The dynamic style duo, Sheri Howell and Corina Garcia, met in cosmetology school 17 years ago and have been beauty partners ever since. Howell and Garcia started out sharing a chair in a salon and then moved into a loft in Sierra Madre. They opened Style Lounge in 2012, an appointment-only full service salon in Arcade Lane in the Playhouse District.

“We love being in the mix of everything,” said Howell. “Our clients come from all over and they just love Pasadena.”

This cozy space was redesigned by Howell’s husband five years ago and will soon be undergoing another makeover. Howell and Garcia decided to expand their skill set and go to barber school so that they can offer men’s salon services with the a personalized touch. They will add a barber’s chair and offer straight razor shaves, fades and haircuts in addition to their women’s cut, color and waxing services.

“There’s a real artistic side to [the salon]. We always like to try something a little different each time,” said Garcia. Recently, they have noticed undercut styles, fades and barber beards gaining popularity with men while rainbow hair colors are trendy for women.

Howell and Garcia are committed to customers and book by appointment only so that they can pay attention to each customer without feeling rushed. In addition to the mellow atmosphere, another unique aspect of Style Lounge is the lack of assistants. Howell and Garcia do everything themselves from shampoo to blow dry so that they can have complete control over the process.

“It’s nice to have the time to cater to our clients – they really get taken care of here,” said Garcia.

Style Lounge is located at 696 Colorado Boulevard, suite 1. Call (626) 394-6691 for an appointment.