Blu Laguna Salon and Spa, Laguna Beach

Marta Wozniak, owner of Blu Laguna Salon and Spa, was training at the prestigious Pivot Point International Academy in Chicago when she decided to put her hairdressing skills to the test at the Midwest Beauty Show. This proved to be a wise move, as she won first place out of 132 other competitors from across the country. Her triumph caught the eye of beauty heavyweights at Elizabeth Arden's Red Door Spa, who brought her on staff and launched her career in the salon world. Eventually, Marta shifted her focus to the sunny scenery of California, where she worked in a few salons before opening her own.

True to its name, the decor of Blu Laguna evokes the feel of a tranquil shoreline. Dangling glass bubbles bend the image of ocean-blue walls in the waiting area, which leads onto a mod, minimalist salon floor whose stark blue and white color scheme is only interrupted by the solitary flower that adorns each styling station. Here, Marta's staff of salon and spa experts—made up of a diverse combination of pros fresh to the industry and those with more than two decades in the business—brightens exteriors with haircuts, skincare, massages, and makeup services. When they aren't polishing clients, the specialists are sharpening their skills in fashion shows, photo shoots, and guerrilla makeovers on unsuspecting crossing guards.