Salons in Alice

Luxe Aveda Concept Salon evokes a sense of contemporary glamour by offering luxurious services amid its lofty ceiling and grey and fire-engine-red walls. A hairstyling visionary, Ray Hernandez presides over a team of hair-transforming artisans who administer cuts, color services, and specialized treatments. These stylists are so passionate about their craft that they educate clients about haircare, recommending Aveda products to maintain their new looks.

Aveda produces a full line of natural beauty products carried at nearly 7,000 salons and spas. Popular items such as Shampure shampoo and witch hazel hair spray deliver on Aveda's commitment to well-rounded earthly beauty with eco-friendly packaging that cradles ingredients derived from the world's finest and least selfish plants.

Though high-tech hair removal relies on relatively new technologies, owner Nedra Lockhart has been zapping follicles for more than 40 years—she began in 1970, working at the side of her mother, for whom the clinic is named. Though electrolysis is still on the menu, the entire staff boasts national board certification in laser hair removal through The Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal, Inc. This range of treatment options is essential, as specialists must select the right tool for the job: though considered less painful, lasers target melanin and may not be ideal for those with lighter-colored strands, who may be better served by electrolysis or Photoshop. Besides permanent hair removal, the clinic is home to Scandinavian skincare services by stateside transplant Catharina and mani-pedis by aesthetician Lisa Schuenemann.

A shared passion often brings talented people together. That's certainly the case at Planet Sol Salon, where each staffer brings her own background and artistic eye to the salon chair. Alexa Cline, for example, trained with Redken educators to gain expertise in haircuts and color treatments. Melissa Guerra specializes in chemical texturizing, and Natasha Gutierrez—who has interned with an American Board Certified Haircolorist—uses highlights to give hair the perfect amount of dimension. Not limiting themselves to just hair, the team members also administer aesthetic services such as chocolate foot masks and shellac mani-pedis.

The stylists are educators themselves, too. They know that a new look is ultimately pointless if it can't be regularly recreated at home, especially if clients find themselves stuck in a temporal loop. To that end, they recommend manageable styles and explain the step-by-step process for their creation.

The Aveda Institutes are full-service beauty schools devoted to fostering individuality through personal client consultations, training in cutting-edge techniques, and encouraging students' artistic visions. All students at the Aveda Institute Corpus Christi perform their services under the direct supervision of experienced educators.

June Shin of June's Day Spa has more than 20 years of experience in the industry, working her way along the East Coast before settling down in Corpus Christi to open her namesake spa. Her list of services includes relaxing manicure and pedicures enhanced by indulgent extras such as foot masks, hand massages, and scrubs. June can prettify nails with one of many vibrant OPI and Essie polishes or apply a special crackling formula for more artistic tips. She also administers waxing treatments to remove clients' unwanted hair, leaving smooth skin for days longer than traditional shaving.

As her shop’s name indicates, Michelle of Michelle’s Aesthetics knows a thing or three about beauty. She’s spent a decade in the field of aesthetics, including a stint studying under the tutelage of a plastic surgeon. So when she personalizes a plan of action against superficial imperfections, it packs a professional-grade punch. From European facials that attack specific blemishes to microdermabrasion sessions that erase wrinkles and spots while buffing away dead skin, her facial and waxing services conquer the beauty missions of all sorts of skin types.