Trenton Native Offers Beauty and Relaxation for Women and Men

Roughly three years ago, mother Betty Jo and daughter Elizabeth Holbrook transformed a building housed by an insurance company into , a salon and spa located in downtown Trenton. Today, Elevate, along with its 18 staff members, seeks to promote “beautification and overall wellness.”

“A lot of people think of beauty in a vain sense, (but) I think it’s very therapeutic,” said Elizabeth, a graduate of . “There’s a very personal touch; we all have a very close relationship with our clients.”

The Trenton natives and business owners offer countless services, including haircuts, hair coloring, waxing, manicures and pedicures, full-body massages and facials. Betty Jo’s daughter Emily also works at Elevate as a hair stylist.

The salon and spa services are not basic or average, however.

The spa offers “luxe massages,” such as the Michigan Cherry Massage, and “luxe pedicures,” including the Mojito Pedicure and Wasabi and Ginger Pedicure. The spa also offers the moisturizing Chocolate Fondue Body Dip and the stress-alleviating Black Mud Muscle Relief body treatment.

Elevate has also launched Uplift, a body- and face-lift alternative that results in skin hydration, reduction in pigmentation and undereye puffiness and improvement in stretch marks, scar tissue and acne.

The salon and spa also has services specifically designed for men and teenagers.

Elizabeth, who has worked for the past 11 years as an aesthetician, said that what make Elevate special and different from other salons are its spa area, size and privacy for clients. She also said that she and Betty Jo try to give the salon “an upscale feel with a friendly, laid-back atmosphere.”

The main salon area has orange walls and bright lighting, and an adjoining room has a teal ceiling with a chandelier and large photograph of Audrey Hepburn from the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” The spa area of Elevate, on the other hand, is dark, quiet and perfect for relaxing.

Despite the time crunches that they experience on busy days, Elizabeth and Betty Jo both said they enjoy what they do for the business and their clients.

“I like that I can make people feel better about themselves,” Betty Jo said. “(Clients) can come in, pamper themselves and walk out feeling lifted. That’s why we call it Elevate.”