Monday, July 6, 2009

Seattle Spa Day

Visiting my sister Karen up in Seattle, we did a full day of beauty starting with the:

I am notoriously hard to please when it comes to spa services. My technician was very nice and agreeable. The thing about pedicures is that a lot of the stuff they're doing to you, clipping, filing, picking, trimming--isn't very relaxing. When I have an aromatherapy eye pillow on my eyes (very nice, by the way), all sensory input is concentrated on the picking, filing, etc. Oh, and on the spa muzak.

Gene Juarez is a fancy space, very well designed. My regular nail place is a third of the price and nothing fancy in the design department. Long story short, I prefer my ladies at Natural Nails with the massaging chairs and trashy magazines.

Next, on to the make up counter at Macy's to get our make up touched up. The first person to approach me was a lady from the Benefit Counter. Having never used Benefit before, my first impression was that it was a bit...kitschy...all pink, plastic-y, old school. Fortunately, my make up person had a light hand (can't say the same for Karen's woman--ha ha!) and I bought a GET BENT LASH Mascara and a Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in R.S.V.P. and have been loading it on all week. LOVE IT!

On to Ananya Spa for facials and massages. I found them on Citysearch and was a little nervous going sight unseen, but it was every bit as cute as its website, in a very cool location near downtown Seattle. They had a special on Citysearch, a 1 hour facial and 1 hour massage for $155, so Karen and I both got one. We had different massage therapists, but agree that we will be back for massage as both were excellent and unique. I cried after my massage, not only because Kelly hurt me (in a good way), but BOY I needed it!

I made my appointment talking to the owner, she was very cool and let us do the Citysearch special even though I didn't print out the coupon. Apparently, she is also an esthetician and massage therapist--if she's working next time I'm in Seattle, I want to book a facial with her.

I have used Pevonia products before and liked them, they're just so heavy on the fragrance! Even if it is natural essential oils--a constant stream of heavily scented products is too overwhelming for me, even though I like what they do to my skin.

Another interesting thing, the place is very warm. No heavy blankets necessary here, just covered by a sheet. Neither good nor bad, just different! Kinda like doing a treatment in the tropics...

All in all, one of the girliest spa days on record. Karen and I spa regularly together and no matter where we go, the best thing about going to the spa is going with someone you love.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Welcome to the Sherry Okamura blog!

At the tender age of five I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up: a cake decorator, hairdresser, or actress--in that order.

Since I didn't have the vocabulary to know what an esthetician was, I pursued theater first, majoring in Drama at the University of Washington and as an acting apprentice at Actors Theatre of Louisville.

I moved to Portland in 2000, working as an actor, director and producer. When the time came for a career shift, my dear sister Karen suggested I become an esthetician. She should know, I've been poking, prodding and beautifying her for over 20 years. Thanks, Karen!

Since 2005 I've worked at Urbaca Salon in Portland's Pearl District. I love what I do and have a passion for results-oriented skin care, which is why I use SkinCeuticals in addition to Physicians Choice of Arizona peels and TRUE cosmetics. So far my recipe for success has been a dash of humor, a touch of magic, and an unending obsession with customer service.

In the summer of 2011 I launched Okamura Farmacopia, crafted lotions, potions and wonder.


Thank you for reading!


Sherry Okamura
Licensed Esthetician

Urbaca Salon
503.241.5030
http://www.urbacahairsalon.com/

info@urbacahairsalon.com

Photo credit
Mike Larremore
http://www.mikelarremore.com


Make up credit
Chantee Lawson, Urbaca Salon