As restrictions ease and we fall upon the beauty rituals that make us feel human, The Skin Bar in Double Bay is opening its doors for the first time. From its pint-sized location on New South Head Road, Samantha Appel introduces us to her new digs; an emerald oasis offering glow facials, skin needling, peels and massages.
In a deliberate pivot away from the blank white walls and decor we've come to expect from Sydney's beauty clinics, with the help of Dani Dean from The Make Haus, Appel has ushered in a new beauty experience. Soothing jade green engulfs you from the velvet upholstery, mosaic tiling, glass brick pillars and curved taps.
It's a colour motif that extends throughout the space, save for the curved ceilings rounded out with a wax finish. Rather than approaching the clinic design in auto-pilot, together the duo eschewed timber flooring, opting instead for a cement slab with hand painted details to elicit a marbled-tiling effect.
“I didn’t want another white crisp clinic, it’s overdone. I wanted something fresh and a little different and I knew we needed a magical space that would stand out in the crowded beauty hub of Sydney,” Appel said.
During Sydney's second lockdown, Dean and Appel began to formulate ideas for the site, beginning renovations during this time. From the outset, they wanted to create a community destination. “We are a new age skin clinic that focuses on injectable alternatives and non-laser skin resurfacing. We wanted to build more than just a clinic, we want to have a community where we share our journeys and connect with one another," Appel said. No easy feat when the space you're working with is 24sqm.
Still, with little room the duo managed to fit in two treatment rooms, a reception, waiting room and back of house area. "Corey from Boerma Constructions was a dream to work with," Appel said. "We needed a builder with an eye for detail - there were many tricky curved walls and ceiling spaces that needed to be perfect."
But don't take our word for it. Check our The Skin Bar, Double Bay for yourself. You can book a range of treatments through its website.
