Capital area Sugarist, growing clientelle, surprise hidden by apron

Meet Rashelle

 

Even at six months pregnant, Rashelle Barney is constantly working to handle the overflow of sugaring clients at her spa Blush Olympia in Olympia, Wash. She has seen substantial growth of her clientele since starting to sugar.

Rashelle Barney Licensed Esthetician Instructor

Co-Owner of Blush Olympia, Olympia, WA

 

 

Owners of Blush Olympia  Stacy Alexander (Left), Andrea House (Center), Rashelle Barney (Right)

 

 Even at six months pregnant, Rashelle Barney is constantly working to handle the overflow of sugaring clients at her spa Blush Olympia in Olympia, Wash. She has seen substantial growth of her clientele since starting to sugar.

 

“It’s hard turning clients away, it makes me feel horrible,” she said. Therefore she’s training more people to be sugaring experts like herself.

Barney first heard about sugaring hair removal in 2008 – three years after becoming an esthetician.

 “I was shocked that simply sugar, lemon, and water could remove hair without the harsh side effects of waxing!” she said.

 Becoming a skilled professional in it was a different story, however, she’ll tell you.

 

“My first memory of sugaring was: ‘oh my gosh, this is hard! I’m never going to be able to do this’. I had been waxing for years before switching to sugaring, so it was quite a difficult transition. I made myself stick with it, despite the challenges. Eventually it just clicked.”

 

It clicked enough that in due course she connected with Tamara’s Professional Body Sugaring™ a became a sugaring educator.

Barney said it surprised her that her students grasped the technique so quickly.

 “Wow, she’s doing so much better than I did my first time,” is something Barney thinks while teaching students, she said.

 

“It’s exciting to see them succeed and be able to share how wonderful sugaring is.”

 

She plans on continuing sharing sugaring with clients and other professionals – even after the baby comes.

 

“One thing I wish more people knew about sugaring is how great the results can be,” she said. “I think people just assume that hair removal means ingrown hairs, irritation, etc. I wish more people knew that there is a better alternative to waxing and shaving!”

 Barney specializes in her Brazilian technique, which she claims was the hardest thing for her to learn, but she said she stuck to it and became a pro at it.

“I chose Tamara’s products,” she said, “not just because of the convenience of her being local, but I realized her products are so much more user friendly. The sugar paste in general is easier to work with, it doesn’t leave the skin sticky, and I never get stuck.” She added that the support Tamara offers – always being available for questions – just makes working with her so very pleasant.

 A pleasant work environment is a great place for a mommy-to-be. It’s too soon to tell if the Barney’s expected child will follow in mommy’s footsteps, but, baby Barney will definitely know that mom loves her second job of sugaring clients.

 

By Casondra Brewster, Creative Word Lab