New Salon Bringing the 'Moxie' Back to Ridgewood

Identical twins Jenn and Jamie Dunn don't lack for confidence or ambition.

Their new luxury salon just opened, their appointment calendar is booked solid and they've already declared themselves the best salon in a village full of hair industry titans.

If you don't know the owners of "Moxie Salon" yet, you soon will.

The Bergen County natives can be seen Sunday nights as the stylist superstars of "Why Am I Still Single?" on VHI. Locally, they can also be seen practicing yoga in the morning with the staff, saying hello to curious onlookers and chatting all things style.

Confident, expressive and bubbly, the blondes articulate they have a very clear mission – transforming their clients to look like A-list beauties.

"We're known as 'The Moxie Twins,' the makeover twins," Jenn said at the new modern and airy storefront (formerly Clive Christian) sandwiched between and .

The salon will do all things hair, but also offers tanning – from Olive Organic Tan – and makeup services as well. Men's haircuts check in at $35 and up and women's cuts start at $45. There are of course coloring options ($100+), blow-outs ($25+) and even the "Glamour Girl" package, a $240+ deal that includes a blow-out, majeup, lashes and take-home clip extensions.

"We feel like some people don't know what to do with their look," said Jenn. "A lot of girls are confused over what to do, what color to have. We think every woman at any age should feel beautiful."

"Within 30 seconds of looking at them we know exactly what we want to do," added Jamie, calling it an innate talent that requires a shared vision.

The two are prone to finish each other's sentences and seem philosophically and creatively connected. Jenn by trade is more of a colorist, while Jamie has experience as a stylist, but they often work interchangably.

The twins may be young – among a growing contingent of hip, fashionable female business owners under 30 in the village – but they're no rookies to the competitive salon world.

By age 26 they're already opening their second salon, have been featured on television, and have both hair and makeup lines on shelves. 

While at Paramus Catholic, the girls also attended beauty school at night in Hackensack, and then worked in top salons before founding their Montclair location at age 23.

Jenn and Jamie are now back to their Bergen beginnings with the second Moxie location.

"We're from Bergen County so we're so happy to have our Bergen County people back," said Jamie, adding her staff and clients are like "family". "These are our roots. We feel like Ridgewood is the best town to be in. There's no place better in Bergen County that's as beautiful and put together with the shopping, and the restaurants. There's such life to Ridgewood."

Ridgewood's gain appears to be Montclair's loss. The twins say due to the phenomenal amount of bookings and attention they've already received, they'll likely be closing down their Montclair location.

"We feel like we're going to bring the life back to Ridgewood," said Jamie. "We are going to bring moxie into Ridgewood. We feel like Ridgewood has moxie already and we're just adding to it."

Replete with , , and many others, Ridgewood isn't suffering from a lack of well-regarded hair salons.

It's of no concern to the new business owners, whose staff of 12 all have their own specialties, whether it be in extensions, makeup or keratin.

"We don't believe in competition," said Jenn. "Everybody has hair, everyone has their hair cut. We feel we're the best, so there's no competition."

If the girls get their way (a better chance than not if history's a judge), you may start seeing cameras toted around the Ridgewood Central Business District chronicling the zany, quirky adventures in styling at 57 E. Ridgewood Ave.

The twins believe they're perfect for their own reality show – if another season of "Why Am I Still Single?" isn't renewed, they'll be pitching their own program to hit the airwaves.

"Jenn and I feel like we have reality TV star personalities where our lives should be documented," Jamie said. "Everyone is always fascinated when they come here. It's an adventure when you come here, but you always feel relaxed and feel at home."

Much of the Essex County clientele are already heading up the parkway and getting an early taste of the Moxie experience in Bergen, Jamie said.

"We feel like so many people need us. We're going to help bring Ridgewood back," Jenn said, as usual, finishing Jamie's sentence.

Moxie Salon is located at 57 E. Ridgewood Ave. To book an appointment, call (201) 652-1006. Their website can be found at www.themoxietwins.com