LOng Island moms Kristina Salvaggio-Montana and Lauren Testaiuti met at an East Rockaway cafe to chat about people working in the beauty industry. The coffee flowed. Dreams too.
Salvaggio-Montana, an eyebrow specialist, and Testaiuti, a lash specialist, knew each other at John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore. They worked in different salon suites and were ready for a change.
Babe Cave owners Lauren Testaiuti, left, of Lynbrook, Kristina Salvaggio-Montana, of Oceanside, have been friends since high school. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
That coffee date five years ago led to the launch of the first women’s beauty salon, known as Babe Cave. The location of many stylists, estheticians, nail technicians and more in Rockville Center is part of a growing trend. Babe Cave – like Salon Culture Suites, Sola Salon Studios, and Phenix Salon Suites – brings together independent entrepreneurs in one high-class space with private or private suites. There are six serviced rooms, one bar and a convenience store on site.
“We shared the vision of creating a space with other women,” says Salvaggio-Montana, 36, mother of 20-month-old daughter, Myka. “But we were thinking on a smaller, more intimate scale with less integration of services.”
In that first three-hour conversation, Salvaggio-Montana dropped the name, recalls Testaiuti, 35, whose son, Santino, is 2. “Kristina said, ‘What about Babe Cave?’ And it stuck. “
Entering Babe’s family
In March, the space with a “boho Zen vibe,” as the co-founders describe it, marked its fifth anniversary. Babe Cave residents sign annual leases and pay monthly rent of $1,500 and up. By ditching the traditional salon commission structure, they gain business independence, along with scheduling and pricing.
Some of them met while working at other salons, and have been marking important events together – weddings, births, ups and downs. They rely on each other for professional services and personal advice.
Julieta Teran, of Central Islip, right, is a hair and makeup artist at Babe Cave. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
“Babe Cave is my little family from home. I am the mother bear of the group,” says hair and makeup artist Julieta Teran, 41, mother of two children, aged 21 and 3, who is inspired by the benefits around her. “I feel like that’s why we all get along so well. We’re all entrepreneurs. We’re moving forward and forward.”
“The kid is a self-confident, hard-working person who strives to grow up and become a boss,” added Teran, who will rely on her fellow Babes to help her look her best when she gets married in November. “I’ve been in this field for 20 years, and I’m still taking classes.”
Kalin Sorto, of Bay Shore, runs her own nail art business, Tailored Enhancements, in Babe Cave. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
The school has two tracks. Case in point: Nail artist Kalin Sorto, 31, empowered by the company she works for. “Everyone empowers the other,” she says.When she’s not doing manicures, gels, and tips, she’s a nail instructor at Long Island Beauty School in Hauppauge.
Support and benefits for working mothers
Financial advisor and tax pro Deanna Blandino, 33, has a double distinction. She is the newest Babe Cave-r and the only nonbeauty pro at the moment. “I’m different,” she says. “The similarity is that most of my clients are in the beauty industry.”
Blandino is an example of the power of the network built in Babe Cave. He says: “I’ve been here since November 1, and I’ve already had 10 referrals. That’s amazing.
For customers looking for hair removal and teeth whitening, Nicole Xanthos, 40, is the woman to see here. After graduating from Molloy University and planning to teach math, she followed a different path. “I got my degree in esthetics, and I loved it,” she says. Babe Cave residents get a key and 24-hour access to the facility, so they can set their own hours. “Being a mother is my priority,” says the mother of a 3-year-old daughter. “I like the flexibility of my job.”
Licensed esthetician Nicole Xanthos, of Long Beach, demonstrates a teeth whitening machine. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
He also appreciates that his colleagues know a lot and have different life experiences. “It’s like having a live ChatGPT on my doorstep,” he says with a laugh.
Carolyn Lee, 27, offers body waxing, lymphatic massage and body circulation. While pursuing an undergraduate program at LIU Post, Lee’s interests shifted to beauty. He received his license from Christine Valmy in Manhattan, where he now teaches body sculpting.
Nevaeh Lopez gets a body sculpting treatment from Carolyn Lee, above, of Queens, who runs Nura Aesthetics in Babe Cave. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Several of Lee’s customers also see his colleagues – a win. “It becomes a team effort, rather than being alone,” says Lee. “When I started my business, I was alone. I prefer cooperation. It inspires me every day.”
Nurses Micaela Virgilio, 30, who has a 19-month-old son, and Stephanie Manzo, 32, who is expecting her first child in May, met in 2018 while working at Long Island Medical Center in New Hyde Park.
Micaela Virgilio, left, of Lindenhurst, a nurse, owns the Babe Aesthetics clinic inside Babe Cave. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Since they started their medical center for vaccinations and other services in 2022 in Babe Cave, they have been involved in other independent places. They are now in Sayville, Commack, West Hampton and Bay Shore.
They have been staying at Babe Cave because of its location in Nassau County and proximity to New York City and a rich source of references. Networking is very important in the world of beauty and health, where word-of-mouth speaks volumes.
“It worked well for Babe Cave because of the referral of other businesses here,” Virgilio says.
Such a relationship and connection goes with space. “You should see our team chat,” says Salvaggio-Montana. “It’s everything from ‘What should my baby’s first solid food be?’ to ‘OMG, a client just appeared without an appointment!’ We are like crazy. “
Inside Babe Cave
Check out the business in the second floor room at 200 Sunrise Hwy., Rockville Center; @babecaveny
Room 1
Room 2
Room 3
- Nicole Xanthos: Laser hair removal, facial and body contouring; @nybodybar
- Carolyn Lee: Body wraps, lymphatic massage and body sculpting; @nuranyc
Room 4
Room 5
- Kristina Salvaggio-Montana: Brows, microblading and permanent makeup; @nycbrowbabe
Room 6
- Micaela Virgilio and Stephanie Manzo: Cosmetic injections; @babeaesthetics
Room 7
Boutique
- Theresa and Laura Barone: Mother Made Designz, a mother-daughter clothing business.
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