Some great hidden gem beauty salons on New York’s UES

Manhattan’s Upper East Side is known for its Museum Mile, the luxury shops lining Fifth Avenue, and historic hotels offering white-glove service like The Carlyle. You don’t have to be part of the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City to know where to go in the neighborhood to get pampered. Here are three of the best-kept secret places to help you keep looking your very best:


For the perfect haircut: Lovella - Sleek yet inviting, this salon is known for sculpting styles to compliment your face shape, and for mixing up the perfect color for your individual skin tone. The Israeli-born owner Oded has been cutting hair for more than 20 years, and his passion is making customers look beautiful. Oded skillfully snips strands as if he were creating a work of art, and you’ll probably feel like one once he’s finished blowing out your style. You’ll be offered tea or coffee when you arrive, and can relax during a head massage while you’re shampooed. Oded is especially talented at taming curls and making thick hair sleek and more manageable. 1296 2nd Avenue, located near the Affinia Gardens hotel


For baby soft feet: Jin Soon Hand and Foot Spa - The spa’s owner of the same name is Korean, and her architect husband used her Asian heritage as inspiration for the perfectly balanced wood and flower elements that transform the long, narrow space into an oasis of calm. The skilled manicurists won’t rush you out the door like other nail salons in the area. Instead, you can unwind in peace while they pamper your hands and feet with a menu of treatments ranging from the “Flower Petal Float” to the “Clay Slipper Magic.” The most popular is the “Breath of Milk and Honey,” where your feet are soaked in a hot bath filled with both of the above, exfoliated with a delicious sugar scrub, massaged with essential oils, and wrapped in a hot steam towel. 421 East 73rd Street, located near the Affinia Gardens hotel To revive a tired complexion: Metamorphosis Day Spa - With more than 20 different facial options offered, you’re sure to find a customized solution for your particular complexion woes. The Metamorphosis Signature Facial takes 90 minutes and uses wildflowers and herbs to breathe life back into dull skin. 127 East 56th Street, located near Hotel 57 and the Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel


- Holly Corbett of The Lost Girls