Whitening Bar NYC, a teeth whitening service, has taken part of the space at 157 Chambers, between Greenwich and Hudson on the north side– the former smoke shop. The owner is Bella Kavasov, who has been in the beauty industry for 16 years and is certified in teeth whitening.

This is her first storefront; she started out as a hair stylist in salons and eventually moved her business (not a franchise!) to her home in Queens. The teeth whitening business evolved from her clients’ demands.

“I always liked to add new services for my customers. I got into teeth whitening about four years ago and that became one of my favorite techniques,” Bella said. (Her partner is her husband, Joey.) As we know from the abundance of whitening strips out there, you don’t have to be a dentist to whiten teeth, but you do need the certification and the products.

In this case, Bella uses a 16 percent hydrogen peroxide formula from a company called SmileLABS in addition to a LED light, which activates the gel. The gel goes onto the teeth one by one — they don’t use a tray. “I find those give you sensitivity on your gums. We make sure it’s only on your tooth,” she said.

I am hesitant to name prices — things change and every set of teeth require different protocols, so keep that in mind. (A man stopped in while I was there, Bella assessed his teeth using a color chart, and said it would take one visit — $300, the minimum — to get him to his desired shade of white. An hour treatment is $550.)

“Within an hour you can get 10 to 12 shades lighter, depending on your teeth,” she said. “And I always recommend maintenance too — it’s like getting your hair colored — your roots grow out. My customers who love coffee or wine will come every other month to do a touch up, which takes 15 minutes. It’s worth it.”

They are offering a 15 percent discount to celebrate their opening. Or just stop by and say hi. (The website will be up in a couple of weeks.)

Whitening Bar NYC
157 Chambers | Greenwich & Hudson
917-838-9906
Monday to Saturday, 10a to 8p
Book here online