GMazza Salon
640 Central Ave, Scarsdale | (914) 725-5333
www.gmazzasalon.com
Husband-and-wife team Gennaro and Cindy Mazza, who formerly owned Victor Balestri’s in Scarsdale (the Braid Bar there earned them a 2013 Best of Westchester award), recently opened GMazza, a smaller, more elegant salon.
Opened: February 2014
Vibe: An airy, boutique-style salon in a former design store; the Mazzas were lucky to inherit the exquisite custom bathroom.
Specialties: Tired of toxic hair treatments? Come to GMazza for environmentally friendly ammonia- and formaldehyde-free hair products. Master colorist Gennaro Mazza is particularly jazzed about the Emmebi Italia line he imports from Italy. “I have been a colorist for twenty years and have used various color lines,” he says. “Most ‘ammonia-free’ hair color is semi-permanent and includes an ammonia substitute. Emmebi uses grapeseed, orange peel, sunflower, and jojoba oils instead of ammonia, and the color is permanent. I believe you can truly see a difference in the health of the hair—it’s an amazing product that is particularly great for red hair and full coverage of gray and white roots.” And it actually smells great, as does the entire line, which includes organic treatments and shampoos, and a bio-keratin treatment. But it’s a toss-up as to which smells best, the Emmebi or the Italian 035 Milk “delicious line,” with its yummy scents of mint chocolate, orange popsicle, Italian peach, and coconut. Cindy Mazza, known for her precise, edgy cuts, employs an additional seven hair-design experts. insider tip: Breaking the bank isn’t necessary if you’re looking for a new ’do this summer, either. GMazza is offering half off of any beauty service for all first-time customers. prices: master stylist women’s cut: $70+; master stylist men’s cut: $35+; pro blow dry: $45; single-process color: $90-$125
VaZa Salon
137 Main St, Ossining | (914) 800-9137
www.vazasalon.com
Co-owners and sisters Zamira Cutra and Val Tana opened VaZa Salon, a high-end hair salon committed to providing customers with quality services based on their unique hair textures—and total relaxation. “You are greeted as soon as you walk into the salon,” says Cutra. “We want everyone to feel like family here.”
Opened: November 2013
Vibe: A sleek, modern interior installed in a vintage bank building gives this salon an eclectic feel. During the renovation, Cutra and Tana kept the floor-to-ceiling windows, marble columns, and exposed brick intact. Light and bright, it features some unusual salon amenities, such as chaise lounges at the hair-washing station (divine and comfy) and a communal table at which the stylists consult with clients and take frequent education classes.
Specialties: Got curls? Women and men both should check out the salon’s curls-specific cuts, and the highly qualified team of hair designers who make the most of natural curls. insider tip: The chaise lounges are designed to align clients’ spines during the shampoo and rinse. “The most relaxing part of the VaZa experience is having your hair washed,” says Tana. prices: design cuts: $70+; balayage face-frame highlights: $90+; balayage full-head highlights: $195+; Vaza curly cuts: $80+
BST Salon
Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center, 1128 Wilmont Rd, Scarsdale | (914) 472-0400
www.bstsalon.com
Geared for tech-savvy tweens and teens, Scarsdale’s new BST Salon puts a unique spin on the typical salon experience. The team of seven stylists uses top-of-the-line Moroccan Oil products, too.
Opened: March 2014 vibe: Young, high-tech, and fully equipped with kid-friendly amenities: iPads, Xbox, WiFi, and Instagram-printing photobooths.
Specialties: “We offer this often-overlooked demographic a truly customized salon experience in an environment tailored to their passions,” says BST owner Merav Abbe, who opened the salon because she was tired of dragging around her frustrated teenage kids to her hair appointments. But don’t let BST’s technological swagger fool you: It’s also a great place for your kids to hang out while you get your hair styled.
insider tip: Special prom hairstyling and makeup packages are available, as are online gift cards. Also, BST is available for parties either in-store or in-home.
prices: under-12 boys’/girls’ cuts: $30/$40; over-12 boys’/girls’ cuts: $35/$60; under-12 blowout: $30; over-12/adults’ blowout: $40; half-head hihglights: $75; full-head highlights: $125; hair chalk: $10 per strand; prom hair and makeup: $120; prom trials: $50; birthday parties: $699 and up.
