Naperville native passionate about opening eco-friendly beauty spa in hometown
As much as Jenny Duranski loved being a nail technician, the chemicals being used nearly drove her away.
But instead of leaving the industry, she doubled her commitment by devoting her career to "clean and green" beauty supplies.
Duranski is opening her second Lena Rose Beauty spa, named after her 9-year-old daughter, next month in downtown Naperville. A Naperville Central High School graduate, she's anxious to share her eco-friendly treatments with her hometown.
"I started getting sick from the products and the toxic fumes and the chemicals I was being exposed to," Duranski said. "It led me on this very long but passionate journey about what we're exposed to as nail technicians and the products we're working with.
"I just started learning all I possibly could about herbalism, agriculture, botany, cosmetic chemistry," she said. "Just trying to learn how I could create a nontoxic nail salon."
Duranski, who created all her products, opened the first Lena Rose Beauty spa in 2016 in Chicago's Lincoln Square. That was a year after her first natural beauty spa, Noktivo, closed.
With Lena Rose Beauty firmly established in Chicago - thanks to the selling and shipping of supplies that helped the company survive the pandemic - Duranski is ready to bring her vision to Naperville.
The Naperville spa is located at 14 Jackson Ave., replacing the Lauren Rae Jewelry Boutique. Duranski and her team will hold a soft opening at 10 a.m. on Sept. 7 with a ribbon-cutting and comments from Duranski and Mayor Scott Wehrli.
"It has to go this way as we learn more," she said. "It's really needed, especially in the suburbs."
Lena Rose Beauty's Naperville location will offer its full line of nontoxic and sustainable products as part of its retail presence. The spa also features an extensive menu of treatments, including manicures, pedicures, massages, facials and more.
"I've seen the dawn of clean and green beauty, and I've seen this category grow exponentially," Duranski said. "It's not like I'm jumping on a trend. This is who I am to the core."