Idolizing the fashions he saw in movies, salon owner Valerium Pereira started cutting his family’s hair in the backyard of their home in Brazil. His stylistic sojourn led him to Los Angeles, where he later studied with Beverly Hills icon José Eber and shaped the locks of stars such as Annie Lennox. Now at his own salon, Valerium creates a spa setting for customers that is shaped by the environment around him. The artfully arranged interior boasts cabinetry and hand-chiseled limestone tile made by local artisans, as well as an incandescent chandelier made with cobalt lamps and conflict-free quasar light. The spa’s stylists create chic cuts for their clientele and specialize in color, curly hair, blonding, and extensions, and an aesthetician and a massage therapist help clients feel pampered and de-stressed.