Positively Renewed
At Jolie Salon & Spa, guests can expect an award-winning experience designed to revitalize the mind, body, and spirit.
An exceptional day of self-care revolves around two distinct factors: a welcoming space that promotes serenity and comfort; and the expertise of skilled professionals who excel at letting guests know they are in highly capable hands.
Peter Lee understood this idea when he created Jolie Salon & Spa, a fully immersive salon and spa experience in Blue Bell that is sophisticated, relaxing, and bound to leave a lasting impression.
If the name sounds familiar, there’s a good reason why. Jolie Salon & Spa is unlike anything else in the area, and it has earned the accolades to match. In 2021, Jolie Salon & Spa won Neighborhood Favorite honors from Nextdoor.com. In addition, it was the most recognized beauty business by Montco Happening, with first-place finishes in four categories; it also earned induction into the Montco Happening Hall of Fame for its multiple first-place finishes over the past several years.
Jolie Salon & Spa has had a presence in Blue Bell since 2000, when it started with just 16 employees. The establishment grew to a team of 70, offering a full-service hair salon and a luxury spa across 6,000 square feet. The salon includes a blow dry bar and a nail salon with six manicure and six pedicure areas, with full LED lighting throughout. It also has a commercial-grade exhaust system for fumes, irritants, perms, Brazilian blowouts, etc. The soundproofed spa has three massage rooms, three aesthetic rooms, and a wax room, as well as men and women’s locker rooms.
Every inch of the area is designed to exceed a guest’s expectations. This level of service and attention to detail has helped Jolie Salon & Spa earn recognition both near and far, including best-in-class accolades from the national magazine Salon Today for several years running.
“Customer service has always been our strength,” Peter says. “We have aligned ourselves with great people in the industry, from management down to our assistants. From the minute you walk up to the front desk, you will be greeted by receptionists who will make you instantly comfortable. We also have a booking room of four receptionists just to answer the phones and coordinate appointments. There’s always a friendly face at the front desk and always a helping hand ready for you.”
Jolie Salon & Spa utilizes industry-leading products with each treatment, including a marketplace of premium haircare lines, pharmaceutical-grade skin care and makeup, and nail care and polishes. Every aspect of the experience is designed to impress, soothe, and pamper, from the elegant design and lighting down to even the smallest touches. A fully stocked amenities cart is a good example. The cart circles the salon every hour, offering snacks and drinks, including wine and chocolate, to make the full-service experience one to remember.
Working from Within
The key to Jolie Salon & Spa’s success has little to do with creature comforts or Instagram-ready lighting. Rather, it has to do with the environment of empowerment and positivity, according to Debbie Lee, who handles the financial, legal, and contractual aspects of the business. She’s also married to Peter.
“This space has been built to become a cohesive and friendly environment, geared towards making our employees happy,” explains Debbie. “We know that when you do that the happiness filters out from there. We work from the inside out to make sure it is the best place to work. Our customers feel that, and it radiates through everything we do.”
Jolie Salon & Spa provides team members with continuing education courses designed to enhance their skills. The lineup includes weekly courses taught by Peter and veteran in-house stylists as well as regular appearances from outside educators who are considered experts in the industry.
“We’re lucky that we are able to bring in new talent,” Debbie adds. “And because of that, we want to make sure our team is able to continue to evolve personally. That’s why our veterans work regularly with our up-and-coming stylists, and why we offer classes on advanced techniques and things that have evolved in the industry.”
What’s #Trending?
As a salon expert, Peter notes that some of the exciting trends in the salon industry include the popularity of hair extensions, as well as new techniques in hair color. Examples include the ever-popular balayage and the ombré option, or its softer and subtler sister treatment known as “sombré.”
“There are great techniques for adding fullness and body,” he says. “Of course, extensions are great for going from short to long, but we have these opportunities now for people who want more fullness and want to enhance what they already have in new ways.”
Peter invested in 300 LED lights throughout the salon, so customers can see their hair color and skin tone in the true color spectrum of light—and, of course, capture the perfect selfie. He refers to the lighting as “a great investment for us,” because it enables customers to see the final product and how it works with their skin tone.
The spa, meanwhile, offers a full range of packages for one, two, or even a crew.
“We really wanted our packages to embrace the spa experience,” explains Debbie. “People are able to come in, step into a soundproofed space, and really be treated to a day of pampering unlike anything else.”
In the spa, a team of specialists provide a full menu of massage options, along with nail treatments, hair removal techniques, and skincare sessions, ranging from 30-minute facials to aesthetician-prescribed services.
Everything is offered in a space that has been revamped with safety and cleanliness in mind. Jolie Salon & Spa invested in the same electrostatic spraying technology used by global airlines and healthcare facilities for disinfection purposes.
“We want our staff and our customers to feel safe at all times,” stresses Debbie. “We have a full-time maintenance and housekeeping team on staff all day, every day. We keep the entire space clean—down to the shelves with our products—and we sanitize with our electrostatic spray system every day as well. This is a priority for us, because we know it’s a priority for the people around us.”
This uncompromising commitment to safety is just one aspect of the overall experience Jolie Salon & Spa aims to deliver to every person who steps through the door.
“We want people to feel the positivity,” Peter adds. “Everyone works so well together, and we work well to manage the business so that there is always someone to help. It’s a family environment, and to me that means everyone is supported.”
Jolie Salon & Spa
750 DeKalb Pike
Blue Bell, PA 19422
(610) 277-2152
Photography by Jody Robinson
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, August 2021.
