Jessica Bernard took a leap of faith in 2016 when she launched her salon brand Bombshell Beauty on a shoestring budget.

“I invested heavily in online marketing in order to reach new guests and grow my brand’s reputation year after year,” she says. 

Bernard offers high-quality hair services and skincare, as well as traditional beauty services. “I also write, albeit irregularly, about my business, posting my odd take on beauty trends and news on my blog titled Beauty and the Blog,” she adds.

The inspiration behind Bombshell Beauty comes from the idea of creating a place that’s different from the norm. “I really wanted to break away from the traditional hair salon and offer another experience that included more personality with more diversity, more artistic ability, and give my clients more educated control on how they wanted their beauty experience to go,” she says. “In creating a salon and beauty brand, I get to redefine beautiful everyday, from weekly curling sets to rainbow hair creations.”

Bernard’s experience in providing her clients with salon and beauty services goes back to 2004 when she became a licensed cosmetologist. She says that she never fit into the standard beauty mold but wanted to stand out and inspire other women to love and accentuate their beauty to their own standards. 

“Through my journey over the past 20 years, I went from a careless teenager that took a chance on beauty school to a small business owner of an uplifting, and a little cheeky at times, brand that’s creating a following,” she adds.

Bernard also takes pride in the fact that she’s running a business while living her best life as a momma. She says it was something she didn’t see as a possibility just five years ago, but knew she needed to take the jump to meet her family’s needs. 

“After taking a six year career diversion from the beauty industry; learning through entry level positions in customer service, advanced opportunities with tech and sales teams, I really earned the confidence in my abilities to learn anything I wanted to,” she says.

Those skills she learned on the outside of the industry came back to the salon with her and she started marketing her work on Facebook as an independent stylist. “My clients’ confidence in my work has been the ultimate payoff in creating a life for my family and the ability to inspire other women to pursue their passions,” she adds.

At Bombshell Beauty you’ll find corrective and vibrant hair color services as well as texturing services such as keratin smoothing and permanent waving. She also offers hair shaping and styling for both men and women. 

Most recently, Bernard began offering Hand Tied Weft Hair Extensions to her menu, of which she offers complimentary consultations. 

Clients of Bombshell beauty can upgrade their color makeovers to include a self-empowering Boudoir Photography Shoot. “Hair and makeup are provided, three outfit changes, and nine poses all edited are delivered to your email,” says Barnard. 

Barnard hopes to expand her salon to include an on-site photography studio, complete with a wardrobe to choose from to create amazing photos. 

Bombshell Beauty is located at 244 E. Sharon Road in Cincinnati. 

To learn more about Bombshell Beauty, visit www.bombshellbeauty.com. You can also follow along on Facebook. 

A new business is bringing the new craze of IV therapy business to Cincinnati. Hydration Station provides IV treatments to a multitude of clients to not only make them feel better, but provide a safe and comfortable environment while doing so. 

“My wife and I had the idea for the business several years ago,” says Hydration Station founder Chris Jaeger. “There have been similar services offered in other major cities for years and we saw a gap in Cincinnati. We hopped on the opportunity to provide the city and the Tri-State the benefits of IV therapy.”

The Hydration Station has been in business for a little over a year now and has served hundreds in the area. Jaeger’s team is currently made up of 9 professionally-trained, local medical professionals, with hopes to expand in the future. 

The Hydration Station offers a wide range of IV therapy treatments. Each service is designed with the consumer in mind. “Each package that we offer is created for a different purpose,” says Jaeger. “From anti-aging, migraines, pre and post-workout, etc., we have all needs covered.” 

The Hydration Station offers a menu of pre-designed packages with a custom package option available as well. You can find all of their available packages and items here: https://hydrationstation513.com/services-1. 

All of the products that are used, such as IV tubing, saline, medicines, etc. are from the same distributor that the hospitals utilize. In order to receive the IV therapy, Hydration Station has created a simple and easy process for customers. Customers can either book their appointment online or call the office, fill out a pre-treatment form and, after approval, the IV session starts. Individuals have the option to either receive the treatment in their home by a medical professional or visit Hydration Station’s brick-and-mortar location in downtown Cincinnati. The treatment typically lasts for 30-45 minutes. 

“As the market and technology continue to expand and develop, we see our service only growing from here. We are so excited to see what the future has in store for Hydration Station,” says Jaeger. 

To learn more, visit https://hydrationstation513.com/or call (513) 614-5420. You can also follow Hydration Station on Instagram and Facebook.

