Natural Beauty

New organic beauty store opens its doors in Northwest Austin

Shop organic and all-natural hair and beauty products at Sentrel Natural Beauty Store.

Photo by Taylor Prinsen Photography

For salon veterans and Austinites James Bryant and Sarah Bensley, organic is a way of life, and the entrepreneurial duo is bringing all-natural beauty products to the forefront with the opening of Sentrel, Austin’s newest organic beauty store.

Located in Northwest Austin, Bryant says the decision to open Sentrel stemmed from personal health issues. After years of battling Hodgkins Lymphoma (Bryant) and an irregular lymphatic system (Bensley), the partners realized the need for natural and trusted beauty products to be offered in one place.

“As a stylist, we come into contact with harmful chemicals on a daily basis and it was time to evaluate what we were exposing ourselves and our clients to,” Bryant says in a press release. “We tossed the toxic products and searched for those with the highest quality natural ingredients that wouldn’t sacrifice performance.”

Sentrel, named after the phonetic spelling of the word “central,” offers a variety of professional-grade salon products, like shampoos, hair masks, and hairsprays made only of essential ingredients. Each item in the shop’s inventory must meet "The Sentrel Principle" before hitting the shelves. Customers can leave the shop knowing their newest hair and beauty goodies are all-natural or organic, environmentally sustainable, and sulfate, paraben, and cruelty free.

“Austin shoppers are far more educated, curious, and demanding about health and sustainability,” Bensley said. “We feel that The Sentrel Principle defines what types of ideal products most Austinites want to use for themselves and their families. We strive to be a fresh, easy-to-use brick-and-mortar experience that customers can trust.”

Shop cult-favorite organic and natural brands like Kevin Murphy, Phyto, Meow Meow, and more. And, if at-home shopping is more your style, Sentrel's interactive website matches the best products for your hair type with just few clicks. In addition to conscious hair products, Sentrel carries top-rated styling tools, jewelry, and unique gifts created by local makers.

Sentrel is open Monday through Saturday and is located at 8127 Mesa Dr., Ste. B203. A grand opening party is scheduled for Saturday, September 30.

beauty health

Sweater Weather

Busy Austin venue for games and drinks debuts a Christmas sweater pop-up

Photo courtesy of Punch Bowl Social

If you're not buying an ugly sweater at 2 am the Saturday before Christmas, are you even celebrating?

It doesn't seem possible, but the first ugly Christmas sweater shop for the 2024 season is about to open: It's The Ugly Christmas Sweater Shop, and it's coming to a surprising location for a sweater shop: inside Punch Bowl Social, the restaurant bowling entertainment destination at The Domain, where it will hold forth as a limited-time pop-up during the holidays.

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Shop will run from Friday, November 15, to Tuesday, December 24, during Punch Bowl Social’s regular hours: Sundays through Thursdays from 11 am to 11 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 2 am.

Guests can peruse an assortment of upcycled and brand new holiday sweaters, ranging in price from $15 to $40, while sampling seasonal cocktails and shareable dishes, not to mention the venue's holiday décor and games including bowling, karaoke, darts, and arcade games.

Punch Bowl Social drinks sweaters If you can't win at bowling, you can win at finding the weirdest sweater.Photo courtesy of Punch Bowl Social

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Shop was founded in 2013 by Dallas-based vintage clothing guru Jeremy Turner after he noticed a demand at his mobile thrift store. First covered by none other than CultureMap, his shop went on to become national news, influencing hordes of hipsters everywhere to embrace the sweaters in an ironic manner.

Turner took a multi-year hiatus during COVID but relaunched at Punch Bowl Social Dallas in 2023. In 2024, he'll expand to Chicago and Austin for the first time.

“Following the success of last year’s pop-up series at Punch Bowl Social in Dallas, we’re excited to continue our partnership with Jeremy and The Ugly Christmas Sweater Shop to spread some holiday cheer in Austin,” said Jencey Keeton, chief marketing officer of Punch Bowl Social. “During this year’s activation, we’ll be showcasing a collection of over-the-top holiday-inspired knits that are guaranteed to bring an extra touch of merriment this season.”

“I’m thrilled to be bringing The Ugly Christmas Sweater Shop back to Punch Bowl Social this year to inspire Austinites to get into the holiday spirit,” said Turner. “Together, we’ve created a whimsical shopping experience that will be a fun and memorable way to celebrate the holidays.”

Punch Bowl Social Christmas snacks The snacks rival any Christmas party.Photo by Punch Bowl Social

In addition to the sweaters, Punch Bowl Social will be pouring cocktails, zero proof and punch, including To Me, You are Perfect, a fruit-forward punch served by the bowl or single cup; We Slept In!, a twist on the classic margarita; I Triple-Dog-Dare Ya, an old fashioned served with Ralphie glasses and a pickled filthy cherry and Son of a Nutcracker, an espresso martini also available in a N/A version, along with a variety of eats.

games fashion christmas holidays pop-ups