Photograph by Kathy De La Torre
Fay Saddigh's Allure Beauty Boutique and Salon features a variety of beauty care products, including some that are very upscale.
Beauty shop is an alluring Argonaut Center treasure
By Leigh Ann Maze
The sweet fragrances wafting out of the aptly named Allure beauty shop in the Argonaut Shopping Center have been luring in curious customers since the new shop opened about one month ago.
The space used to house a deli, but has been completely transformed by owners Fay Saddigh and her husband, who live in San Jose.
Allure is Saddigh's own unique creation, inspired by a French beauty store in San Francisco called Sephora. Allure sells hair and skin care products, makeup, candles, designer jeweled handbags and jewelry, and features a three-chair salon in the back of the store for hair, nails, ear-piercing and makeup services.
Saddigh said most of her products are upscale and include Sothys European skin care products and Molton Brown hair care products, which also are sold in Nieman Marcus.
"I think this caliber of business is good for Saratoga," Saddigh said. "We want to be unique, not just a beauty supply store, but an exclusive beauty boutique with a lot of upscale products."
While a customer can spend up to $18 on a single bottle of shampoo in Allure, Saddigh also carries less costly lines where a bottle of shampoo might cost only $6.
The store also carries Burt's Bees for Babies products, as well as a few lines catered specifically to men such as Crew and Back to Basics. But most of Allure's products are unisex, Saddigh said.
"We have quite a few men come in here, a lot of contractors," Saddigh said. "Once they're here they don't want to leave."
Saddigh also carries products to help people get rid of itchy scalps, dry skin or blemishes. And she is willing to offer advice if a customer just can't seem to find the right shade of lipstick, she said.
Allure is Saddigh's first store. A native of Iran, Saddigh has lived in the United States for 24 years. She has managed hair salons in Los Angeles and is a licensed hairdresser.
"Now my main focus is the store," she said. Indeed, Saddigh is in her store nearly seven days a week.
Saddigh hired an artist from Los Angeles to create the color scheme and painting inside the new store, on the walls and floor. He painted the walls in warm, earthy tones in an old Italian style, complete with painted-on cracks and water damage.
"It really does feel like an old place," Saddigh said.
A few of the artist's slightly risqué paintings hang on the wall in the salon. He painted the floor in several tones, mostly green, with a few surprises thrown in, such as a smattering of baby footprints near a shampoo display.
Saddigh also hired a skilled 70-year-old carpenter from Modesto to build the hand-crafted maple shelving, display stands, counter tops and front desk, which Saddigh designed herself.
The carpenter's creations are lined with fragrant bottles of soaps, ointments and salves in every shape and color.
Allure is one of the few independently owned, unique shops remaining in the Argonaut Shopping Center, which, since a major renovation in 1999, has attracted several chain stores such as Togo's, Jamba Juice and Starbucks coffee.
"It was hard to convince the owners to let us in," Saddigh said. "They really like chain stores. But I think this store is a treasure."
Allure is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
