Lab Brow Bar Expands to Auckland with New Ellerslie Flagship
After transforming Hamilton’s beauty scene with her signature “brows made easy” approach, Penny Mahoney, founder of Lab Brow Bar, has brought her award-winning brow concept to Auckland, opening a beautiful new flagship salon in Ellerslie. The new salon captures Lab’s signature clean, confident style, a polished yet welcoming space.
“Ellerslie felt like the perfect fit,” says Penny. “It’s vibrant, community-minded, and full of people who value quality and convenience.” The custom designed space sits in the heart of Ellerslie Village at 105 Main Highway.
Founded just before COVID-19 in 2020, Lab Brow Bar grew from Penny’s home studio into a full-service Hamilton salon loved for its precision, customer service, and time smart beauty experience. Now, as the brand expands into Auckland, Penny plans to open two new locations each year as part of Lab’s next growth chapter.
“Brows completely transform a face, they frame your features and lift your confidence,” says Penny. “Lab Brow Bar was built on the belief that beauty can be both premium and practical. You can have beautiful brows and still get on with your day.”
Penny’s path into beauty wasn’t a traditional one. She began her career in the Royal New Zealand Navy, followed by years in podiatry and palliative care, roles that shaped her sense of discipline, empathy, and attention to detail. “Working in healthcare taught me to do things properly,” she explains. “That’s why we hold ourselves to such high standards, from hygiene and training to client care.”
Specialising in brow mapping, lamination, and hybrid tinting, every Lab treatment is created to enhance what’s already there. To bring out natural beauty, not change it. Each service follows what Penny calls “The Lab Way,” a consistent approach that ensures every client leaves with brows that feel perfectly them.
Penny’s long-term vision is to make Lab Brow Bar a national leader in brows while creating meaningful career pathways for women in the beauty industry, with this first Auckland store marking the beginning of many.
“I want to prove that beauty can be a respected, professional, long-term career,” she says. “When women are supported, they stay, they thrive, and the whole industry benefits.”