Beauty Bar & Salon
8 Bowman Ave, Port Chester | (914) 939-7800
www.beautybarandsalon.com
Owner Stacy Sakellariou learned her craft from an aunt who had a salon in the Bronx; she then worked in a Westchester salon for eight years before opening up her own place almost two years ago.
Opened: June 2012 vibe: A bright and cheery full-service salon with separate areas for noisy blowouts, cuts, color, waxing, and nail services.
Specialties: Customers rave about the long-lasting blowouts. The blowout bar, looking out over turquoise stemware and two flat-screen televisions, is equipped with headphone jacks, phone chargers, and free WiFi. insider tip: While at the salon, prepare to relax. “We offer coffee and cappuccinos all day, wine in the evenings, and Mimosas on weekends,” Sakellariou says. prices: Summer specials through August: 10 blowouts for $300, get the 11th free (savings of $85); L’Oréal Majorel Color Special: five single-process color sessions with gloss for $475, get the sixth free (savings of $65)
Blow & Beyond BlowDry Lounge
4A Cedar St, Bronxville | (914) 779-2100
www.blowandbeyond.com
Sisters Alexandra and Kristina Gelardi completely renovated the space before opening last year with the objective of combatting the bad-hair day once and for all by focusing solely on perfecting the art of the blowout. “What good is the perfect cut and color if it’s not styled to perfection?” says co-owner Kristina.
Opened: June 2013 vibe: Crimson leather armchairs, sparkling chandeliers, and dark-wood vanity setups make this “lounge” feel like a glamorous Old Hollywood dressing room (Marilyn, Brigitte, and Audrey each inspired looks on the styling menu). The powerful-femme feel means zero attitude—just earnest smiles from thrilled clients and the small, sweet, mostly young staff.
Specialties: No cuts, no color, just organic keratin treatments and fabulous blowouts fashioned after famous celebrity looks. Feeling flirty? Try the Farrah, which boasts full flips. For a more professional look, check out the Jane. And if you’re in the mood for a more individualized style, check out the Starlet: your own hairstyle “glammed-up.” Associate Editor Katie O’Donnell is obsessed with the place: “I’d wake up and have Kristina transform my hair into perfect, effortless Gisele waves every day if I could,” she says. insider tip: For extra savings, come in Monday for a $30 blowout; enjoy complimentary Mimosas with Sunday-morning blowouts. prices: single blowout: $40; three-blowout package: $110; six-blowout package: $210. During the week of June 22, Blow & Beyond will be offering 10 percent off any package in celebration of its one-year anniversary.
Nourish Hair & Body
2229 Crompond Rd, Cortlandt Manor | (914) 930-7777
www.nourishhairandbody.com
If salon owner and lead stylist John Donadio looks familiar, there’s a good reason: He has cut, styled, and colored hair all over Westchester—at the old Saks Fifth Avenue salon in White Plains, the Dana Cole Salon in Yorktown, Backstage Salon in Croton-on-Hudson, Richard Scott Salon & Day Spa in Mount Kisco…the list goes on. His gift for transforming hair comes naturally; his whole family works in the industry. Today, along with fiancée and lead massage therapist Lydia Kozlov, Donadio’s taken his hairstyling mantra of enhancing a client’s natural beauty a step further and opened a salon that’s about looking and feeling great all over.
Opened: February 2013 vibe: The full-service salon is small, which means you get plenty of personal attention, and is devoted to pampering and relaxing clients. It’s also eco-conscious, with ammonia-free Wella shampoo, conditioner, and dyes.
Specialties: This is the place to come to get a new look—Donadio is famous for his edgy geometric styles—and a pain-free, stress-free existence. Kozlov, a gifted massage therapist trained in chiropractics, helps clients with injuries, stress-reduction, and all-over, well, nourishment. “Haircare and bodywork shouldn’t be considered an errand or chore,” says Kozlow. “They should be an opportunity to refresh and renew yourself.” insider tip: Donadio’s uncle is Victor Renza, former owner of the once legendary Victor’s Salon in Mohegan Lake. prices: women’s cut: $55-$65; men’s cut: $35; color: $65+ blowout: $40; one-area 30-minute massage: $55; one-hour Swedish massage: $100; summer-special conditioning treatment with blowout and take-home maintenance conditioners: $60 (regular price: $80)
