{"id":862967,"date":"2025-07-16T22:12:46","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T03:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/16\/the-secret-beauty-spot-brooklynites-dont-want-you-to-know-about\/"},"modified":"2025-07-16T22:12:46","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T03:12:46","slug":"the-secret-beauty-spot-brooklynites-dont-want-you-to-know-about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/16\/the-secret-beauty-spot-brooklynites-dont-want-you-to-know-about\/","title":{"rendered":"The Secret Beauty Spot Brooklynites Don’t Want You To Know About"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Lumena Aesthetics on a sweet corner in Carroll Gardens<\/p>\n

<\/fbs-accordion>Lumena Aesthetics<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

South Brooklyn has a secret. A big one. (And, surprisingly, it\u2019s not the ethical non-monogamy depicted in recent memoirs<\/a> coming out of this neighborhood.)<\/p>\n

Nope. This best-kept secret is a sweet, unassuming gem on a mostly residential corner in Carroll Gardens where the Rachel Comey-clad hordes descend\u2014like homing pigeons\u2014to maintain their beauty.<\/p>\n

This secret is Lumena Aesthetics<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Inside Scoop<\/h2>\n

Even New York\u2019s most dedicated beauty junkies outside the fold may not know about this cult-favorite medi-spa, but it is most definitely a thing<\/em>. And, for 10 years, it has thrived almost on word-of-mouth alone.<\/p>\n

Despite being a longtime beauty writer, I personally first learned about this spot from the ladies at my Clinton Hill book club, who were whispering conspiratorially one evening about a treatment one of them had just had.<\/p>\n

I was, of course, curious. How had I missed this magic in my own backyard?<\/p>\n

The Difference Maker<\/h2>\n

The answer\u2014both for why Lumena has remained under-the-radar and<\/em> why it\u2019s so prized by those in the know\u2014is that the owner Jen Katz has always done things a little bit differently. And, as a result, she\u2019s been ahead of the curve.<\/p>\n

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Jen Katz, founder of Lumena, does things her own way<\/p>\n

<\/fbs-accordion>Lumena Aesthetics<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For instance, one giant draw from the beginning has been the clinic\u2019s bespoke treatment called \u201cThe Signature\u201d (it now offers a Signature 1 and 2). With this service, clients pay a flat fee to have Katz examine their skin and implement a medley of lasers that might most benefit their specific needs.<\/p>\n

Of course, customers can still sign up for individual laser series of, say, Clear + Brilliant or Laser Genesis, as is standard at medical spas. But, because most people don\u2019t show up entirely sure what they need for their changing skin, this more tailored offering has been a game-changer. It\u2019s an antidote to being sold a bill of goods about some fancy new laser that isn\u2019t actually the right one for you<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Today, the customizable skincare market is growing by leaps and bounds, projected\u2014according to a report by Future Market Insights<\/a>\u2014to grow from $29.3 billion to $62.4 billion by 2034. And, according to Straits Research<\/a>, the cosmetic laser market is also expanding appreciably year-over-year, valued at $3.99 billion in 2024, projected to reach $4.55 billion in 2025 and $14.79 billion by 2033. So, Katz was, and continues to be, ahead of her time, offering a medley of individualized laser services (something that is still somewhat rare in combination) at a price that makes these often astronomical treatments relatively accessible.<\/p>\n

\u201cI almost can\u2019t help but use what I have in my arsenal to address clients\u2019 needs, and those needs change with each visit,\u201d the medical esthetician explains in an email interview, describing how, if a client wants to address pore size and fine lines, for example, she might also suggest a bit of IPL at the hairline to manage sun damage or Laser Genesis to stimulate collagen. \u201cMy clients trust\u2026that I will do what will be most impactful while protecting the integrity of the skin.\u201d Her toolbox for targeting pigment, texture and tone includes treatments like Clear + Brilliant for the face and chest (with or without platelet rich plasma), microneedling, an Acne Control facial, Morpheous8 RF (for skin tightening on the face, neck and chest), Laser Genesis with microdermabrasion and more. As Katz feels her client base has neither the time nor the need for ablative laser treatments that necessitate real downtime, she eschews more extreme services that require wound care or leave the skin looking raw\u2014but she still is all about results.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I really appreciate about Jen is that she assesses my skin and uses her whole arsenal,\u201d says Megan McQuillan in an email interview, an early adopter, community organizer and local mom who first discovered Lumena when she moved from the West Village and needed a new facial spot. \u201cSo, she can use each of the tools judiciously on discrete areas that need it. Saves so much time and money, honestly.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Competitive Edge<\/h2>\n

Of course, it requires a very specific type of esthetician and entrepreneur to enact this unusual model. And Katz is anything but typical for the field. For one thing, she challenges the industry\u2019s prototypical beauty\/wellness founder\u2019s soft-spoken demeanor and untouchable Gwyneth-inspired vibe. Instead, Lumena\u2019s owner is edgy and direct, speaking frankly about everything from the challenges of perimenopause and parenthood to the lovingly curated indie playlists she has on rotation (which often include music from Yo La Tengo, The Cure, Liz Phair or some acoustic version of a punk anthem). She\u2019s more cool than coiffed\u2014and inclusion is essential for her.<\/p>\n

