Beauty is bliss at new Winter Park salon

If you step inside Bliss Beauty Bar in Winter Park, you’re immediately hit with a wave of tranquility. 

Soft music plays in the background, while sunlight streams in through the large open windows.

It is ultimate relaxation, and that’s exactly how owner Tina Nguyen planned it to be.

“We wanted to create a different feel — something more modern, luxurious and relaxing,” Nguyen said. “We always play soft, serene music, and the pedicure/manicure area is separated. That’s done on purpose, because we want to create a pedicure area where people can just relax and listen to the soft music. Then over at the nail bar, there is actually a television, and that is more of the area where you can talk.”

Located at 115 N. Orlando Ave. Suite 101, Bliss Beauty Bar’s name is pretty reflective of the assortment of services it offers. In addition to nail services, the business also offers up services like eyelash extensions, professional makeup, facial and body waxing. Bliss also offers its services for events such as weddings, fundraising events and private parties.

“We call it a beauty bar, because it’s a combination of different beauty services — it’s not your typical nail salon,” Nguyen said. “It’s like a one-stop shop for all services.”

Although Nguyen opened Bliss Beauty Bar Dec. 21, the idea of opening her own beauty salon has been a longtime dream. Nguyen, who grew up and received most of her education in Orlando, is actually a practicing pharmacist who owns and operates the Millennium Specialty Pharmacy — which sits across the street from Bliss.

Although she loves her day job, she always harbored a desire to dabble in beauty services.

“Beauty has always been a passion of mine,” Nguyen said. “My hobby on the side — other than being a pharmacist — is doing makeup, so I’ve been doing freelance makeup and actually got certified a couple of years ago.”

Nguyen’s first foray into beauty business was in 2009, when she opened a nail salon in Hunter’s Creek.

Although she enjoyed some success, Nguyen had to sell the salon once her family began to grow with the addition of kids.

After a few years, Nguyen decided it was time to get back to the field she loved.

“Due to the ever-changing beauty industry with new services and new products, and new things coming out on the market, I decided to come back in,” Nguyen said. “I feel that my old concept, which was my nail salon, needed to be something different. There needed to be an evolution to the typical nail salon, so I thought up Bliss Beauty Bar.”

From there, the days were filled with research and decisions before Nguyen finally put Bliss together and made her dream a reality.

“We want people to know that they’re in a wonderful salon,” Nguyen said. “Our mission statement is to provide world-class spa and beauty services to each and every client utilizing the latest knowledge in the beauty industry, providing excellent customer service and exceeding our client’s expectations on every level of cleanliness, elegance and relaxing environment.”