About Us

“…Honeys was founded in 2008 by Santa Barbara local Christine Starr. Here is her story, told several times over and heard by many –

I was living in San Francisco in the late 90’s, at which time most beauty salons were mostly very avant garde. I had been inspired by the woman who waxed my eyebrows at a local brow bar to look further into the profession of esthetics. She was happy, secure and absolutely loved her job! She made it look effortless and I loved how she worked independently. Instantly I knew I could have a promising future becoming an esthetician. Brazilian waxing had just become very popular and was taking the industry by storm but was still very exclusive and expensive. I researched where to go and found myself at a high-end salon & spa in Union Square.

The woman who did my Brazilian was rough, gruff and unfriendly. She tossed me around the table like a rag doll and didn’t do a thing to help me feel at ease none the less talk to me. Needless to say it was quite an all around uncomfortable experience, but I LOVED the results. I went to my job at the restaurant I was working at and bragged to my girlfriends about my new Brazilian, pushing them to see how smooth it was. They all couldn’t wait to try it themselves! I continued seeing that same woman and every experience was like the one before – awful. What finally got me was having to go home and tweeze what she failed to completely remove… being thorough was not her forte. I swore in that moment next time I would do it myself. Before you knew it I had perfected my own waxing and the girls at work wanted me to do them too! I had a viable ‘black market’ waxing side business and just knew I had to do it professionally. I had dreamt as a young girl of having my own shop and running a business, and now I knew what that would be! One Spring day I walked into a nail salon and that day forever changed my future.

The salon was carved out of a quaint craftsman bungalow and was the warmest salon environment I had ever seen. Wide planked wood flooring, slipcovered sofas and glimmering chandeliers adorned the warm, glowing space. I found myself instantly at home and couldn’t stop thinking how I felt I was at a boutique rather than a salon, a notion then that was quite rare, although now much more common. This is how Honeys was born. I knew how it would look, feel, and even smell 8 years prior to ever opening the doors. Many people have walked into Honeys and would recall that I had described it just as it was. Manifestation is a powerful thing and Honeys was built of dreams. Sure it’s just a beauty salon – but for every smile that has walked out the door and act of kindness I’ve been able to demonstrate through being a part of Honeys, it is so much more…”

Xo,
Christine