Blushington: A new beauty lounge with $35 makeup application

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We’ve seen the popularity of Drybar and similar hair services that offer $35 blow outs, and now we’ve got makeup to complete the look. Blushington is a new makeup studio and beauty lounge opening in West Hollywood on Friday (conveniently right next door to Drybar’s Sunset Boulevard location) offering $35 makeup application all in an adorably girly setting.

Blushington founder and Chief Executive Stephi Maron is a 22-year-old L.A native and recent college grad with no makeup training or beauty background (she was a business and communications major at University of Arizona), but recognized the success of the $35 blow out and figured there should be a similar service for makeup. When the retail space next to Drybar on Sunset became available, Maron jumped at the opportunity, seeing the Sunset Plaza locale as a potential one-stop destination for women who may want their makeup done before or after a blow out.

“I realized there was nowhere you could go to get your makeup done. At department store beauty counters there’s a lot of pressure to buy product. Here, you spend your money on the service. Makeup artists are talented in applying makeup, not selling product,” says Maron, who has hired 40 makeup artists to work in the ornate coral and silver space.

There is a menu similar to how Dry- bar presents its different blow out styles. Six makeup looks ranging from Pure & Simple (natural, barely there makeup), Simply Glowing (sun-kissed face with a little glow--the most popular look among Maron’s friends and family so far) and Lucky Stars (classic Old Hollywood glamour with black liquid eyeliner and a dainty red lip). Though Maron stresses that each look can be applied as is, or act as a starting point that customers can customize further.

There are also options like “Eyes Only” for $25, where the makeup artist will apply only eye makeup (smart because while most of us can slather on our own foundation, a smoky eye is a different story), lash tinting for $20 and faux lash application for $15.

The makeup isn’t the only thing sweet and girly at Blushington. The entire space is decked out in a coral and silver motif and artists wear large, coral-colored bows in their hair (male makeup artists wearthe bow tie version). Large white vanities are filled with beauty products from Stila, Becca, Kevin Aucoin and Julie Hewitt, the lines Maron is initially stocking for artist use as well as for sale. Customers are also welcome to bring in their own products like their favorite foundation or a specific color of lipstick they want to wear for a special occasion.

Products used to create each person’s look are saved on file, so it’s easy enough to recall the bright pink blush used during the last makeup session, or not.

If the look and set up of Blushington brings to mind its heavily branded neighbor Drybar, that’s no accident. Though there is no formal partnership between the two businesses, Maron did hire Dry Bar’s architect and branding and marketing person to create the right look for Blushington.

“It’s synergistic,” says Maron. “We’re also working on a link from our website to Drybar, so you can book a makeup and hair appointment at one time.”

And just like Drybar rapidly expanded into several locations, Maron has the same vision for Blushington. “We’re already looking at a second space in Studio City.” The business savvy Maron also mentions taking the brand internationally with potential locations in the U.K.

Blushington opens Friday at 8591 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069

(310) 652-5874

--Melissa Magsaysay

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Photos : Exterior and interior shots of Blushington/Clark Dugger