Urbaca Gives Warrior Support

Urbaca Salon has joined forces with California-based Diamond Way Ayurveda (www.welcomingwarriorshome.com) and Warrior Water Center Project (conceived and directed by Brig. General James Cook of the U.S. Army Reserves, www.warriorwatercenter.org) to announce a community-based initiative to help the soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Soldiers are a real and necessary part of society, committed to defend what is cherished in daily life and the world. The stress, wear and tear on the women and men returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is immense. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the more visible wounds of warfare changes these men and women forever. No one goes back to the way things were. We need to integrate these new life experiences in a healthy and meaningful way so that they can emerge as productive, happy and engaged citizens in everyday life.

What has been learned by health care providers, including those in the Veterans Administration treating PTSD, three of the most effective therapies to help these men and women are massage, yoga and meditation. Community-based follow-up services are vital and essential to make a difference. This is especially true for U.S. Army reservists who are sent back to their home communities where they often find their work and family life radically changed with few or no Veterans Affairs services available.

In support of armed service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, Urbaca Esthetician Sherry Okamura Leonard has created the Tranquil Warrior Treatment. This balancing and regenerative treatment incorporates Urbaca’s signature massage-heavy facial treatments with hands on energetic healing to calm and integrate the overstressed and fatigued.

Though a typical self-described liberal Portlander, Mrs. Okamura Leonard has very close ties to the United States military. Her youngest sister is a retired Army Captain and her brother-in-law is an active Army Major who has done two tours of duty in Iraq, in addition to sustaining injury from attack. This initiative is intended to support the warriors, even if one does not support the war.

Urbaca is proud to donate at least one complimentary Tranquil Warrior Treatment per month (based on availability) to support service men/women returning from duty. Please call 503.241.5030 for more information.

Seattle, I have no spa

The place Karen and I used to go in Kirkland is dead to me. Sadness.

There was no front desk person when we walked in, just a full color printed sign with a phone number to call. Is it just me, or is that really weird?

Massage sub par. Reflexology treatment nearly useless. Don't get me wrong, spa is like pizza or sex, even when it's bad, it's good. But really, I have been referring people there because I liked it. Those days are over.

I am unmoored.

January 26 Group Facial!

Now here's something new and different! I will be teaching a class called "How to Have Younger Looking Skin" through Mindglo, Portland's premier adult education company.

I led a group facial for my sister Karen and a group of her friends in Seattle last spring and it was such fun that when this opportunity came up, I jumped at the chance. Here's the class description:

Do you have questions about Retin A, Vitamin C, antioxidants, or chemical peels and what they can do for you? Learn tips and tricks to maximize your skin from a licensed esthetician in one of Portland's most successful salon spas. Using advanced skincare by SkinCeuticals tailored to your specific needs, a skincare professional guides you through a self-applied European Facial, including a relaxing hand massage lesson. Class size limited to 10 for lots of personal attention.

Tue, Jan 26, 6:30-8:30 pm
Fee: $49
Materials Fee: $5 What is this?
Location: Urbaca Salon – Pearl District

If you're interested in registering for the class, click here.

Look Good...Feel Better

Tomorrow I begin training for the Look Good...Feel Better program through the American Cancer Society.

Look Good...Feel Better is a free, non-medical, brand-neutral, national public service program created to help individuals with cancer look good, improve their self esteem, and manage their treatment and recovery with greater confidence. Thousands of cosmetologists and other volunteers participate in LGFB group programs each year.

I'm excited to teach and even more excited to give back to the community. 2010 looks promising!

When in Hershey...

I learned a lot about retailing after visiting the Hershey Spa at the Hotel Hershey this fall. I had a Cocoa Facial Experience, just about the fluffiest buffiest of the fluff n' buff facials. But I figured, while in Hershey, you get the Chocolate Facial.

First of all, you have to pay for the facial PLUS the mandatory 20% gratuity BEFORE your facial, before you even meet your esthetician. I'm sure they cater to many non-spa goers, maybe this is their way of making it easier for them? Well, ok, when in Rome.

After my nice facial with my nice tech, I talked to her about purchasing a product or two, after all, I wanted to take something home to use on my clients special for the holidays!

To her credit, she wrote down the products for me but after I made my way out to the lobby again, since I had already paid, the staff didn't even look at me, not even thanks for coming in!

Boy, what a lesson I learned! It reinforced the importance of taking the time after each treatment to talk to EVERY guest, to ask, "How are you doing on your products, here's what I recommend and why, is there anything else I can help you with?"

It doesn't take long (or much effort) to extend the feeling of being cared for past the treatment room--instead of being dropped like a hot potato at the check out desk!

I suppose I could have purchased my Hershey products from the website, but in the end, I made my own chocolate mint massage lotion...and my guests love it!

Keep on keepin' on, Sherry

Seattle Spa Day

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

Gene Juarez Signature Pedicure

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.

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