If you're in need of a quick blowout or desperate for a manicure, there are plenty of places you can go. But what if you need the stylist to come to you? And — especially — what if you don't want to pay on-demand prices? Enter The Glam App, which just launched in Dallas after successfully beautifying the people of Los Angeles, Orange County, New York and Las Vegas.
This new iPhone app is not unlike Blownaway, which launched in Dallas last summer. But a girl can never have too many options for hair, makeup and nails.
Founded earlier this year by actress/blogger Cara Santana and celebrity hair and makeup artist Joey Maalouf (his clients include Rachel Zoe and Molly Sims), The Glam App is free to download and connects customers to stylists in a snap, at affordable rates. A nail polish change runs $25; most hair and makeup services start at $40 and go up from there, depending on the 'do and stylist's experience level.
We recently chatted with the impossibly chic pair about how the app works and why the fashionable women of Dallas can benefit from this service.
CultureMap: Where did the idea for The Glam App come from?
Cara Santana: Joey and I wanted to create a luxury, affordable and convenient beauty experience. As women, looking good allows you to feel good, and every women deserves that.
And likewise, we wanted to open the freelance space for artists to more easily build their brand, gain clientele and create a business for themselves. Having an equally beneficial duality for client and provider was key to our concept.
CM: Why did you decide to expand to Dallas?
Joey Maalouf: The ladies of Dallas know beauty, and we thought it would be much appreciated out here. Luxury and beauty are two major components to the Dallas woman, and we wanted to add convenience and affordability to the mix.
CM: Where else do you plan to make the app available? Is international expansion on the horizon?
CS & JM: Right now we are doing a two-city-per-month activation schedule with markets like Miami, Boston, Chicago, Phoenix and Houston on our list, to name a few. Dallas is our fifth market, and we plan on continuing the quick pace so we can spread this to all women, everywhere. And come 2016, we absolutely plan to head internationally.
CM: Does a customer have to do anything beyond downloading the app?
CS & JM: Create a profile, which is easy. And then you're ready to book.
CM: How are the stylists vetted?
CS & JM: We specifically hand-pick our artists, review their work and portfolio, run a background check on them, and verify their licensing. Once they are approved, we place them in one of our three tiers based on their experience.
CM: Are all services performed strictly in a customer's home?
CS & JM: Home, office, hotel, even hospitals. We'll go wherever you need!
CM: What's the process like for the customer? Do they input what they are looking for and then receive bids, or do they select from a specific stylist's portfolio?
CS & JM: We wanted to stay far away from anything that resembled a dating site. The way it works is clients select from inspirational looks and styles, then they select the rate, which is dependent upon the stylist level. Lastly, they select the appointment time and enter the location. From there, a message is sent to all on-duty artists, and they sign in and accept the appointment. It's a first-come, first-served system.
If a client likes the particular artist, she can rebook. If not, she has the opportunity to work with any one of our other stylists.
The Glam App founders Joey Maalouf and Cara Santana.
