As Americans become increasingly discerning about what they put in — and on — their bodies, a new shop wants to help Austinites better understand the movement. Lovejay Holistic Beauty Bar, a 100-percent all-natural beauty boutique, opens on May 18, bringing a part-retail, part-education service to the east side.
Located at 2124 E. Sixth St., Ste. 103, across from Hi-Hat Public House, Lovejay offer 15 domestic independent skincare and makeup brands that are "purely natural, organic, and non-toxic," according to a release. Among the cult favorite companies shoppers can expect to find are Olive + M, Live Botanical, Skin Owl, Han, and 14e.
While there are certainly other Austin shops offering clean cosmetics, hair care, or skincare products, Lovejay is the first-ever holistic beauty bar to combine them all and offer "a comprehensive range of skincare, haircare, and cosmetic products," according to a rep.
The brainchild of owner Blair Wagoner, Lovejay's mission is to educate consumers on the benefits of natural beauty products, as well as the potential health risks associated with chemically laden brands. In its release, Lovejay says these potential pitfalls may include everything from mild skin irritation to endocrine disruption to cancer.
"My hope is that Lovejay fills a gap in the beauty and well-being spaces and offers people amazing products and services that foster a healthier way of thinking about beauty from both the inside and outside," said Wagoner.
Before hitting shelves, the company vets Lovejay's products using the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep ratings system, a database that rates everything from name-brand shampoo to baby wipes based on a color-coded numbers system. The group also offers a "EWG-verified stamp" for certain products, which means the ingredients used are consider safe, and the company uses good manufacturing practices to create their product.
In addition to retail, Lovejay also offers a series of services designed to boost holistic beauty practices and, hopefully, overall health. For example, the Lighten Up Consultation offers customers a one-on-one review of their current makeup bag or beauty routine. A makeup artist is available for makeover services using natural products while the Lovejay Beauty Consultation lets customers ask questions and test products.
Wagoner, a dietician, owned a similar shop in Atlanta, a concept she later sold in order to move to California. After taking part in yoga teacher training and learning Reiki in the Sunshine State, she moved to Austin in 2017 to launch Lovejay.
"Austin has such a progressive and health conscious mindset," she says, "so I'm eager to share these wonderful, natural products with a like-minded community."
The new east side boutique offers 15 cult favorite clean beauty brands.
