While in the throes of awards season, we can’t help but develop a little “grass is greener” mentality, quietly pining for a more glamorous life of red carpets, shimmering gowns and, of course, touched-by-an-angel hair and makeup. And while that life is a far cry from our evenings nursing a glass of Trader Joe’s cabernet while eating pizza in our comfy (read: old and threadbare) sweatpants, a taste of it is actually within our reach. Yep, as the millennial saying goes: There’s an app for that. Correction, there’s been an app for that, only now, said app has been reloaded, making the glam-on-demand experience easier than ever. Enter the new and improved Glam App.
The Glam App launched in 2015, pioneering the concept (think Uber for hair, makeup and nails). Since then, the app has served some 23 cities across the country, becoming a go-to for weddings, special occasions and individuals who just want to look and feel great.
Like any new venture, those first few years of business are crucial and centered on observing what’s working, what’s not and what your audience needs and wants. Three years later, cofounder Joey Maalouf—alongside Katrina Barton—has decided to make some tweaks and give the app, wait for it, a makeover: new menu, new imagery, same mission, with a customizable twist designed to help everyone feel more gorgeous no matter where they’re going.
Homepage photo: Justin Coit
The Glam App—Reloaded
"We realized the most important part of The Glam App is the magic that happens between our clients and our artists," Joey explains. "We designed our new menu to make it easier than ever for our clients to get the look they're going for. We chose ten new looks with The Glam App clients in mind, but made sure to pick styles that leave room for them and their stylists to make magic together. So whatever look they pick from our menu, they'll know it's going to fit their signature style or be appropriate for any occasion."
When scanning the new Glam App, users can choose from various base options. For hair, that includes Beach Waves, Sleek Back, Updo, etc; for makeup, Smoky Eye, No-Makeup Makeup and Contour. From here, clients can build and customize looks with their stylists via interesting shades, textures and variations, creating a final result that's unique to them.
In terms of logistics, the general concept and process stays the same. Users peruse the menu and select the look they want as well as the stylist (and experience level). The changes are centered on the aesthetics of the app and options available. "Our mission has always been to bring that camera-ready Hollywood glam directly to your doorstep," says Joey. "But now, with the app Reloaded, we are taking everything beyond. We wanted to feature women of different backgrounds, hair and skin color, and we will now continuously change and add looks with different models to ensure women of all ethnicities are represented and their beauty amplified."
What's Next?
The updates are meant to offer the red-carpet experience beyond special occasions and weddings. "We don’t think you should only be able to feel gorgeous on a special occasion," says Joey. "We are working, literally around the clock, to help make every day gorgeous."
And while the makeup mogul won't reveal what's next with The Glam App ("All I can say is we're taking it to the next level!"), his finger remains firmly on the pulse of the ever-evolving beauty industry that is steadily becoming more and more inclusive. "We've always dreamed of a world in which everyone feels gorgeous, because everyone is gorgeous," he says. "Some of us just need that little extra pop. Now, our tech platform allows the ultimate feeling of glamour to be accessible to every person, everywhere (or at least in our 23 markets and counting)."
