Today we’d like to introduce you to Berge Garcia.
Hi Berge, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My background and schooling includes multiple arts and crafts, fashion and the beauty industry. I have always known I wanted to own my own business from a very young age. I have worked in boutiques as a manager and assistant buyer. After going to school for design and merchandising I realized I wanted to work more in the art field that I had a true passion for. I quickly realized I wanted to work in the beauty industry after being a client of Sailor Wright of Hey Saylor salon in Little Italy. I went to school for esthetics and worked as an esthetician for 3 years.
I needed more creativity so I went to Paul Mitchell for cosmetology. Hair coloring is definitely where my passion lies. For me it’s the perfect combination of artistic creativity because I get to paint all day. After working as a hairstylist for 15 years at some of San Diego’s top Salons including Salon Tonic, Goldline and Maida Salon. I decided I needed to be closer to home and my two small kids so I opened Paloma Salon. It has really been a great success and has been great to get to know new clients in my own neighborhood. We are a collective of self-employed stylists and artisans of beauty. We specialize in all types of hair coloring and cutting services including blonding, balayage, foliage and all other techniques. We offer craft services tailored to the individual. Paloma Salon has an intimate setting and a luxury boutique feel. We also have a beauty supply apothecary that sells Oribe and R+Co hair products as well as multiple other brands of clean and healthy beauty and wellness products.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a pretty smooth road. It did take me a long time to realize what I wanted to do. I dabbled in many different fields all which are intertwined now in what I do. Covid definitely took its toll. I lost 3 stylists during the shutdown in which we were closed a total of seven months after only being open for a year.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love doing hair color and long hair cutting. My favorite techniques are balayage, hair painting and long hair layering and textured cuts. I am most proud of Paloma Salon. I designed and decorated every aspect of the salon with no outside help. This journey has led me to another passion of mine which is decorating and design. Paloma Salon is my third remodel and design project and I really love it so we will see what is next for me as far as that goes.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was very introverted and shy. Being a hairstylist has really helped me be more social because you are forced to communicate with people and new clients. I was a very artsy child. Always wanting to paint and use my hands to create.
Contact Info:
- Email: palomasalonsandiego@gmail.com
- Website: Paloma-salon-sd.com
- Instagram: palomasalonsandiego
- Yelp: Paloma Salon
