Profile

Actress Brenda Braxton and her husband, fitness trainer Anthony Van Putten, opened their salon with the belief that men enjoy being pampered just as much as women. With dark leather armchairs, soft yellow lighting, a mahogany interior, and a complimentary bar, BBRAXTON admirably softens the line that separates femme beauty parlor from the musky, masculine tonsorial salon. Services here range from close shaves and straight-razor bald haircuts to waxing, dreadlock care, and the Groom VIP package—a nearly full-body procedure that takes place between servings of champagne. Two dimly lit rooms in the back are equipped for facials, which is a bit of an understatement, considering they often include attention to the neck, shoulder, back, hands, and even feet. But according to the BBRAXTON philosophy, this is precisely the kind of luxury that Harlem men have been waiting for. And you won't find another location carrying the full Art of Shaving product line above 90th Street, along with skin-care products developed by in-house aesthetician T. Barnes. — Josh Hudelson

Grooms and their parties get special treatment with the Groom Deluxe package (cut, hot-towel shave, manicure, and pedicure with free Champagne, $150). If they choose to kick in an extra $220, they can get a 60-minute consultation and workout session with an in-house fitness and nutrition expert.

Related Stories

Featured In

• Pomellato Opens on Madison Avenue (12/4/06)