You know that scenario where you make an appointment to get your hair done before a big event—early enough so that you can drive home from the salon and change into your stunning outfit with plenty of time—except that when you leave the salon, it’s raining and you can’t find your car keys, so you rummage in your bag while you try to hold the umbrella under your chin, but it slips sideways, and by the time you get home your fancy blowout looks like it’s been chewed on by a Labrador retriever?
Those days are over, thanks to two local outfits that offer on-demand beauty services at your home or office. Blowdry Taxi (blowdrytaxi.com), founded in 2014 by Sona Sut, the former manager of Georgetown’s Hair Lounge (she’s also married to its owner, Serkan Sut), offers signature blowouts for $50 that take about 30-45 minutes. Nearly 20 on-call professionals also offer updos, makeup application, eyebrow threading and express nail services between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., requiring only a few hours’ notice.
Meanwhile, Beauty in a Beat (beautyinabeat.com) brings its massage, nail, makeup, facial and hair services to you between the hours of 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. Clients may choose among more than a dozen professional artists and aestheticians who will travel to any agreed-upon location within 15 miles of Washington, D.C., according to the company’s website. Launched this spring, the concierge-style service was founded by Heather Coote, a D.C.-based businesswoman who never had time to get her hair or nails done between events. Prices start at $25 for a basic manicure or $50 for a blowout and run up to $245 for a 90-minute massage.