Westwood Living cover shoots are always exciting, and for this month’s feature, the last-minute preps were an essential part of what we were hoping to capture. With hair dryers blowing and the makeup chair busy, Nathalie Homsy, Lindsey Gillooly and Cristelle Garabedian met each other for the first time, quickly bonding over their shared connections to Bachir Awad and Effie Mitros, the driving forces behind B’known European Hair Salon.
As the afternoon evolved and the stories of these impressive women were shared, the empowerment they consistently draw from their trusted stylists became evident. At one point strangers, the trio left as friends, looking their best and ready to tackle the next challenge.
The Chocolatier
The sun is just beginning to stretch across the asphalt of Westwood’s High Street Plaza at 8am. The rest of the town is still fast asleep or nursing their first cup of coffee in silence. Behind the glass storefront of B’known, the air is already thick with the scent of high-end shampoo and the rhythmic, pulsing bass of international beats. It’s an electric atmosphere that feels more like a lively lounge than a suburban salon. Nathalie Homsy, a regular client, enters. But not for an appointment.
“The music was on, I did a dance with Bachir [the owner of B’known], and then I left,” she said with a laugh, her eyes sparkling with the memory. “It’s just friendly vibes here. You leave the salon happy, with a smile and self-confidence. I don’t like to let a day pass without doing something that I, or someone else, will acknowledge later.”
That relentless ambition to make every moment count is the driving force behind Omniya Delicacy, Nathalie’s luxury chocolate brand. While she is now a fixture at the salon, her life in Westwood began when she moved to town from Lebanon at 18 years old.
“I consider it mine and my kids’ hometown,” she said.
While raising three daughters who all attended Westwood High School, Nathalie led a formidable professional life, earning an undergraduate degree in accounting from Boston College and a Master’s from Harvard. However, after seven years of navigating the “depression” of tax accounting – where clients often left her office stressed – Nathalie sought a way to bring joy to her community instead. She had spent over a decade as the president of a nonprofit supporting the Lebanese community, living by the philosophy: “If you want to help someone, teach them how to fish; don’t just give them the fish.” That entrepreneurial spirit led to the birth of Omniya.
“I decided to do chocolate because of the quality,” Nathalie explained. “We get the raw materials from Switzerland, but the variety of the filling makes my business different.”
Omniya infuses luxury Swiss chocolate with the tradition of Lebanon, featuring unique flavors like Halawa and cotton candy. Her innovation recently put her at the center of a global trend.
“I was the first one who brought the ‘Dubai Bar’ – the pistachio kunafa chocolate – to the United States. It went viral, and The Boston Globe even knocked on my door to hear the story.”
Omniya is a true family affair. Nathalie’s eldest daughter, an eye doctor, manages the brand’s Instagram, while her younger daughters, one who runs a jewelry business and another studying at Wentworth, assist with sales. Between running a nationwide business that sells on Amazon and at Walmart, as well as several retail stores across the country, and being a grandmother to twins, Nathalie’s days are a whirlwind.
Her secret to staying “meeting-ready” for her globe-trotting expos is her neighbor and friend, Bachir Awad.
“When you have a Lebanese hairdresser’s touch, it’s totally different. He does an amazing job with color, cut, and even extensions,” she said, gesturing to her own hair. “I come minimum once a week, many times more. When you feel good about yourself, it gives you more self-confidence. It’s an amazing way to start your day.”
The Nurse Practitioner
Much like Nathalie, Lindsey Gillooly traded a high-pressure job for entrepreneurship, and credits Bachir and his girls for taking care of her hair.
A Family Nurse Practitioner by trade, Lindsey’s professional career began in 2009 at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she specialized in head and neck cancer. While navigating the emotional weight of oncology and trauma care at MGH and other local institutions (Mass Eye and Ear, Beth Israel, and Norwood Hospital), Lindsey began dabbling in aesthetic treatments.
“Working with neurotoxins, whether it was for migraines or hyperhidrosis, it was a natural fit,” Lindsey explained.
What started as an interest quickly evolved into a full-scale business, Medical Aesthetics, MA.
“My side job doing aesthetics, injectable Botox and fillers specifically, grew so much that I was able to then rent a space in Easton where I started my own clinic,” Lindsey said.
Lindsey, a Stoughton native and Thayer Academy alumni, holds two bachelor’s degrees and a Master’s in Nursing from a pedigree of schools including Providence College, UMass Amherst, and Regis College. As her business grew, so did her family, and the need for a partner became evident.
“I had two babies and I was divorced, so I needed some help,” Lindsey admitted. She turned to her best friend since the age of two, Allison Daly. Together as 50/50 partners, they built their Hingham location during the 2020 pandemic, followed by Milton, and finally the Westwood location, which celebrated its one-year anniversary this past November.
Today, the practice has blossomed into a team of 34, supported by CEO Emily Brems and General Manager Erica Conforti. While it may seem like their trend is to jump to a new town every two years, Lindsey and Alison remain focused on strengthening their existing locations right where they are.
“We have found that we have a lot of space in our current locations to still grow within ourselves,” Lindsey said.
That growth is reflected in their expansive and modern menu of services. Medical Aesthetics has moved beyond simple beauty to become a hub for preventative health. Their offerings include but are not limited to; Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and GLP programs, IV Therapy for hydration and nutrition, and Permanent Makeup.
Long before the physical location opened in Westwood, Lindsey was building relationships through house parties with local moms. Now, those same women frequent the spa for holiday events and clinical care. It was during these early days that she found a kindred spirit in her business neighbor, Bachir.