So far, she has shrugged off the need for a massive social media presence<\/a>, suggesting\u2014quite fairly\u2014that maintaining it on a high level is in itself a full-time job. \u201cAs a mom and a business owner, I have zero time for posting content,\u201d she says. \u201cBut I also think it\u2019s kind of gangster not to need it. I\u2019ve grown organically thanks to word-of-mouth and that produces currency that has more value than \u2018likes.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Katz comes by her knowledge honestly\u2014what she calls \u201ca true understanding of the physics and theory behind the lasers.\u201d After a stint in fashion as a stylist and costume designer, she became her father\u2019s caretaker after he was diagnosed with a serious illness. That experience led her down a medical path. Ultimately, she recognized cosmetic lasers as a burgeoning trend and, after training and getting certified at Atelier Esthetique in 2008, she began working for everyone from prominent dermatologists to high-volume chain spas. And she absorbed knowledge from both types of experiences, plus everything in between. At Goldman Dermatology, for example, she trained under a well-respected doctor while building a client base. Later, she worked at chain spas that she felt prioritized profit over performance, but she gleaned a different type of expertise as she enacted the same tasks dozens of times a day on different skin. \u201cI find value in the muscle memory I\u2019ve developed from working at McLaser chain spas, and the education I\u2019ve received working in austere medical settings,\u201d she notes.<\/p>\n

Thus informed, Katz went out on her own 10 years ago, a scrappy and proud female entrepreneur, independent business owner and person of color in a space that is largely white<\/a> and surprisingly male-dominated<\/a> when it comes to ownership. (Despite the majority of estheticians being female, according to LedBetter research, women only occupy 24% of executive positions at personal care companies.) Lumena\u2019s first location was in a tiny room at the back of a hair salon in Boerum Hill. Next, Katz expanded to a warehouse space next door on a \u201cneglected corner,\u201d which she built out herself. Later, as her following continued to grow, she moved to her current location not far away in Carroll Gardens, also on a quiet corner. \u201cI had to find creative solutions to transform an abandoned deli in a landmark designated building into a serene, inviting space,\u201d she recalls, citing inspiration from the blonde wood-lined Oslo airport.<\/p>\n

An Unexpected Escape<\/h2>\n

From the beginning, Lumena felt less like a stark medi-spa and more like a “secret social club for local moms in-the-know,\u201d Katz says. At least 70% of her clients are busy moms, and\u2014being one herself and thus understanding the nature of that harried existence\u2014she wanted to create a safe space that felt like a respite from the outside world. Essentially, she feels she understands her client base because she is<\/em> her client base.<\/p>\n

This is also in opposition to the more standard skincare clinic experience, which she feels too often becomes about pointing out some flaw and then upselling vulnerable customers. \u201cI don\u2019t want my clients to do math on the treatment bed to see if they can afford a treatment for a \u2018flaw\u2019 they didn\u2019t know they had,\u201d she impassions, arguing that the goal is to look like your best self, not someone different. \u201cI want them to tune out for an hour. [Coming to Lumena] means you have an hour to listen to music you like as opposed to whatever your kids bark at Alexa, it means drinking a beverage you\u2019re too sensible to buy regularly, experiencing a treatment you know will be transformative because you bore witness to your neighbor\u2019s sunspots vanishing, and simply lying on a comforting bed that isn\u2019t peppered with pet hair. That sounds like heaven to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Inside Lumena with its minimalist look<\/p>\n

<\/fbs-accordion>Lumena Aesthetics<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI love that everyone in the office still looks like a human being with human features, glowy and gorgeous but real<\/em>,\u201d says McQuillan. \u201cAnd of course Jen has the best playlist in Brooklyn. I have sent everyone I know and continue to be such an evangelist.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some devotees are more tight-lipped, afraid that their charming escape will be overrun. And it is true that, while years ago clients could book appointments within a week or two, today the wait to see Katz can be months\u2014which only makes the hordes hungrier. The demand is a testament to Lumena\u2019s success, as is the approximately 25-30% steady revenue growth over the course of the last decade.<\/p>\n

Now, clients are coming for more than the founder\u2019s laser treatments, as well. Always thinking expansively, Katz has brought on a cherrypicked team in the interest of making Lumena a kind of one-stop-shop for all things beauty. This includes microblading and microshaping with award-winning \u201ceyebrow architect\u201d Josh Beeler<\/a> (a Shen veteran), and Korean-style botox application and NAD+ and glutathione IVs with nurse practitioner Seolhee Patel<\/a>. Lumena doesn\u2019t offer filler because Katz doesn\u2019t believe it\u2019s optimal for long-term skin health.<\/p>\n

And If You Don\u2019t Know, Now You Know<\/h2>\n

Next up as she scales, Katz is launching her own post-treatment skincare line, which she stresses will be truly<\/em> her own. (She laments the ease with which people can slap a label on a product selected from a catalogue and notes one laser hair removal spa where she once worked that used identical products but called them totally different things suggesting different functions.) And she\u2019s hoping to incorporate even more wellness offerings, from LED light beds to EMF muscle stimulation and other high-tech body treatments into Lumena\u2019s offerings. But mostly she wants to keep on keeping on, offering a beautifying respite\u2014for people of all types\u2014from the chaos of modern life. \u201cFor me, it’s about looking like the best version of yourself at this exact stage,\u201d she muses, \u201cso you can navigate the vicissitudes of life with confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Nora Zelevansky
Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lumena Aesthetics on a sweet corner in Carroll Gardens Lumena Aesthetics South Brooklyn has a secret. A big one. (And, surprisingly, it\u2019s not the ethical non-monogamy depicted in recent memoirs coming out of this neighborhood.) Nope. This best-kept secret is a sweet, unassuming gem on a mostly residential corner in Carroll Gardens where the Rachel<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":862968,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[437,233],"tags":[8995,6417],"class_list":{"0":"post-862967","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-beauty","8":"category-secret","9":"tag-beauty","10":"tag-secret"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=862967"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862967\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/862968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=862967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=862967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=862967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}