Over the last few decades, Houston has quietly become a major player in the international beauty industry, a place where new brands — a la Drunk Elephant — go from clever pipedreams to celebrated bestsellers almost overnight. These days, despite the ongoing Covid crisis, H-Town continues to be sitting pretty, thanks to a handful of up-and-comers.

Jentry Kelley Cosmetics — founded by a Friendswood native who created her eponymous cosmetics brand in the summer of 2011, after working for Clinique, MAC and Laura Mercier at Neiman Marcus — will open its second location this fall: a Gensler-designed space off the Katy Freeway at Eldridge. She’ll sell her entire makeup line — 200 products, plus private lessons! — along with skincare and injectables from BCRN Aesthetic. There will be a full-service hair salon, too! “People like to shop local and support businesses here,” Kelley told CityBook last year. “I love being here, and I will always call Houston home.”

Industry leader SkinCeuticals clearly sees something beautiful in H-Town, too: Its new SkinLab concept just opened in the West Ave office of plastic surgeon Dr. Forrest Roth — only the third in the country. Three treatments are available exclusively at SkinLab, incorporating tech like dermaplaning, microneedling and LED light alongside proven SkinCeuticals products.

Skin Lab at West Ave

FaceHaus, the California-based chain offering fabulously affordable facials, wants to get in on the action, too, having recently opened its first Houston location in Rice Village. The open-concept space boasts a “bar” full of high-end products with a team of expert estheticians to help customers achieve a healthy glow.

Meanwhile, local mainstays are building on their long-earned success. Estilo just added an all-new spa — facials, body-hair removal and more, courtesy of co-owner Vanessa Tort — in a building adjacent to its quaint Montrose salon. And CityBook contributor Edward Sanchez just launched Essential Skincare, featuring cleansers, toners and lotions with food-grade botanicals and other all-natural ingredients.

AT TOP: Jentry Kelley