“Bachir was one of the first neighbors to welcome us,” Lindsey said. “He did my blow dry one day and I was like, ‘This is it. He’s the best!'”
The two businesses have formed a symbiotic relationship with a shared standard of five-star service and luxury.
“We have a lot in common as far as how we want to treat our customers, a similar concierge, making everybody feel comfortable,” Lindsey added.
The bond has even extended to their staff and families. The spa nurses often visit Bachir’s salon, and the two businesses frequently collaborate on joint promotions, allowing clients to enjoy a blow dry and a Botox treatment in one afternoon. For Lindsey, the ultimate stamp of approval comes from her 10 and 11-year-old sons.
“They claim that he is the absolute best,” she said, “and they do not want to go anywhere else.”
The MRI Tech
Lindsey isn’t the only medical professional in the area who considers a chair in Bachir’s salon a home away from home. In fact, for Cristelle Garabedian, a 2020 graduate of Another Course To College in Hyde Park, a visit to B’known is more than just a hair appointment, it’s a decades-long family tradition. While Cristelle is a relatively new professional in the medical field, her relationship with Bachir spans more than ten years, beginning long before the salon moved to its current location.
“He was my cousin’s friend, so that’s how we knew him,” Cristelle explained. “He used to be in a different location up the street, then he moved here and started expanding his business.”
That loyalty runs deep through her entire family; her mother, father, grandmother, and three younger sisters all trust B’known with their hair.
“When we had our first communion or any kind of event, we always called him,” Cristelle said. “Sometimes he’d even come to the house, or he’d open really early just for us to come do our hair. We really appreciate everything he does.”
This long-standing connection provides a necessary sanctuary for Cristelle, whose day job is as demanding as it is rewarding. A 2024 graduate of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences with a Bachelor’s in MRI, Cristelle has spent the last year and a half as an MRI Tech at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Her path to Children’s was deliberate, starting with a high school internship in Roslindale that placed her in radiology departments.
“I thought I wanted to start in X-ray and then work my way up to MRI,” she said, “but then I found out my college had a direct path to MRI.”
Her decision to specialize in pediatrics was driven by her experience as an older sister. Working at a world-renowned institution like Children’s has given Cristelle a unique perspective on global resilience.
“I’ve seen people who are willing to travel from as far as the Middle East just to come here for treatment,” she said. “Seeing how many kids come in with different illnesses that people haven’t seen before, it’s really surprising and special to be a part of.”
She is constantly inspired by her young patients’ ability to stay positive despite their circumstances. “They might not always know what’s going on, but they continue to stay positive.”
Because her work involves seeing patients facing immense challenges, Cristelle carries a simple but profound philosophy: “Treat people how you would want to be treated. It’s never easy no matter what job you do in the medical field. Just always treat people with respect and kindness.”
When she isn’t at the hospital, Cristelle balances a bustling social life. She and her friends are often on TikTok scouting their next adventure, which ranges from trying new restaurants, planning weekend getaways, or go-karting and arcade games.
Twice a month, she makes her way back to Westwood to see Bachir for a signature blowout. Even on the busiest weekends, she knows she’ll be taken care of.
“He will always make time to fit me in wherever he can. I’m very specific with how I like my hair, but he always does a great job. It makes me feel beautiful, and it lasts for so long.”
For Cristelle, the bond between her professional life and her time at the salon is about self-reliance and confidence.
“It’s important to feel beautiful, but it’s also important, as a woman, to make time for yourself. Don’t depend on anyone, work for yourself and do what you want to do.”
The Artists
While the stories of The Chocolatier, The Nurse Practitioner, and The MRI Tech are vastly different, they all converge in the styling chairs of Bachir and Effie, his manager and lead stylist of eight years.
“We do our best to give them the best service and style,” Bachir said. “We love our customers because they are very loyal to us. We always make sure we have an open space to take care of them.”
That loyalty is born out of a specific aesthetic that sets B’known apart from the standard salon experience. While many local shops aim for a traditional look, Bachir and Effie lean into a bolder, international flair.
“Our way of doing hair is a little bit different than the standard American style,” explained Effie, who has been with Bachir since the day he opened. “It’s a little bit more. The bigger, the better, the more extravagant. It’s never really just a blowout; it’s a wow. That’s how we like it.”
Bachir, who is Lebanese, and Effie, who is Greek, describe their signature as a “European hairstyle,” utilizing high-end products like L’Oreal and Redken to achieve the curves and waves their clients crave. This expertise has made them the go-to destination for clients with thick, curly, or coarse hair that requires a specialized touch.
“Middle Eastern, Greek, Jewish, it’s the hardest hair, but it’s very easy for us,” said Bachir. “When I started, everyone thought my clients were only Lebanese. But over the last few years, 70% of my clients come from everywhere, and that makes me very happy.”
The duo’s partnership is the backbone of the salon’s welcoming atmosphere. “We make a good team,” Effie said. “He’s my boss, but we’ve learned a lot from each other.”
Though Bachir lives in Walpole, his heart – and most of his hours – belong to Westwood.
“My son tells me, ‘Dad, you are from Westwood now because you spend all your time there,'” Bachir joked. “I feel it is my town because I know everyone. We can’t go anywhere without seeing people we know.”
For the women who walk through the doors of B’known, the salon is more than a business; it’s a sanctuary. Whether it’s an 8am Sunday morning dance session with Nathalie, a Wednesday evening conditioning treatment for Lindsey, or a multi-generational family visit on the weekend with Cristelle, the mission remains the same.
“Our salon is open to everyone,” Bachir said with a warm smile. “We want everybody to come here and feel they are home and leave happy, comfortable, and feeling their best.”
