Primp and Pamper at Salon and Spa Noir

SOUL | EDITOR

There is something powerful about women who work together to make a difference in our world. In an experience where you could do anything that your heart desires, it speaks of a deep internal motivation to bring a smile to others.

I had the pleasure of meeting with Yasuki Noriko Holiday-Ito, owner of the Noir Brand, to chat about her inspirations, her motivations, and what drives her to provide lasting experiences for women across the grid.

Soul: Hey, sis. It’s incredible what you’re doing as a businesswoman in SL and I’ve heard so many good things about Salon Noir. Can you tell me more about it?

Yasuki: Of course! Salon Noir started Jan 2019 because I enjoyed roleplay and I felt like there were not a lot of opportunities to engage around me. To contribute to the community, I wanted to make something small. Salon Noir started for myself, to engage in roleplay with sorority sisters and family members. I began my journey with the salon by renting out a small commercial space on a family RP (roleplay) sim.

Not longer than a week later, word had spread around the greek SL community about the salon, and it was surprising to find that sorority sisters from all organizations were coming out to get services done. Lots of people started to come by and the business was booming!

We moved out of the family RP space after two months, because there were so many people coming that we outgrew the space! I expanded our staff, starting out with my sorority sisters but then opening employment to the greater community. I started the Glam Squad, employees who make sure that everyone feels safe and receives positive interactions in a friendly environment. I try to make the experience like a rl community-based space because the in the real world, the salon is a place that women come to feel empowered. At Salon Noir, men come too for mani-pedis, treatments, and more!

Soul: That’s beautiful- your story is inspiring! I love that you started with a small market, then built from there. It’s solid advice for other women looking to start a small business. You recently moved- can you tell me about the new region Salon Noir is located on?

Yasuki: Yes! We moved to Ito Tokai, a region that morphed from a family location to a roleplay experience with likeminded people who wanted to bring RP back to SL. I noticed previously we had to hunt for roleplay experiences, so I wanted a number of things to do to be on one sim.

Ito Tokai is a Japanese-inspired region that consists of Salon Noir, Spa Noir, a restaurant, Phat Headz Barbershop, Verse and Vinyl Lounge, and Opium, a private, adult lounge and club. We encourage businesses owners who want to create and uphold quality roleplay experiences to inquire about inclusion in our family of businesses.

One special thing about Ito Tokai is that it has a business organization where all of the roleplay business owners meet once a month to fellowship and increase engagement with quality RP experiences. I feel like that's a unique offering- we all help each other to thrive. In other sims, I've noticed there's no interaction among the roleplay businesses represented, so I wanted to make sure we centered cooperation in building quality experiences.

Soul: So not only do you provide for customers, but to business owners that operate on Ito Tokai! The spirit of cooperation is palpable. Shifting gears, tell me- what inspired you to create an experience promoting selfcare?

Yasuki: I think from my own experiences of wanting to make SL welcoming, special, and helpful- a true second life. When we log off of the game, women have such special roles in RL jobs, responsibilities, and household- they may not get a chance to focus on themselves in a day. I want to promote love and light through sharing the energy of helpfulness and self-care. Life is hard outside of the computer, so I wanted to provide an escape that would be beneficial for all.

One other thing- even when you think what you’re doing is small and no one sees it, you make an impact. A fingernail content creator, Chloe from Alme Nails, approached me when Salon Noir was smaller and wanted to align with us. She added to our nail salon roleplay experience- you can actually pick an Alme nail color and get the applier to place the color you choose onto your nails, at a discounted price from purchasing directly from Alme!

We also carry e-marie mesh nails in our salon, but Alme is different. Chloe, the designer, appreciated what we were trying to do by promoting RP with Salon Noir and wanted to make the roleplay more realistic. She wanted to partner in roleplay goals by providing both beautiful nails and an experience where her designs could be actively applied. We both aligned in wanting customers to enjoy the experience of getting their nails done in a salon.

Soul: Collaborations are so dope, and important as women in business thrive when working together. One last question before I let you gowhat are some things you do personally for self-care and how do you tie that into your offerings at Salon and Spa Noir?

Yasuki: I personally love working with crystals, use incense and bubble baths, and include in my routine all of the things that I make a part of the salon and spa experience. I get mani-pedis and make sure to take time out for myself, like listening to music and just relaxing. Yoga, meditation, and all the things that make me happy. Shopping, going to the mall- self-care to me is taking time out for myself, and that's what Spa and Salon Noir is all about.

Spa Noir has a pool- you can sit with your friends, get affirmations from the wall, book a couple’s massage, and look at beautiful things. Do yoga, meditate, and just relax. The spa is more than just getting a massage. Salon Noir is more than just getting your hair done. It's the experience. We talk to our clients, because that's a part of the roleplay and the experience you’d get at a real life salon. We make sure each and every client has fun and enjoys their experience with us.

Pamper at Spa Noir and Salon Noir

Spa Noir is a special place to relax, open from 4pm-6pm Wednesday, 11am-1pm Sundays, SLT. Appointments are required.

Salon Noir is a full-service salon, open from 9am-11am Sundays, SLT. Appointments are required, unless there are walk-ins.

Salon Noir announces walk-ins on Facebook, and you can book directly through the Facebook page under ‘Appointments’.