The glamorous Gee Beauty spa and boutique celebrates its 15th anniversary.
I’ve always supported women-owned businesses, which is just one of the many reasons I’m a huge fan of Gee Beauty. Named after a chic Canadian family—the impossibly gorgeous, savvy and kind Miriam Gee and her equally accomplished and stunning daughters, Natalie, Celene and Stephanie—the breakthrough beauty concept was founded 15 years ago in their hometown of Toronto. Years later, they expanded to Miami Beach’s Sunset Harbour neighborhood.
The spa/boutique hybrid is tailored for the time-crunched modern woman (and man, since they offer a full range of men’s products and custom treatments). The basic idea is that we all love a spa day, but it’s just not practical most of the time with our hectic schedules, whether you’re a busy parent, professional or both. They saw a white space for a 21st-century urban spa, where people can pop in for quick yet effective services such as their signature Brow Shaping and Medi Multi Express anti-aging facial in the same manner that they visit their favorite coffee shop for a latte. By thinking of your spa routine in daily snippets, you can still stick to your beauty routine without spending precious hours all at once.
I can attest to the quality of their services and products including their namesake cosmetics line. When I really want to treat myself, I indulge in one of their Luxury Facials whose themes are often based on their premier brands like Dr. Sebagh, Tata Harper and Dr. Barbara Sturm. Each of the four women has her sub-specialties regarding services and product niches, and they personally test every single item that comes into the store. Because the beauty market is flooded with options, it’s one less thing I have to think about—if it passes their approval, I know it’s great. When I’m in Sunset Harbour, I add it to my round of errands and treats like dinner at Naiyara and Lucali.
Since reopening in the pandemic, I’ve been impressed with how they’re handling protocol. They’re really good about spacing clients through limiting appointments and installing plexi-glass dividers. During services, the staff wears masks, face shields, gloves and gowns, among many thoughtful safety measures. You can also order online or arrange for curbside pickup to tide you over until you feel safe enough for in-person treatments and shopping.
I also like how they’ve always been ahead of the curve. Before clean beauty was trendy, they believed in a holistic approach and were among the first stores to bring in natural and organic skin-care lines. They’re constantly searching for better alternatives and address all skin types and tones. They recently introduced Epara, a luxury, skin-care brand whose ingredients from essential oils to botanicals are specifically designed for women of color.
For the 15th anniversary, they assembled the Glow Into Fall Skin Kit, a crème de la crème package with their top beauty picks in a complimentary tote commemorating the achievement. Some goodies inside are the Joanna Vargas Bright Eye Firming Mask, Mimi Luzon 24K Gold Hyaluronic Serum, Gee Beauty Soothing Lip Balm and Slip Skinnies silk hair ties. What a great gift for a friend or yourself.
Congrats ladies, and here’s to another 15 years!