Heyday: Facials for All Without the Fuss
Taking care of your skin becomes more accessible and convenient at the new forward-thinking shop in NoMad
The word “facial” contains layers of unnecessary trepidation and intimidation—especially as you never know exactly what to expect behind those closed doors. New Yorkers can finally experience a quality facial without hassle, guilt or generic New Age flute soundtracks. Newcomer Heyday opened its doors this month in the increasingly busy NoMad neighborhood (already home to the Ace and NoMad hotels and—close by—the New York EDITION), just across the street from the new Rizzoli bookstore and restaurant La Pecora Bianca (both expected to open later this summer). Convenience, accessibility and transparency make Heyday stick out like a brilliant sore thumb in a pretty inconsistent service industry, starting with their lengthy hours: 7AM to 10PM on weekdays.
Wanting to remove the stereotypes of pampering that often get tied to facials, Heyday emphasizes its benefits for long-term skin care—and hopes to have them incorporated as a regular part of your skincare routine, rather than as a once-a-year birthday gift, for example. “Facials have been tucked away in spas for too long,” Heyday co-founder and Chief Brand Officer Michael Pollak tells CH. “Not only are they often expensive and inconvenient there, but the story ends up about beauty and indulgence. We’ve pulled them out of the spa and into a space that’s about skin wellness. It’s about taking care of your body’s biggest organ and the one that faces the world every day.” And facials aren’t for just a specific demographic, they stress. Their design of their website and store interior (with thoughtfully selected lighting from Lambert & Fils and Allied Maker) feels welcoming to all genders and ages.
Heyday’s mission to improve overall skin wellness trickles down to its shop inside (they also have an online storefront) that’s filled with independent brands that might be lesser known, but have a big impact. “Our ground rules are about being skin-safe—no sulfates, parabens, fillers, artificial fragrances,” says Pollak. “We prefer products that are natural, have some that are all organic, and include some with some ‘science’ added in for targeted treatments. One brand doesn’t fit all—just look at people’s medicine cabinets. We wanted to reflect that in the shop with niche brands that are, bottom line, effective across different skin types.” It was at Heyday where we were introduced to a brand we hadn’t come across before, Image, whose SPF 50 moisturizer absorbed quickly into our skin with no residue and felt noticeably more lightweight than similar sun protection products which often feel heavy and greasy. It’s an example of how every step of the facial, from start to finish, has been carefully researched and vetted.
Heyday’s ease of use, from the online booking to quick in-and-out appointments, has made the impossible possible: you can finally squeeze a 30-minute facial (for $60) into your lunch break if need be. They make great pick-me-ups. Just see how a particularly blah hump day can be transformed with a last-minute morning booking. It turns out that investing in yourself feels pretty good.
Images courtesy of Minta Maria Photography
