Shen

This summer, Jessica Richards, founder of Brooklyn’s most beloved independent beauty destination, SHEN Beauty, opens the doors to its new location at 138 Court Street in Cobble Hill.

The re-imagined space is a haven for beauty lovers to escape and renew, and to discover the best beauty products and brands. SHEN Beauty evokes the stylish, creative, and inspired vibe of Brooklyn itself, embodying B-Beauty, and ushering in Brooklyn’s place as a beauty innovator.

“We have a vibe and a passion for beauty innovation that you can’t find anywhere else,” says Richards. She notes that “Brooklyn continues to be one of the most supportive and inspiring places for independent businesses and creators, and has always been the epicenter for independent brands – from fashion and art to music and food. It’s full of authenticity and individuality and the people that choose to live and work here are a testament to that undercurrent of unconventionality.”

Jessica’s keen sense of curation and discerning eye has allowed SHEN Beauty to catapult indie brands to cult status, successfully launching over 70 brands, including Ilia, Kosas, Lanolips, Haoma, Pai and May Lindstrom. Known as one of retail’s best edits of beauty, SHEN Beauty stocks more than 100 brands of the most unique and efficacious offerings in skin care, makeup, hair, and fragrance categories, including Tata Harper, Westman Atelier, fur, Goop, Kjaer Weis, Dr. Barbara Sturm and Mason Pearson, among others.

“SHEN is and has always been a place for discovery—a place to find the newest, most under-the-radar brands and products in a setting that lets you learn about what makes them so special and unique,” she continues. “Offering fresh, exciting brands is what SHEN Beauty is known for.”

The new 1550 sq. ft space was designed by leading design collective Mythology. Together, they imagined a retail experience divided into thirds: the left wall offers a self-guided search, the right wall is for reserved for services, and the middle space showcases islands designed for exploration and discovery. The unexpected use of sustainable plywood, which wraps the entirety of the space, plays into the unpretentious nature of Jessica’s low-key "in-the-know" approach. “Celebrating the beauty of this utilitarian material, we highlighted both its face and edge, playing with the duality of this single material in macro and micro applications,” says Ted Galperin, a partner and Director of Retail at Mythology.

The product shelves are lined with hand-written recommendations from Jessica for an added personal touch. Stools by Thonet are repurposed from the 1950s and sconces by lighting designer Lindsey Adelman layer modern touches in the warm space. Bespoke hand-painted murals by Petra Börner adorn the front space with the NYC-based artist’s signature colorful, abstract style inspired by the myriad of faces that walk through the doors of SHEN Beauty.

Similar to her approach to product curation, Jessica developed a treatment menu that includes the latest innovations in microblading, facials, waxing, brows, and makeup and lash services. SHEN is a true beauty sanctuary, complete with Jessica’s team of experts – a collective of the best beauty talent, who Jessica trusts not only for her customers, but also for her own beauty routine. SHEN Beauty will also host an “Expert in Residency” series which will feature a rotating cast of the industry’s most sought-after personalities, including Gucci Westman, Barbara Sturm, and Joomee Song.

Brooklyn consistently rebels against the prevailing big-box retail trend as a location where small, niche brick-and-mortar businesses thrive. “According to consumers, the four key things missing from today’s beauty shops are authenticity, truthfulness, expert knowledge, and mirrors. The new SHEN Beauty has all of those things, and then some,” says Richards.

Mythology