Glowbar is glowing strong.
The fast facial bar is on track to open in four new markets this year, closing 2024 with 18 studios and marking a doubling of its current nine.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, services, especially facials, have experienced exponential growth. While people learned how to do certain beauty routines at home during COVID-19, they are still seeking in-person services, according to Glowbar founder and chief executive officer Rachel Liverman.
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“We are super adaptable to hard times and stronger than we even know we are, but services will always be in demand because we’re human beings. We love human interaction,” she said. “To me, that just implies that there’s a bright future for Glowbar whether or not there’s an economic downturn.”
Research shows that the category isn’t expected to slow down. According to the Global Wellness Institute, spas are a $105 billion market globally. A 2022 report from McKinsey also shows that 45 percent of consumers intend to spend more on wellness services.
With this, a slew of fast facial bars have popped up, especially in the New York City area. Glowbar, which closed a $10 million Series A in 2023, is riding the service wave and expanding outside of the city but with a slightly different approach.
Instead of jumping on the hottest skin care trends and introducing new add-ons, the company is focused on its single-service approach. The only treatment a guest can book is a 30-minute facial, $60 for members and $75 for nonmembers. Of course, each treatment is customized based on the client’s concerns. Dermaplaning, peels, red light therapy and high frequency are commonly employed during Glowbar facials. In addition, the facials feature clinical grade products for the most efficacious results. However, this doesn’t mean Liverman isn’t innovating when it comes to the Glowbar experience.
“We are always evolving and always adding products to our treatment that are based on innovation,” she said. “The client doesn’t always know about those additions because we don’t have a menu….Oftentimes we have a new mask or a peel.”
This approach is working. With 14 million views on the #glowbar hashtag on TikTok and loyalists across New York and Connecticut, the company is primed for expansion. In the first quarter of 2024, Glowbar’s new markets include Hoboken, N.J., and Philadelphia, followed by Boston in the third quarter. Liverman hinted that another new market is to come in the fourth quarter, as well.
“The decision to expand from New York and Connecticut to New Jersey, Philly [and] Boston was really driven by the success and strong advocacy experience in the existing locations,” she said. “We get continuous inquiries from clients about where we should go next, and they want to see us in other markets. We combined client outreach with our data driven real estate approach, making sure that the demographic is there.”
Glowbar’s no-frills, streamlined approach also plays into its retail strategy, which includes brands like Is Clinical and Environ.
“We only partner with professional brands that are built by aestheticians, dermatologists or medical professionals,” Liverman said.
Recently, for the first time since its launch, Glowbar added a new brand to its in-store offerings: Sofie Pavitt Face. The line, created by New York-based aesthetician commonly referred to as the “acne whisperer” Sofie Pavitt, includes Nice Ice Toner Pads, $68, a frozen treatment infused with glycerin and niacinamide; Mandelic Clearing Serum, $54, a gentle exfoliant, and Clean Clean Cleanser, $34, a hydrating, foaming cleanser.
“Sofie [Pavitt Face] was the first brand that we launched since launching the business and I was just so impressed with the efficacy of the products, the clinical grade,” Liverman said. “She was so intentional about her assortment, which I believe is what’s going to win in today’s consumer space.”
Pavitt’s and Liverman’s approach to medical grade skin care plays well with overall consumer trends, as clinical brands have been gaining traction.
In addition, Liverman takes an audit of the retail offerings every quarter, removing stock keeping units that don’t resonate with the customer. She attributes this “break through the clutter” mindset to her time at Birchbox.
“I never wanted our retail wall to be overwhelming,” she said. “I wanted it to be clear and only have a few options for each category.”
For Liverman, this paired down approach will continue to be the key to success and sustainable expansion, especially as a young brand.
“We always wanted to be national. We’ve always wanted to be 30 minutes, no menu, no add-on, highly effective and to support the aesthetician,” she said. “We’re still young.…There’s so much opportunity to still keep our messaging of 30 minutes and highly effective.”