Brian and Amy Thomas are always looking for a new project -- though it's not like they have a lot of time on their hands. The couple has a 10-month-old daughter. She works as director of protocol for the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates and he is chief of staff to Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-Texas). They own the Ipsa Hair Salon. For most, that'd be enough. But not for the Thomases.
They just opened Nectar Skin Bar, a e beauty lover’s oasis that is housed in an 18th-century row house on Wisconsin Ave. “Our goal was to create a luxury beauty apothecary,” Amy said. “I want it to be the type of place where you can hang out and not feel pressured to necessarily buy anything.”
Nectar is full of cozy lavenders, beaded chandeliers and a touch of Amy and Brian’s Southern charm. (They are both from Texas.)
The inspiration for the Nectar Skin Bar? Many of Amy’s friends had expressed frustration that they couldn’t find the beauty products they wanted in stores so they always had to shop online.
“That’s part of why we opened Nectar, I wanted it to be everyone’s go-to place,” she said.
Amy, a petite blonde, also recognized how hectic life can be as a Washington wife. With a high-powered job, baby and husband, she knows how much mothers have to sacrifice. “So many of us neglect beauty rituals,” she said.
Nectar brings some unique elements to the Georgetown spa scene. Women can get make-up tips from Adrian Avila, who recently did Glee star Jenna Ushkowitz’s make-up for the Glee Live Tour in Washington, D.C. last month.
Avila also does facials and other skin treatments, including the oxygen facial, which sprays vitamins and other essential minerals on the face, resulting in a dewy finish perfect for summer cocktail parties.
Of course, the Thomases just finished yet another project. They opened a backyard spa at Nectar, hoping to achieve an outdoor retreat perfect for the typically busy fall season in the nation's capital. The love that Amy and Brian have for each other is shown in the meticulous work they’re putting into Nectar. The two met on a blind date set-up from a mutual friend who worked in the Bush administration with Amy.
“You know, it took four years after our first date for me to accept a second,” said Amy, who was Bush’s former gift officer. “I liked that we were both in committed careers and after we left the administration, things just kind of fell into place.”
Nectar Skin Bar celebrated its grand opening July 12 with an evening cocktail party. ---Kate Oczypok
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