For the past 20 years, Tracey Piphus, owner and founder of Couture Beauty Showroom and Couture Beauty by Tracey, has dedicated her life to making women feel beautiful and empowered. 

As a licensed Advanced Cosmetologist, hairstylist, instructor, and salon owner, she has seen every single in and out of the beauty industry. “I love to put a smile on people’s faces by making them feel beautiful, the feeling never gets old,” says Piphus. 

Couture Beauty Showroom curates luxurious, high-end products for individuals wanting the spa experience at home.The e-commerce website is set up into different categories: The Lounge, Bath & Body, Brow Products, Lash Products, Beauty Merch and Candles and Scents. Each category houses on-trend products, hand-selected by Piphus.

“Beauty is an inside job and we want our customers to feel luxurious and at home. Women will always need self-care and crave the experience to be pampered. ” says Piphus. 

For the customers who want to shop in-person, Piphus’s storefront, Couture Beauty by Tracey, carries products that are on the website. Couture Beauty by Tracey also offers beauty services, such as eyebrows and lash lifts. The storefront launched three years ago and Couture Beauty Showroom’s site just recently launched, with public launch plans for the end of the month. 

You can shop at the Couture Beauty Showroom by visiting their website at https://www.couturebeautyshowroom.com/. To stay connected, you can follow Couture Beauty Showroom on Instagram and Facebook. You can also connect with Couture Beauty by Tracey by visiting their storefront at 9475 Kenwood Road, Suite 8, Cincinnati, OH and visiting their website at https://www.couturebeautybytracey.com/.

Jess Morey is a mom of two little girls. She’s also a dog mom and a wife. Although her past is in the beauty industry, now she’s taken on the role of stay-at-home mom and anything she does is for her family. 

To help fill up her cup and showcase what she does at home with the littles she launched Dash of Jess, a lifestyle blog. 

“On Dash of Jess you can find I cover a variety of topics including travel, fashion, recipes, and so much more,” she says. 

In the last 5 years since she launched her blog and started a new stay-at-home lifestyle, she’s been able to help people plan trips, pick out cute outfits, and share recipes, all of which can be found in one place on Dash of Jess. 

“Ever since I became a stay-at-home mom I’ve truly done everything for my family,” she says. “So I get to call this my own thing, which is so fun. I’ve dealt with being a young mom, chronic and even undiagnosed pain, all while trying to keep my chin up and make the most out of life. That’s why I’m so excited to share my highs and lows with people going through similar things.” 

One of the things Morey enjoys the most about her blog is getting to connect with people. “It’s so cool when someone tells me they’ve made my everything bagels,” she says. “Or they booked a hotel room at a hotel I’ve posted about. It’s such a cool feeling.”

Although the blog Dash of Jess just recently went live, Morey says she’s excited to grow it and partner with other brands. 

To learn more about Dash of Jess and follow along with her blog journey, visit dashofjess.com. You can also follow along on Instagram. 

Cynthia Marx has been in the beauty industry for a decade. She started off doing hair but found, about five years ago, that her true passion was with brows. 

Today she is the owner of Plush Beauty Bar, a modern chic salon in the heart of Newport, Kentucky, that offers a wide range of beauty services. 

“I was inspired to launch Plush Beauty Bar so that I could provide cosmetologists with a creative space to express themselves through their work and give guests a positive environment and to feel even more beautiful when they leave,” says Marx.

The goal at Plush Beauty Bar is to provide all customers with a welcoming atmosphere and an enjoyable experience. 

“We offer our signature brow wax and tint,” says Marx “We measure out your brows to your face shape so it’s custom.”

There are also two hair stylists in the salon who specialize in chemical services and hair cuts, and are also certified in deva curl cuts. There is a makeup artist on the team as well as a certified lash artist, who loves to enhance clients’ natural beauty. 

Marx says she loves getting to know each of her guests and their stories. “I want every guest to feel relaxed and refreshed when they leave Plush,” she adds.

New services are always being added at Plush Beauty Bar, and Marx says she strives to continue growing her business. “We really want to create a bridal package with hair and makeup, and that’s what we’re currently working on,” she says. “Our lash artist Eva will soon be offering lip blushing!”

You can stay up-to-date with Plush Beauty Bar on Facebook. Marx says she is always sharing new and exciting things on their social media pages. Click here to book an appointment.

