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If you’re of the mindset that expensive means good, or attitude equals quality, then Perfect Shape is not for you. But for the rest of the world, these three salons offer affordable hair removal without appointments. The interior is simple: lavender walls, fluorescent lights, and a few folding chairs. There’s also at least one private room for aromatherapy, traditional Kaya facials using the Shahnaz herbal line, henna tattoos and full-body waxing. But it’s the threading, done out in the open, that’s the primary draw. Expert in the ancient art—in which cotton thread is looped and zipped across the face to remove hair with minimal stress to the skin—these businesslike practitioners (many from India) quickly turn fuzzy lips and un-shaped brows into smooth surfaces and well-defined arches. From budget-conscious students to more sophisticated working women, everyone’s got her favorite Perfect Shape go-to-gal; all will happily stamp your frequent-customer discount card after every brow-job so your tenth threading is free. — Veronica Mullen

Rockefeller Center workers may receive a 10 percent discount.