Preen by Appointment: upscale beauty boutique, personalized expertise

A version of this article was published on Dayton.com December 18, 2015. While Preen is no longer open, I think about this amazing shop often. Preen was featured prominently on Girl About Dayton and a love like that is hard to get over.

There are just certain places in Dayton that really stand out as being a cut above even the shops available in big cities like NYC or LA. One such place is Preen by Appointment, the gorgeous, modern, chic boutique devoted to beauty. This shop offers cult favorite beauty brands with the advice and expertise to match.

You may remember Preen from their former life as Preen Apothecary on Far Hills Avenue in Oakwood. Since their move to South Dixie Drive they’ve added services, new lines and tons of charm and sparkle to their bustling beauty business.

When they first started, they offered some lines like NARS that have gone on to become upscale beauty brand names. When reconfiguring the new shop, owner Nicole Gianuglou decided to leave the well-known brands behind and instead venture out to find the next big thing. In their search, they found some new favorites that are now available in their shop but very few other boutiques nationwide.

Some top choices include local Dayton beauty brand Skin, an Apothecary; Smith & Cult, Oribe, Nest, Lift Lab, Somme Institute and many more.

Nicole got her start in NYC as a NARS makeup artist, allowing her to truly understand what people expect from their beauty products, as well as the relationship women have with the products they use daily.

Beth Oliver, a licensed aesthetician who operates brow studio Face Forward by Beth Oliver out of Preen, learned many of the same lessons while working with photographers as a makeup artist. Recently, Vanity Hair Studio moved into a room at Preen.

“It really is kind of a beauty commune,” says Gianuglou.

When they moved to their mid-century modern luxury tree house location (seriously, that’s what it feels like when you’re inside), Giangulou and Oliver decided to offer classes, which have become quite popular. That’s no surprise, considering they pair their expert knowledge with some great deals on corresponding products to create the same looks at home. Currently, Preen has two upcoming classes. “Spring Break Beach Waves” will be held Wednesday, Jan. 13 and “The Perfect 1960s Eye” (think Adele’s showstopping look in the “Hello” video) on Thursday, Jan. 21.

If you can’t make it out to their shop, Preen will soon launch their very first e-commerce website, designed by talented designer Sarah Gibson. It will be full of their favorite can’t-miss items, plus tons of the same advice and tips you’ve come to expect from the knowledgeable staff at Preen.

“My hope is to talk to the website user in much the same way we would offer advice in store,” said Gianuglou. “Buying beauty online can be tricky so I’m hoping this will help simplify the process.”