About Lena Rose Beauty — Chicago's First Non-Toxic Spa
Twenty years, one idea
We take care of the human in front of us. That's the whole thing — not the service on the menu, the person in the chair. Some days that's a manicure and an hour that belongs to you. Some days it's someone in cancer treatment who was told they couldn't get their nails done anymore, or a client whose skin reacts to everything, or someone who just wants to be somewhere nobody makes them feel bad about their shampoo. Our team is trained for all of it: Reiki-certified, trained in oncology protocols and chemical sensitivities, trauma-informed and gender-affirming. That isn't a values statement. It's why people drive across the city to sit in our chairs.
Everything here has been vetted. Every ingredient reviewed, every product tested for weeks by our own team across skin types and tones, every brand founder someone we actually know. Non-toxic and cruelty-free is the floor, not the pitch.
Our house line is handmade in small batches with the purest-sourced ingredients from local farmers. We hand select each and every product on our shelves to ensure all are safe, effective and cruelty-free. Our mission is to build a better beauty industry so that future generations never have to question the beauty products they use. We proudly use products you can find on our shelves in our services so you can experience a beauty ritual to take home and Reconnect to Yourself(care).
OUR FOUNDER
I've been a licensed nail technician since 2003. For years I worked in Chicago salons without thinking much about what was in the air. Then three things happened at once. I volunteered for an OSHA study of nail technicians, and they tested my breathing, my balance, my cognition. At the same time my own body was making the argument: skin rashes, allergies, trouble breathing at work. And I found the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, in those days close to the only place writing about what was in nail products and how it connected to exactly the problems I was having. That was the lightbulb. I couldn't go back.
So I built what I couldn't find. In 2006 I started a mobile spa and began making the products myself, because nothing on the market met the standard I wanted. By 2013 that had become a storefront.
This was never a business idea to me. It was my life, and my passion to take what I learned the hard way and use it to take care of other people — my clients and my peers in this industry.
Featured in The New York Times, Self Magazine, Entrepreneur, Brides, Crain’s Chicago Business and having spoken at MommyCon regarding “How to shop for natural products for the family,” Jenny has gained vast credibility in the green beauty industry.
In 2016 I traveled to Washington D.C. with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and stood at a podium in the United States Senate to speak on cosmetic safety reform, supporting the Personal Care Products Safety Act. I wasn't there as an expert. I was there as someone who got sick doing this job, telling legislators why these laws should be written by people who work with these products every day. I first signed the organization's Compact for Safe Cosmetics back in my mobile spa days, and Lena Rose is a business supporter still.
In December 2016 I opened Lena Rose, named for my daughter and the generation she stands for. Lincoln Square followed in 2019, Naperville in 2023. In April 2020, Skin Inc., the trade magazine for spa professionals, put one of our treatment rooms on its cover.
In 2020 we launched the Lena Rose House Line, made by hand in our own lab. Which is really just the thing I had been doing since 2006, finally with the right space for it.
Jenny is a confessed serial entrepreneur, recovering perfectionist who enjoys gardening, building things and serving her local community. She is a proud board member of Local First Chicago, an organization that promotes independent business.
That's the story. The invitation is simpler.
Come in for an hour. You do not need a routine, a plan, or any opinion about ingredients. Wanting an hour that belongs to you is a whole reason to come.
Book at Lincoln Square · Book in Naperville
Or call — Chicago (872) 227-8943, Naperville (630) 335-7775.
From the Ground Up
2019: Lincoln Square Opens
In 2019, Lena Rose moved into a bigger space on a quiet corner in Rockwell, in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood. What started as a dream rooted in sustainable beauty and self-care grew into a space filled with warmth, intention, and community.
2020: Resilience in the Unknown
Then the world shifted in 2020. Like so many others, we faced the challenges of a global pandemic—closed doors, uncertain days, and tough decisions. But amidst it all, our community showed up. That year redefined everything—and reminded us why we do what we do.
2021: Reopening with Intention
In 2021, we officially reopened our doors and embraced the opportunity to rebuild with greater clarity. We renovated our space with purpose—taking down walls, literally, to create a more open, welcoming, and safe environment for all. Loyal clients returned, new faces found us, and our community continued to grow stronger than ever.
2022: Leadership in Bloom
As our Rockwell location continued to bloom, 2022 became a foundational year. We welcomed our first Spa Director and began shaping a strong leadership team to support our growing vision. Behind the scenes, we invested in systems and operations—laying down the roots needed to help Lena Rose thrive for years to come.
2023: Naperville Opens
And then it happened, an unexpected opportunity blossomed into something beautiful. What began as a seed in Spring 2022 became a reality in 2023, when we opened our second Lena Rose location in Naperville. Despite uncertainty in the world, we followed our intuition and stepped into this next chapter with open hearts. The support was incredible, and our two teams grew not only in size, but in spirit—journeying together through Reiki Level 1 & 2 certification, deepening our connection and commitment to healing.
2024: The Weight of Growth and Grief
By 2024, the reality of running two locations fully set in. What once felt like an exciting leap had become a daily test of endurance. Opening two doors meant holding twice the weight—and some days, it felt heavier than we could carry. We were stretched thin, navigating more than we were truly ready for. In addition to that weight, we faced a devastating loss that shook us to our core. But through the strain and the sorrow, we kept showing up. We leaned on each other, found strength in our teams, and remembered why we started. What could have broken us instead refined us—and we emerged more aligned, more resilient, and more committed than ever.
Our Houseline
When Jenny first opened Lena Rose, having our own houseline felt like a distant dream. In those early days, the focus was simply on creating a safe, non-toxic space when options were limited—long before producing our own products felt possible. But everything shifted in 2020. With the unexpected stillness of the COVID era, Jenny finally had the time to experiment, collaborate with chemists, and refine the formulas she had always envisioned. The inspiration for creating our houseline has always been deeply personal. Jenny has long struggled with being unable to use many conventional beauty products, which pushed her to begin crafting gentle, plant-based alternatives for herself and her clients. Those early, house-made blends quickly became staples in our treatment rooms, earning enthusiastic feedback and constant inquiries from guests who wanted to take them home. That outpouring of love is what sparked the evolution—from small batches mixed behind the scenes to the collection you now find on our shelves and in your daily rituals. Our houseline is more than just a product—it’s the heart of our philosophy, created with intention, care, and a commitment to clean beauty that began long before it had a name.