When Emily Zook was thinking about opening her own beauty bar, she knew she wanted to be in Over-the-Rhine. “Being in this community was my No. 1 priority,” she says. “I fell in love with it over a year ago when I moved here from Columbus and quickly decided it was my new home.”

Zook wanted to create a space that had a visible, inviting storefront while also providing clients with high quality and results-driven skincare. 

“I want women to feel empowered in their own skin, being filter free, and making them ‘glow like the moon,’” she says. 

Now, after sitting with her thoughts in the midst of the pandemic, she’s taking a leap of faith and preparing to open Lunar Beauty Bar. “I have 8 years of experience in the beauty industry and genuinely care about each and every one of my clients,” she says. “I make sure they have a lasting experience and impression from walking through the door to seeing their skin in the mirror at home. My goal is to make clients want to come back before they even leave.”

Lunar Beauty Bar offers a variety of facials to give clients the ability to alter them in order to meet their specific skin care needs. 

“The customizations will play a big role in the end result,” she says. “Some add-ons include dermaplaning to remove the first layer of dead skin along with peach fuzz. We also have LED light therapy to treat acne, dark spots, and diminish the appearance of wrinkles.”

Lunar Beauty Bar will also offer different levels of chemical peels with nano infusion, which is a painless technology. “It helps penetrate serums deeper to provide hydration and reverse the signs of aging by stimulating the production of collagen,” she adds. “We will also provide waxing services and customized airbrush tans.”

Zook says that what makes Lunar Beauty Bar unique is that the space is set up to create an intimate, one-on-one experience, which helps make it safe and sanitary. She adds extra time on to every service to allow for proper sanitizing before the next client walks in. 

She’s also dedicated to being involved in the community, and plans to participate in local events and retailing local vendors. 

Zook says there are a few vendors that she’s currently in the process of creating partnerships with. And she’s also hoping to start a blog and eventually a vlog to share skin care tips with readers and viewers. 

Lunar Beauty Bar is located at 1307 Main Street in Cincinnati. 

You can learn more about Lunar Beauty Bar at www.lunarbeautyotr.com. You can also follow along on Facebook and Instagram. 

Whether through fashion, social events or aesthetic services, Nakkiya Groomes‘ entrepreneurial path has been paved with various ways to boost self confidence. That’s why she was inspired to launch Bodied by GG.

“Bodied by GG is a company that specializes in aiding women and men with inch loss around the belly, back, sides, thighs, arms, chin and face using noninvasive techniques,” says Nakkiya Groomes, Owner and CEO of Bodied by GG. “We also provide other services, such as teeth whitening, butt and breast vacuum lift, vaginal rejuvenation, Pre-op and Post-op cosmetic surgery care.”

The inspiration behind the business came from Groomes seeing someone getting a procedure done on social media. “I actually saw someone receiving the service on Facebook Live and considered getting it done myself, but as I began looking into it more and the unique effects it has on the body without having to go under the knife,” she says. “I then became interested in providing the services myself.”

Groomes already has her own event management business called Glam Gods, which is where the GG came from. “I didn’t want to deter the men from getting services with too feminine of a name. All are welcome,” she says.

There are a wide variety of services offered through Bodied by GG and they include: 

Eventually, she wants to turn her business into a full medical spa.

The mission for the business is to provide services and have people understand how to maintain their bodies when they go home. “My mission is to ensure that every man and woman that has an experience at Bodied by GG, leaves with knowledge of the services received. Whether they get one session or 10, they know what to do to maintain their results,” Groomes says. 

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t allow walk ins, but you can make appointments, “so that we can maintain control of the number of bodies in the establishment,” she says.“I believe this business is important to the community because during this COVID-19 era, we all need something that makes us smile and feel good, that’s exactly what our services provide.”

Groomes’ favorite part of the job is seeing her clients experience results. She loves it when “after a few sessions, the customer starts noticing their results and their self-esteem starts beaming through and they begin to plan their dieting and exercise routine without me having to say a word,” she says. 

The business is unique because the services “are just now becoming a hot commodity,” Groomes says. “Work can be done under a knife and weeks of recovery time can now be done in weeks with no pain or down time.” 

Bodied by GG is located at: 1212 Sycamore Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229. To learn more, call 513-952-1500 or email bodiedbygg@gmail.com.

The Christ Hospital’s Gina Maccarone, MD and Lauren Daughtery, RN, have teamed up to bring a new experience to patients at the health network. 

“The Medical Spa at The Christ Hospital offers a range of services and products to enhance your natural beauty and reduce the signs of aging,” explains Dr. Maccarone. “With so many options now available, our goal is to bring you treatments and products that truly provide results, provided by highly-trained experts.”

