite the ongoing Covid crisis, H-Town continues to be sitting pretty, thanks to a handful of up-and-comers.
Jentry Kelley Cosmetics — founded by a Friendswood native who created her eponymous cosmetics brand in the summer of 2011, after working for Clinique, MAC and Laura Mercier at Neiman Marcus — will open its second location this fall: a Gensler-designed space off the Katy Freeway at Eldridge. She’ll sell her entire makeup line — 200 products, plus private lessons! — along with skincare and injectables from BCRN Aesthetic. There will be a full-service hair salon, too! “People like to shop local and support businesses here,” Kelley told CityBook last year. “I love being here, and I will always call Houston home.”
Industry leader SkinCeuticals clearly sees something beautiful in H-Town, too: Its new SkinLab concept just opened in the West Ave office of plastic surgeon Dr. Forrest Roth — only the third in the country. Three treatments are available exclusively at SkinLab, incorporating tech like dermaplaning, microneedling and LED light alongside proven SkinCeuticals products.
FaceHaus, the California-based chain offering fabulously affordable facials, wants to get in on the action, too, having recently opened its first Houston location in Rice Village. The open-concept space boasts a “bar” full of high-end products with a team of expert estheticians to help customers achieve a healthy glow.
Meanwhile, local mainstays are building on their long-earned success. Estilo just added an all-new spa — facials, body-hair removal and more, courtesy of co-owner Vanessa Tort — in a building adjacent to its quaint Montrose salon. And CityBook contributor Edward Sanchez just launched Essential Skincare, featuring cleansers, toners and lotions with food-grade botanicals and other all-natural ingredients.
AT TOP: Jentry Kelley