Berkeley Beauty and Salons

Professional makeup artist Patricia Guerrera has accrued 15 years of beauty experience in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Boston, where she mastered an aesthetic art that accentuates clients’ natural comeliness for special occasions. The Montecito Messenger sings Tru Beauty’s praises, crowing that the organic facial products work “instantly” and that clients feel “spoiled.” Guerrera tackles finer details with lash and brow-tint services or eyelash applications, all of which help eyes garner more attention than Sophia Loren in a clown costume. Facials cleanse the countenance with organic and high-end products, and facial or Brazilian waxes lift away unwanted fuzz. Guerrera wields upscale makeup products such as M.A.C and Benefit Cosmetics when she prepares faces for weddings, special occasions, or long stints of hiding from the mob. The thorough makeovers begin with primer and foundation, and then intensify personal pulchritude with mascara, cheek color, lipstick, and eye shadow.

The beauty professionals at True Skin Spa take dry, damaged, and whiskered skin to task with a range of spa treatments designed to revitalize the dermis from head to toe. Aesthetic facial treatments call upon exfoliating masks, chemical peels, and resurfacing lasers to flush dirt from clogged pores and smooth over fine lines. Wax specialists swipe away unwanted frizz from arms and legs, and laser technicians wage a space-age war with overzealous follicles during permanent hair-removal treatments. Gentle Swedish strokes knead away lumps of stress and lingonberry jam lodged in shoulders, and deep-tissue techniques assuage ingrained anxieties during extended massage sessions. Makeup artists wield a palette of vitamin-infused cosmetics from glominerals as they amplify alluring features or teach clients the intricacies of their craft during technique lessons.

At Salon Darya, aesthetician Tooran Kami draws from 25 years of experience while doling out her specialty facial treatments and waxing services. Using skincare products by Jan Marini, she customizes her microdermabrasion and facials according to each client's unique skincare needs, whether their complexions demand deep cleansing, extractions, or a calming sequence of read-aloud bedtime stories. With a staff that includes stylists, color experts, and a makeup artist, Kami ensures her salon is well-equipped to handle any beauty conundrum, and extends her aesthetic know-how to high-tech solutions such as permanent makeup and electrolysis.

At Epizen, lead aesthetician Simone King strives to attack blemishes at the cellular level and enhance natural beauty with cosmetic tweaks. Dead skin cells flake away under the natural exfoliation of the Nutra Peel, which, unlike other peels, does not rely on the use of sticky Halloween masks or acids. She also offers an assortment of facials designed for clients’ specific needs—including a gentlemen’s facial that soothes and hydrates skin roughened by years of shaving. Simone’s artfully applied permanent makeup lightens morning routines, as do her eyelash extensions, which render mascara or strategically held-up broom bristles unnecessary.

At Details Barbershop, Sergio Portela expertly sculpts and grooms gentlemanly images with precision haircuts, straight-razor wet shaves, and signature grooming packages. Eschewing advancements that have led to careless shaves performed with disposable razors and gels by clumsy robots, Sergio embraces tradition and revives an art form by using precision-made steel razors, pre-shave oil, and glycerin-based shaving cream to leave faces smooth without irritation. He enhances shaves and further cares for cheeks by wrapping faces in hot towels or aroma-infused cold towels, scrubbing skin to prevent and heal ingrown hairs, and applying post-shave masks to replenish nutrients.

Sergio trains his style sense on all aspects of a man's image. He can hone wardrobes, pair accessories with apparel, and help his clients sharpen their overall image. Also, for clients prepping for a big day, Sergio can coordinate and appropriately style all members of a groom's party so that no best men show up in basketball shorts.

The friendly staff at Cherish Nail Salon spruces surfaces with a full line-up of manicures, pedicures, and waxing services. Inside the powder pink salon, a row of plush armchairs wraps patrons in comfort as nail techs dotes on digits with four types of mani-pedis, or use warm applications of wax strip away unwanted hair and faux mustaches.