Rickys

Specializing in Funk & Beauty

by Straight to the Chase

A New York Institution, Ricky’s puts the F in Funk, and offers many wild fashion accessories and make-up one would have a difficult time finding elsewhere, along with some organic/natural stuff (like Tom’s of Maine) and traditional, high-end, salon lines of shampoos (like Redken) and body products. With ever-expanding locations in Manhattan (about 20 for now, and now also some stores in Brooklyn, Queens, and Hoboken, NJ), Ricky’s has always appealed to the teen/youth market (punks, ravers, etc) with wild neon colored cosmetics and temporary tattoos, while drawing in the occasional drag queen, hairstylist or celebrity to boot. On the market for a crazy wig or eyelash extensions? Florescent-green glow in the dark eye shadow or Manic Panic Hot Pink Hair Dye? Body glitter? You can get it here. They also have on-site make-up artists if you want a make-over.

Ricky’s also carries a lot of specialty products for women of color, like the newly launched, hottest-buzz “Mixed Chicks” line, designed for curly/wavy hair, Deva Curl, and the all-natural, boutique black hair care line Carol’s Daughter, famously featured on the Oprah show and used by the likes of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s adopted daughter, Zahara.

They’ve got an expert’s selection of the highest quality blow dryers and blow dryer accessories (diffusers), hair curlers/straightening irons, and beauty implements like tweezers and blackhead extractors.

During Halloween season, Ricky’s doubles as a costume shop, and they sell sexy, adult novelties year round. You can shop and order online at their website now too.

eyelashes and glitter and overpriced lotion, oh my!

by crash4335

I recently wandered into a Ricky’s a few blocks away from my apartment in search of false eyelashes. I’ve been feeling a bit blah lately and thought I’d brighten the weekend up with a new sense of panache. I grew up in New York, so I always knew Ricky’s existed, but it’s been a while since I’ve been in one. I had forgotten what a mecca of beauty products it is. The vast selection of hair products, skin products, make-up, jewelry, hats and sunglasses can leave a girl circling for hours. One of the things I love most about Ricky‘s is that they carry both high and low end everything. I can buy N.Y.C. eyeliner for 99 cents at the same time as twenty dollar Bumble and Bumble shampoo and even pricier Ahava exfoliating body scrub. The only thing about Ricky’s that I found is that the staff is either hit or miss. When asking for help on whether or not the eyelashes I was deciding between were “too much” or “not enough”, the retail clerk didn’t seem very interested and kind of one worded me. Granted, I wasn’t exactly choosing my wedding dress, but it would have been nice if she had expressed an opinion one way or another, especially in the early part of the day when there was no one else in the store. I have, on the flip side, had salespeople who have been extremely articulate and helpful in choosing an accessory or a particular brand of make-up. As I said before, it’s very hit or miss. While Ricky’s is an awesome place to check out around Halloween because of the assortment of odds and ends, I’m not sure it’s a spot I would pop into on a regular basis.

Bad Color Job

by miss_green

The haircutter here is great but knows NOTHING about color. Be very careful before you get color done here or take his advice on coloring products