New Women-Only Salon Caters to Hijab-Wearing Clients

Huda Quhshi, 37, is opening New York City’s first women-only beauty parlor catering to hijab-clad clientele in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Getting a quick trim sounds simple enough, but for women who wear a hijab, there’s a bit more planning involved than merely booking an appointment. Since women are forbidden in Islam from showing their hair to men outside their family, tracking down a salon that fits the bill can be rather tricky.

“I have always had a difficult time finding a salon that could accommodate me, even for a simple haircut,” Quhshi, who wears a hijab herself, told the New York Post.

At Le’Jemalik, which translates to “for your beauty,” customers will be shielded from the male gaze by an opaque revolving door that opens to a reception area and blocks the view back to the salon floor. “Even women who don’t cover their hair (with a hijab) just don’t want men walking in and seeing foils and highlights teased or whatever. They can be very comfortable in here and be themselves,” Quhshi told Pix11 of the discreet space, which is decorated with blush-colored chairs, white-framed mirrors, and plenty of places to lounge between services.

Speaking of which, the women-only retreat will offer standard services, including haircuts, facials, and manicures and pedicures, alongside more specialized offerings like henna, halal nails, and eyebrow shaping.

All of which sounds quite welcoming when the salon opens on Jan. 29. But where have hijab-wearing women been getting haircuts before this place existed? Quhshi explained to Pix11 that more often than not, they’ve had to settle for rooms decidedly without a view. “The horror stories I would hear of women telling me, ‘Oh they put me in the basement. It’s scary,’” she explained. “In my own experiences, sometimes I wouldn’t even go to a salon. I’d just do my hair at home.” But for those lacking her skills, they’ve typically had to get used to being in lonesome areas of salons. “A lot of salons provide service for hijabi women or conservative women, but they have a specific back room so they’re secluded. You can’t be outside with everybody else.” (Sorry, ladies who like a little Steel Magnolia‘s-style socialization with their beauty treatments.)

Regarding whether it is lawful to operate the salon as a women-only establishment — especially after the legal trouble men-only barbershops have faced in locations such as Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, and Australia, recently — Quishi said she is not legally prohibited from opening a salon catering exclusively to women, and noted that there will be a small reception area in the front where men are welcome.

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