Best of the Lehigh Valley: Shopping & Beauty

A record 16,400 votes poured in for the fifth annual Best Of competition. Some businesses took home their fifth consecutive win, while others were honored for the very first time. Click through to find out what makes each of these winners so vote-worthy!

AM Luxe Apparel

Best Women's Boutique For The Latest Trends

AM Luxe Apparel

AM Luxe Apparel

An urban design and feminine feel makes AM Luxe a dream shopping experience! Browse for apparel, accessories, jewelry, shoes and gift items here.

74 W Broad St, Bethlehem | 610.419.2037

amluxeapparel.com

Photo by Colin Coleman

assembly88

Best Place To Buy Menswear

assembly88

assembly88

If you’re a man shopping for a work wardrobe or happy hour ensemble, there’s no better place to look than assembly88.

544 Hamilton St, Allentown | 610.433.7625

assembly88.com

Photo by Colin Coleman

Boutiquetogo

Best Store For Your Favorite Accessories

Boutiquetogo

Boutiquetogo

BOUTIQUETOGO is a destination shop, with Rebecca Minkoff and Nicole Miller apparel, made-in-America bags that fly off the shelves and, even, luxurious NEST candles.

522 N 19th St, Allentown | 610.437.1663

boutiquetogo.com

Photo by Colin Coleman

Something Different Boutique

Best Gift Shop

Something Different Boutique

Something Different Boutique

The shop’s diverse selection of products and wide range of price points allows them to accommodate every customer’s gift-giving needs. It’s common for shoppers to return to the boutique just to let them know how much the recipient loved their gift!

351 Town Center Blvd, Easton | 610.515.8006

somethingdifferentshopping.com

Photo by Colin Coleman

Moravian Book Shop

Best Bookstore

Moravian Book Shop

Moravian Book Shop

A Main Street mainstay since the 1870s, the business’s true beginnings can be traced back to 1745, when the Moravian Church opened a bookstore on the city’s south side.

428 Main St, Bethlehem | 610.866.5481

moravianbookshop.com

Photo by Matt Bishop

Best Bridal Boutique

Best Bridal Boutique

Best Bridal Boutique

Bridals by Sandra

This family-owned and -operated bridal boutique has become a Valley mainstay over the past 50-plus years. Every certified consultant and stylist works to make the bride’s experience an unforgettable one!

56 E Lawn Rd, Nazareth | 610.759.5156

bridalsbysandra.com

Photo courtesy of Bridals By Sandra

domaci

Best Place To Buy Unique Home Décor

domaci

domaci

Proud members of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, domaci offers environmentally friendly products that are built to last a lifetime. Check out their new space in SouthSide Bethlehem!

21 E 3rd St, Bethlehem | 610.419.4111

domacihome.com

Photo by Andrew Tomasino

Susan Bella Jewelry

Best Place To Buy Fine Jewelry

Susan Bella Jewelry

Susan Bella Jewelry 

While Susan and her team specialize in redesigning heirloom pieces, they are also happy to act as stylists for brides and their entire wedding parties!

1746 W Allen St, Allentown | 610.434.8001

susanbellajewelry.com

Photo by Katie Wallace

Jessica Scott Santo, Tangles Salon and Spa

Best Hair Stylist To Make You Feel Like A Million Bucks

Jessica Scott Santo, Tangles Salon and Spa

Jessica Scott Santo, Tangles Salon and Spa

Jessica is a balayage believer! As a Sunlights Educator, Jessica regularly teaches classes on how to paint seamless highlights and even gives some tips and tricks for hair-grammers looking to be featured on top social pages.

2414 Butler St Easton | 610.250.7009

hairbyjessicascottsanto.com

Photo by Colin Coleman

Rooted Salon

Best Salon For Women's Cut & Color

Rooted Salon

Rooted Salon

Katelyn Quigney was born to wield a pair of scissors. “As a child, I was always interested, okay, obsessed with hair,” she says. Her Barbies and American Girl dolls bore the brunt of her early snipping and styling experiments. Eventually, she graduated to human clients—her three sisters, who were game to visit the pretend salon, “Hair Blair,” a young Katelyn established in the basement of the family’s home. Fast-forward to March of 2017, and Katelyn and her husband, Brandon Quigney, decided it was time to open a real salon of their own. “I was searching to be a part of a salon where my clients could receive an amazing hair service in addition to feeling welcomed and relaxed,” Katelyn says. It’s a team effort: Brandon handles the business side of Rooted, and Katelyn and her team of stylists take care of the beautifying. “My favorite part of my job is performing color corrects,” says Katelyn. “I love transforming a disaster into something beautiful and seeing the client’s reaction at the end.”

6636 Hamilton Blvd, Allentown | 484.860.3060

salonrooted.com

Photo by Matt Bishop

Oliver's Salon & Spa

Best Salon For The Perfect Mani-Pedi Experience

Oliver's Salon & Spa

Oliver's Salon & Spa

Splurge for the specialty mani-pedi package, complete with Farmhouse Fresh scents and some light refreshments!

5202 Hamilton Blvd, Allentown | 610.366.8808

oliverssalonspa.com

Photo courtesy of Oliver's Salon & Spa

European Wax Center

Best Waxing There And Everywhere

European Wax Center

European Wax Center

At European Wax Center, it’s not just about revealing beautiful skin, it’s about revealing a more beautiful you. Following an appointment, they give all clients full permission to strut out.