Dr. Maccarone is the medical director of The Medical Spa at The Christ Hospital and Daughtery is a registered nurse and aesthetician.

The idea of opening a medical spa within The Christ Hospital came from Dr. Maccarone’s passion for offering patients a place to go where health and beauty are considered in parallel. As a fellow fashionista, Dr. Maccarone also finds interest in aesthetics, mindfulness, and the science behind each of these from a medical perspective, allowing her to bring in the experience and passion to help patients achieve their health and beauty goals using her surgical skills, artistic background, and medical knowledge.

A variety of services are offered at The Medical Spa at The Christ Hospital including laser treatments, injectables, and dermaplaning. 

The laser treatments offered provide fast results with little to no downtime and include Laser Genesis by Cutera, a non-invasive treatment used to stimulate the skin’s natural processes to reverse many signs of aging skin including fine lines, enlarged pores, rough skin texture, and facial redness. Also offered is Excel V by Cutera, which effectively reduces the appearance of rosacea, facial and leg veins, age/brown spots, and acne scars.

Injectables available at The Medical Spa at The Christ Hospital include Botox, Juvederm, and Kybella. Botox are small injections that help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles for a natural, more youthful appearance. “Over time, the muscles around your eyes and above and between the eyebrows repeatedly contract and tighten, causing wrinkles,” explains Dr. Maccarone. “But with just a few Botox injections, you can eliminate the appearance of wrinkles for a natural, more youthful appearance.” 

Juvederm is a gel filler that adds volume to cheeks, lips, and smooths facial lines with lasting results while Kybella is a nonsurgical injection used to reduce excess fat beneath the chin.

Dermaplane is a painless procedure offered at The Medical Spa at The Christ Hospital that gives your face a fresher, cleaner, and brighter glow while also allowing makeup to appear more smooth and flawless. This treatment exfoliates and rids the face of fine hair.

The products offered by The Medical Spa at The Christ Hospital include ZO® Skin Health and Jane Iredale Skincare Makeup.

The two locations for The Medical Spa at The Christ Hospital are now open at the Mt. Auburn and Liberty Township locations, and they have taken extra measures to ensure the safety of patients in the wake of COVID-19. 

“Because we are a division of The Christ Hospital, our precautions are those required of any medical office regarding COVID-19,” explains Dr. Maccarone. “Face masks are mandatory for staff and also patients at all times, unless receiving a treatment. Staff are also required to wear face shields for their own protection. Our common areas and treatment rooms are disinfected and cleaned between patients and also scheduled hourly.”

To learn more about The Medical Spa at The Christ Hospital, click here or call 513-564-1393. Your initial visit begins with a consultation to discuss your concerns and determine an individual treatment plan to achieve your desired results.

Jasmine Hicks finds inspiration in the words “peace” and “tranquility” so when she decided to venture out on her own and open a salon, she made sure to incorporate those two words into the structure and mission of her business. 

“I took the time to study not just what a peaceful salon has and is, but to study more of what the human body needs to bring peace to the mind, body, and spirit, which has a huge affect on our hair, skin, and nails,” explains Hicks.

At her salon, Blown Hair Studio, you’ll find a holistic, eco-friendly, motivating, and family-oriented hair and nail salon that taps into the body’s five senses while servicing guests of all ethnic backgrounds and all ages.

At Blown Hair Studio, there are a plethora of services offered to all textures of hair including color, blow-outs, haircuts, and different treatments such as Aloe Vera Steam Treatment. Additionally, Blown Hair Studio offers nail services.

Hicks says that what makes Blown Hair Studio unique is its passion for tapping into the body’s senses from the moment you walk through the door. “From the relaxing aroma that you smell to the wall of affirmations to the greenery that you see,” she says. “Blown Hair Studio leaves customers feeling rejuvenated, refreshed, relaxed, and beautiful all in one visit.” 

Blown Hair Studio is located in the heart of Oakley at 3300 Brotherton Road in Cincinnati. 

Hicks says that Blown Hair Studio will be offering “COVID-safe” events in its attached patio area. “We’ll offer networking, young women and women empowerment events, and family-oriented small events,” she says. “Blown Hair Studio looks forward to entrepreneurship empowerment events as well as visits to foster homes to offer services to help build the self-esteem in young men and women.”

You can keep up with Blown Hair Studio on Facebook and Instagram.