While cosmetologist Lauren Cruz originally set out to be a hair stylist, she soon changed her mind. “I was always into beauty, hair and makeup, so I wanted to learn more,” she says. “I went to school for hair and hated it.”
It was when she started working at a waxing center that she found her true passion. “I really enjoyed it and stayed there for about seven years. I then decided I wanted to do something on my own.”
In 2019, Lauren founded The Body Department in Garwood. “I also competed in a waxing competition and won for waxing and eyebrows.” She was the TSG (The Skin Games) 2020 Waxer of the Year.
In 2022, she moved her business to Scotch Plains, and after partnering with Dr. Rosario Zambrano, The Body Department became a full-fledged medical spa.
“The spa is cozy, but it's also very modern and chic, so it definitely is refreshing. We play French music, which has the relaxing vibe I was looking for.”
With over 10 years of experience, Lauren has become an internationally recognized eyebrow and body waxing specialist among her peers in the industry. The most sought-out services at her spa involved the eyebrows.
“We do all kinds of eyebrow services - threading, waxing, tinting and laminating,” she says. “We do permanent eyebrows now too.”
Lauren’s been able to take her exceptional skills and train her staff. “We have junior and senior stylists as well as master stylists for eyebrows. Everybody is trained by me. They have their licenses, they have their experience from school, but then we do an intensive hands-on training which includes styling and shaping so everybody has the same background.”
Having talented staff is so important because she finds a lot of people have experienced what she calls “eyebrow trauma.” “They usually have had some kind of really bad experience where they've been burned, their eyebrows have been completely taken off, or they themselves have overplucked. That’s where we come in - getting them back to a place where they're happy with their eyebrows.
“We have a lot of people who come in hating their eyebrows and when they leave they're like, ‘Oh my God! I didn't think my eyebrows could look like this.’”
The spa also offers other beauty-enhancing services, such as dermaplaning, chemical peels, microneedling, and injectables like Botox and fillers. These are provided by aestheticians, nurses and physicians’ assistants who specialize in skincare and have advanced knowledge of the skin.
The Body Department also offers IV therapy. “IV therapy are different cocktails,” says Lauren. “We put the IV into a vein and as you sit there, all the vitamins and hydration go in and give you all the things that your body needs.”
The cocktails can be geared towards immunity, anti-aging and a host of other health-boosting benefits. “We also have B12 shots, which are also packed full of vitamins and things that help with energy and sleep.”
There is also a retail shop. “We have SkinCeuticals®, which is a medical-grade skin care line,” she says. “We have professional eyebrow products and post-waxing products. Pretty much anything that goes with the services we offer.”
Lauren is also very excited to be launching her own eyebrow line. “There will be makeup pencils, tinted brow gel, pomade, clear brow gel, and more. I'll also be wholesaling the line to other professionals.”
She believes taking time out for pampering makes people feel good. “I think we easily lose sight of ourselves in the chaos of life. I have three kids – 13, 7, and 1 - and I'm running two businesses. We need to remind ourselves that we’re the engine, the core that keeps everything moving.
“I feel like a lot of moms and a lot of women burn themselves out and forget to remind themselves that it's good to press pause sometimes and put oil in the engine to take care of the machine.”
Having a career and being a mom is a balancing act, she says, and she wants to show women that they really can do it all. “As moms, even though our plates are already so full, we always find room to make everyone else’s life better. We’re a force to be reckoned with.”
Looking one’s best is also important for how we feel inside. “When we feel good about our bodies and eyebrows, we’re going to show confidence,” says Lauren.
All spa services are on the booking portal on its website. Come into The Body Department and walk out feeling like a new woman.
TheBodyDeptNJ.com
“Oh my God! I didn't think my eyebrows could look like this.”