Multiple Locations | 610.355.1124

waxcenter.com

Photo by Colin Coleman

Designer Consigner Shop

Best Consignment Shop To Score Designer Labels

Designer Consigner Shop

Designer Consigner Shop

Fashion aficionados love the thrill of the chase—hunting down that one unique piece that will complete an outfit or transform it into an ensemble that’s fit to be envied. Lucky for those designer devotees of the local variety, a trip to New York City’s storied Fashion District isn’t necessary to unearth such treasures. Bethlehem’s Designer Consigner is ripe for one-of-a-kind finds. “The most unique item that we have ever gotten was a rare Chanel bag that was a limited edition, one of 10 that was purchased in Dubai and took over 80 hours for a master craftsman to create,” recalls one of the shop’s co-owners, Alexandra Fly. Designer Consigner’s inventory is constantly being replenished by clients who travel all over the world. “You may find a boutique item from Paris or a jacket from Morocco,” Fly says. “You never know what you may find, that’s why it’s great to stop in often!” The store’s staff can also act as a compass, of sorts, for those who need a little help navigating the road from runway to hallway (or wherever you do your in-home modeling). “We offer personal styling for free to anyone who comes in the shop,” says Fly.

453 Main St, Bethlehem | 610.419.0913

mydesignerconsigner.com

Photo by Matt Bishop

Organic Tans

Best Spray Tan To Fake A Week In The Caribbean

Organic Tans

Organic Tans

A woman who can execute a spray tan without the dreaded streaks and tangerine hues is a woman in demand, as Lorena Bravo quickly learned after she first dipped her toe into the business. After a skin cancer scare prompted her to get her first spray tan, she realized there was much about the process that could be improved. It wasn’t long before her healthy glow attracted admirers. “I began receiving text messages and calls from random people who wanted to get a spray tan by me,” Bravo recalls. “I’d invite them to my home to be sprayed in my shower. It was an interesting time.” Despite the demand, she says she was unable to find a salon in the Lehigh Valley that was interested in adding spray tanning services to its menu, so Bravo decided to become her own boss: Organic Tans opened in Allentown’s West End Theatre District in 2012. But customers can do much more than get their bronze on. “Organic Tans is part of a new category in the beauty industry,” says Bravo. “We have taken services that to conventional salons are secondary and have put them at the forefront of our operations.” Microblading, dermaplaning and lash extensions are just a few of those options.

5056, 1752 W Allen St, Allentown | 610.821.8888

organictanslv.com

Photo by Matt Bishop

Makeup by Roxy

Best Makeup Artist To Have You Feeling Runway Ready

Makeup by Roxy

Makeup by Roxy

Roxy Williams, owner of Makeup by Roxy, is one of those lucky people who is excited to go to work every morning. But, in another life, this woman who so deftly handles a contour brush and color palette could have been working a power suit and wielding a stack of legal briefs. Although makeup had been her passion since she was a girl (“I vividly remember watching my Nana get ready for work, and playing with her makeup mirror when she was done,” she says), naysayers convinced her that her “hobby” wouldn’t pan out as a lucrative career. “As I neared the end of my high school days, real life almost hit me,” Williams explains. “I then opted to apply, and was accepted to, Temple University for law.” But ultimately, Williams followed her heart. Now, some 14 years later, Williams and her team of 13 beauty professionals are in high demand by anyone looking for a little mirror magic. They even offer lessons to those who want to learn the tricks of the trade. “I am over the moon that we get to live and love our passion to create beauty,” Williams says.

301 Front St #3, Catasauqua | 610.764.1769

makeupbyroxy.com

Photo by Marco Calderon

Catrian Schutzer, Skinterest Skin Care Boutique

Best Eyebrow Artist For On-Point Brows

Catrian Schutzer, Skinterest Skin Care Boutique

Catrian Schutzer, Skinterest Skin Care Boutique

Co-owner, skin therapist and licensed esthetician, Catrian Schutzer helps her clients put their best face forward. Try their tinting treatment, which uses plant-based vegetable dye to naturally enhance the look of brows.

11 N 3rd St, Easton | 610.258.1702

skinterestskincare.com

Photo by Alison Conklin

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa

Best Facial For Radiant Skin

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa

Every massage and facial is tailored to meet the individual client’s needs to ensure comfort, relaxation and peace of mind.

Multiple Locations | 866.889.7866

handandstonespas.com

Photo courtesy of Hand and Stone

Healing Hands Massage and Wellness Center

Best Place To Get A Massage

Healing Hands Massage and Wellness Center

Healing Hands Massage and Wellness Center

In business since 1997, Healing Hands invites everyone to reap the benefits of massage and enjoy the experience at their location in Bethlehem.

518 Main St, Bethlehem | 610.882.4325

healhands.com

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Hone & Strop Barber and Brand Co

Best Men's Shave To Keep It Tidy

Hone & Strop Barber and Brand Co

Hone & Strop Barber and Brand Co.

The team at Hone & Strop hopes to impact the community and show men that a great cut and shave can improve the quality of their lives. Here, it’s not just a cut, it’s an experience.

1899 W Market St, Bethlehem | 610.297.2532

facebook.com/610honeandstrop

Photo by Andrew Tomasino

j.morgan salon

Best Men's Haircut

j.morgan salon

j.morgan salon

While they pride themselves in craft and technical skill, the team at j.morgan is quick to mention that customers can also shop home décor at the salon and are invited to enjoy a cup of coffee or a glass of wine while treating themselves!

252 Spring Garden St, Easton | 610.258.3480

jmorgansalonandhome.com

Photo by Colin Coleman