Behind the doors of an unassuming Great Neck storefront is a space curated specifically for relaxation: Dimly lit curved hallways, a fireplace, real trees, light blue sofas, a sunset-reminiscent lamp, a counter made of beige marble and quiet rooms with calming decor.
Perhaps the only things countering the warm ambiance are the large gray machines in each room used for facials and other treatments at the new luxury skincare and wellness spa.
SENSE+ Skincare & Wellness makes it easy for customers to forget they’re actually at The Gardens at Great Neck Plaza, in a storefront next to a Starbucks. The spa opened its doors in August and celebrated its grand opening at 4 Great Neck Road on Saturday, Oct. 18.
“People today have a lot of pressure. It’s not only skincare. It’s not about facials. I think they need a space to heal to get more energy from there to feel good,” said founder and owner Bella Zhang.
The spa offers facials, anti-aging treatments, permanent makeup application, body contouring and rejuvenation services. A 90-minute signature facial costs $280. The most affordable services are the scalp stress release therapy and permanent eyelash makeup, both under $200, while a 90-minute Fotona 6D Face + Neck Bundle is one of the most expensive treatments at $1,300.
SENSE+ also has an event and workshop space, where the team plans to host community classes ranging from aromatherapy workshops to yoga classes to seminars with fashion designers and real estate agents.
“We want SENSE+ to be a place where people come to not only look their best, but to also feel restored, educated and connected.”
Zhang said she tested each device featured at SENSE+ herself, including advanced technologies like HydraFacial, TriLift and Fotona 4D. She also curated a collection of high-end skincare products for the store to use, including NIANCE (a Swiss biotechnology-based brand) and Orlane (a high-end French brand).
She said she tried several spas and medical spas in the past, but many of them tried too hard to sell her things, making it difficult to relax. This inspired her to create the spa with partner and esthetician Lily Zhang.
“They try to sell me too hard, not caring that much about me,” Zhang said. “So one day, I talked to my partner. I said, ‘Why don’t we just create a space by ourselves?’”
Because of this, Zhang said she tells the professionals performing the treatments not to “push.”
“I know we want to make money, but we want our customers to really enjoy the moment here,” she said. “You really want to relax here. Don’t try to push too much. Don’t sell it too much. That’s what I want.”
Two years ago, Zhang had a highly lucrative job in real estate, but she quit two years ago to “slow down” and pursue her dream, she said.
“I think life is not only about making money; you need to do something. You really have a passion you really love and also help other people.”
Now, she wakes up each morning excited to do something she truly loves, she said.
“I wake up with my passion every day. I tell my store manager, Anna, ‘I want to stay here the whole day.’ And we both don’t want to leave,” Zhang said. “Sometimes I joke with her, ‘Do you want to sleep here?’ We really love this store and treat it like our home. I treat it like my new baby.”
Zhang calls herself “a girl who loves beautiful stuff, who loves fashion, who loves to live a beautiful life.” In addition to real estate, she has worked as an interior designer and has a background in fashion, including a bachelor’s degree from Savannah College of Art and Design. Her experience with interiors helped her create a specific vision of the store, though she said she had some requests that were difficult to accommodate, including the curved walls.
“I tortured my general contractor, who said ‘Oh my god, so hard to do,’” she said. “I said, ‘I want it. Please make it for me.’”
Zhang finds workshop leaders through her own network of professionals she has built through her time in various industries. Recent events have included a seminar with a fashion designer (Zhang’s friend and a fellow SCAD alum), a permanent makeup demonstration on a model, a SCAD alumni reunion, an aroma therapy event and an essential oil workshop. Zhang said she is brainstorming ideas for more workshops, including having a jeweler come in for a workshop about investing in jewelry.
“We also want to create a space where people can share their thoughts, can share their ideas, anything, no matter beauty or life stories, design, jewelry, fashion and even knowledge in business – everything, like a community,” she said.
Since August, the store has slowly assembled a customer base – an intentional choice to allow time for the business to smooth out any hiccups, Zhang said.
“We didn’t do a lot of advertisements so far because as a new store, of course, we need to smooth out everything. I don’t want to do a massive advertisement, then people call me all of a sudden and they don’t have a good experience,” she said. “I’d rather just do it little by little and make sure everybody is happy.”
Now, Zhang said, the team is ready for a larger customer base. Hence the grand opening on Oct. 18.
“You can get everything there,” Zhang said. “It’s all about the lifestyle.”
SENSE+ is located at 4 Great Neck Road.
