Rachel Liverman’s grandmother started the first accredited esthetics school in the country in 1979 – the Catherine Hinds Institute — and her mother runs it to this day. So it was only fitting that Rachel would find her own way to exercise what she calls a “lifelong passion for beauty in skin care” but with a third-gen twist.

“I needed a skin care option myself that didn’t take a ton of my time or a ton of my money,” Liverman said, and she used this to guide her when she was figuring out how to make her own mark in the industry (she started her career at Birchbox). So she and her Glowbar co-founder, Neha Govindraj, took more of a constitutional approach, if you will: the concept is brief but regular visits – more like brushing your teeth than the rare treat of a spa visit.

Appointments are 30 minutes, and they recommend clients come once a month. You check yourself in on the iPad, wash your own face (there are hair elastics!!) and wait in the lounge area for a bit till the esthetician is ready. (The first session is a diagnostic, but each month requires less of an assessment.) Drop-ins are $65; members are $55 per visit with a four-month commitment.

The pair chose Tribeca — well, we know why, but also — because the behaviors they needed in a client were already here among residents: “The person who practices self-care and takes care of their skin is the client we want.” They also wanted to be in a spot where folks lived and not just worked. Then this particular location opened up, and it all came together.

“Being next to the Balloon Saloon is the best thing in the world,” said Liverman. “This has to be one of the happiest spots in Manhattan.”

Glowbar
147 Duane (just east of West Broadway)
Monday-Friday: 8a-10p
Saturday-Sunday: 9a-8p
917-261-4300
hello@getglowbar.com