ESTEVAN — Onyx & Ivory House of Beauty opened this summer to provide customers with luxury beauty services.
After doing makeup services for many years, Chandra Marchuk said she felt there was a need in Estevan to have a space that could provide a full cycle of luxurious beauty services on a special day.
"We drove past this building and saw it was for sale. And I thought to myself, 'How amazing would it be to have a full-service spot where you could just get everything done in one place?' My husband said it was a great idea, and he was the one who pushed me to do it," Marchuk shared.
They purchased the building at 1206 Fourth Street last December. And then it took Marchuk seven months to turn the new space into Onyx & Ivory the way she envisioned it, creating a special space for bridal parties.
"We're the only place in Estevan that has a bridal suite to accommodate brides who get their makeup done here. They don't necessarily need to get their hair done here or get any other services, but if I'm providing makeup services, then I give them this space up here and they can bring their dresses and photographers can come, so you don't have to worry about messing up your house or getting a hotel room just for the day," she said.
Marchuk did a lot of work herself, trying to ensure that the place reflected her personality, but also felt safe, comfortable and welcoming for the clients.
"There are little things in here that are crazy and silly … and I wanted to put that in there because I am quirky and I'm silly, [but also] to help people feel less nervous when they come for some services, which make them feel vulnerable when they don't know the service provider," Marchuk explained.
She used the two storeys of the building to meet the different needs of her clients, which is also reflected in the name.
"I just love the name Onyx, it's black and my favourite colour is black," Marchuck shared, adding that Onyx is also her astrological stone. "And ivory is usually the colour of a wedding dress and it signifies a new start. So, we went with Onyx being my astrological stone and Ivory to represent the bridal suite.
"When people come in, they may notice lots of black at [the main level], there's lots of more masculine detailing, because I wanted men to come in and feel just as welcome as women in a beauty salon. So, it's not frilly and pretty, it's just neutral so everybody can feel comfortable.
"And then when you come upstairs, it's frillier. You've got flowers, you've got the sparkles, you've got all of that stuff that you would see on a wedding dress or in a bridal area," Marchuk explained.
The House of Beauty part of the name mimics the haute couture brands and expresses the luxurious touch Marchuk wanted to add to the place.
Onyx & Ivory House of Beauty can accommodate various sizes of bridal parties. They provide space and beauty services and also set up tables for snacks and drinks to make it comfortable and indeed exceptional for the guests.
"It takes stress off of the brides and even the bridesmaids because that's a pretty big job," Marchuk said.
She noted that the rooms are double insulated, so they provide a really private setting for brides and their guests.
"We want people to come in and feel welcome and secure and make sure that they know that they're safe here," Marchuk said.
She added that Onyx & Ivory House of Beauty is not just a business for her, but it's a legacy and teaching-by-example project, which she hopes one day will inspire her two daughters, who are eight and 13 now and already enjoy indulging in the beauty world.
"I wanted to do something that my kids would be proud of, something that maybe one day they would want to work at or take it over," Marchuk shared. "Not only did we do this for us, our family, our clients, but we did this for Estevan. I was born and raised in this community so to provide something for the people of not only Estevan but southeast Saskatchewan to enjoy brings us happiness. From the people who have helped make a dream a reality, the girls who we work with everyday and the guests we get the pleasure of serving makes this space so enjoyable."
Onyx & Ivory House of Beauty opened in July and has been hosting bridal parties and providing a spectrum of beauty services since then. With eight beauty professionals, the salon offers hair services for men, women and kids, including cuts, colour and extensions. They also have makeup and permanent makeup services, spray tanning, eyelash extensions and other lash services, medical facials, teeth whitening, body cavitation and body sugaring. Two more specialists are starting shortly and will offer manicures and pedicures.
Onyx & Ivory also sells high-end product lines that are unique for Estevan.
