At 2:30 in the afternoon, you realize that you’re out of your favorite lipstick, have to pick up the kids from school and need a hostess gift for a party that night. You no longer need to scramble. High school sweethearts Renée and Daniel Sutton have married their skills to bring a wonderful new service to Great Neck Plaza. As long as you order by 3 p.m., your favorite makeup or hostess gift will be delivered anywhere in Great Neck by messenger at no additional charge.
In addition to cosmetics, the charming shop offers hair and skin care products, makeup bags, nail polish, hand soap and nice gift items like home fragrance, candles and diffusers—with testers of everything, so customers can try before they buy. Plus, they’re very strict about hygiene. Brushes and makeup are cleaned after each use—and there’s lots of personalized help.
Daniel has been working in his family’s retail clothing stores since he was born and realizes that people can shop anywhere, but he’s learned about offering personable customer service. When customers walk in the store, Daniel offers them a glass of water.
“Not only is it a conversation starter, but the retail business is about making people feel welcome, being nice and friendly, knowing their names. It’s not just about selling things to them, it’s about educating them. I’m not looking to sell customers things they don’t need, I want them to come back,” he said. “We want to make people happy—and treat them the way we would want to be treated.”
Renée had worked in a cosmetics boutique on Long Island for the past five years and brings a wealth of product expertise. “I have experience knowing what people are looking for,” she said.
Though there are nail files and lip balms that cost $5 or $7, some products cost nearly $200, as Makeup Queens carries brands found in the most exclusive New York City boutiques. The shop carries vegan, natural and paraben-free cosmetics, as well as more reasonably priced private-label products that haven’t been available since Dan’s Beauty Supply went out of business a few years ago.
Makeup Queens also offers specials like a free makeup lesson with product purchases, makeovers, special occasion makeup for weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, date night or holiday parties, plus skin treatments, including a modern selection of express facials for busy people on the go.
This adorable couple who met as teenagers at HANC had lots of school friends from Great Neck and recognized a need for these services. So, next time you want to feel like a queen, stop by 31 Middle Neck Rd., visit www.makeupqueensny.com or call 516-472-0250 for some pampering—or to treat yourself to a new moisturizer, lipstick or nail polish.
