Sweet 185

 

Christina Mikolajcik-Edles
Licensed Esthetician, Master Sugarist

Much of Sweet 185’s atmosphere can be attributed to professional multi-tasker, Christina. She loves to be creative, from writing promotional material to helping design the studios motif to carefully choosing which products Sweet 185 carries because, as she says, “the products we sell are an extension of our service and are designed to enhance our client’s experience.” As a Master Sugarist and 15 year licensed esthetician, Christina has learned to use her perceptive skills to respond to client’s needs rather than telling them what they need.

She uses the same sensitivity and creativity in her personal life as a devoted Roman Catholic, family member and mother of three. Christina loves plants and natures healing and restorative properties. In fact, she uses her demeanor, voice and touch to calm a child to sleep, to sooth and comfort loved ones and practices yoga to revitalize her own spirit. She has also traveled extensively, speaks three languages and loves “really soft sheets and driving 120 miles an hour.”

Favorite Quote: “Always be yourself because the people who matter don’t mind, and the ones that mind don’t matter.” ~ anonymous

Jennifer Garrett
Licensed Esthetician, Sugarist

Jennifer (aka Jenn) came to us a licensed aesthetician who wanted to learn sugaring because, as she put it, “sugaring is organic, leaving you super smooth and soft.” She is from Virginia and a graduate of UNC, Charlotte, where she double-majored in Psychology and Sociology.

Jenn loves product of all kinds, reading glamour magazines and her twin nieces. She also says she loves to come to work “because I get to hang out and interact with clients in ways you don’t get to do in other jobs.” But ask anybody that’s known Jenn more than 3 minutes and they’ll tell you what her greatest loves is: no, not her boyfriend, it’s Gorgeous George, her Weimaraner/Boxer mix.

Favorite Quote: “My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am.” ~ author unknown

Katie Holland

Certified Massage Therapist

Bio Coming Soon!

Favorite Quote: Coming Soon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stacey Reavis

Certified Massage Therapist

Although Stacey has a bachelors degree in business, her first love is massage. After getting a Shaitsu massage in a massage studio near the university she attended in Chicago, she immediately took an intro massage course and eventually got her license. Stacey traveled – California, Idaho, Minnesota… and eventually ended up here. She says she loves Charleston: “it’s perfect sized and the people talk to you in the shopping line.” Stacey enjoys walking on the beach, practicing yoga and reading – she’ll read anything. But her true love is Olivia, her baby girl.

Favorite Quote: Coming Soon

Lauren Sykes
Certified Massage Therapist

Lauren is a massage therapist that believes in looking at health and wellness from all angles. She specializes in several techniques including Swedish and deep-tissue massage and tailors massages to her clients particular needs, whether that means helping them “zone out,” or using trigger-point therapy to reduce tension.

Lauren’s holistic approach to health and well-being is reflected in her lifestyle. “I’m old, old, old school Charleston,” she says. Her family has lived here for generations. But she also enjoys traveling and has been as far as New Zealand and all around the Baja Peninsula. “When you put yourself out there…out of your comfort zone, a whole new world opens up to you,” says Lauren. She also enjoys kayaking, eating tasty but healthful foods and is learning to surf and play the drums.

Favorite Quote: “Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.” ~ Anthony J D’Angelo

Jennifer Knolls
Certified Massage Therapist

Bio Coming Soon!

Favorite Quote: Coming Soon!

Faith Thomas
Licensed Nail Specialist

Faith is our nail specialist, a Charleston Cosmetology grad and a life-long local. She takes her profession very seriously. Faith graduated tops in her class, received a career advancement achievement award and says she likes to make people feel beautiful, especially when they are down. “And besides, you can’t have ugly dogs” she jokes. When not making people feel beautiful, Faith enjoys dining and mingling and thinks of herself as a “life of the party” kind of girl.

Favorite Quote: “It’s the small things in life that make life so wonderful.” ~ author unknown

Amanda Smith
Front Desk Concierge

Amanda, a front desk concierge, came to us in November of 2011 and has always helped us out when we were in a pickle (although she dislikes actual pickles but isn’t sure why). No matter, ask our clients. They will tell you Amanda always has a smile and a warm greeting. She is a major dog lover and says she’d have ten if she could.

Amanda is from up north but we don’t hold that against her because she loves Charleston and all her family is here, which is perfect because they are very close, she says. Besides dogs and Charleston, Amanda loves to hang out with her (chef) husband (especially when he cooks)–not a tough call there–and says she’s never without lip balm and doesn’t think she’ll ever completely grow up. That’s perfectly fine with us because we like her exactly the way she is.

Favorite Quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’‘ Maya Angelou

Mary Beth Lose
Front Desk Concierg

Mary Beth is our newest front desk concierge. But as importantly, she is our layout and display artist—some might say genius. Mary Beth is from one of the quaintest little shrimping “villages” in South Carolina, McClellanville and has a BA in arts from the University of South Carolina. She spent the last decade in Los Angeles raising her family and visiting her favorite spots including the Rosebowl flea market, Melrose Trading Post and the fashion district, which she says is like a gypsy festival. Mary Beth moved back to the Lowcountry to be closer to her family. She is devoted to volunteer work and is perfect for us because she believes in holistic approaches and that the environment we create is another way to nurture ourselves. We totally agree, Mary Beth.

Favorite Quote: “Not all those who wander are lost.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien

 

Allison Zimmerman
Studio Coordinator

Allison is a perfect fit for Sweet 185: a warm and nurturing soul, great at multitasking, all about living a natural lifestyle and, as she puts it, “I’m obsessed with spas.”

Allison grew up in Tennessee but spent her teenage years in the Middle East and loves to travel. She graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Spanish and taught high school for a couple of years.

Allison’s parents have been practicing meditation since Allison can remember so she was exposed to eastern traditions at a very early age. It was no surprise, then, that after realizing teaching Spanish wasn’t for her, Allison became a certified yoga teacher in 2003. She says, “my body doesn’t feel right if I’m not doing yoga.” A few of our staff have attended her classes and we can say, with absolutely no bias whatsoever, that she is awesome.

Allison does everything around the studio from helping out front to assisting our owner with all aspects of running the studio. She is graduating from the Trident Technical Skin Care Program in August 2012, so Allison’s role in the studio will expand. She says she has always loved skin care and can’t wait to share all her knowledge with clients.

We are so excited to have Allison and look forward to introducing her to all of you.

Favorite Quote: “And, in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make” ~Paul McCartney, The Beatles (The End)

Jennifer Morrow

Graphic Design, Marketing

Jennifer is in charge of making sure the public gets to know Sweet 185, what we do and how we do it differently than anybody else. It’s a complicated task and one that requires creativity, persistence and a commitment to detail. Jennifer has all these qualities. As a former Weather Channel producer and business owner, Jennifer has learned the value of dotting all her “i’s” and crossing all her “t’s”. But there is more to her work than being detail- oriented. “The creative side of me is not just designing something but building something,” says Jennifer. When she’s not creating; Jennifer likes to travel, watch Clemson sports, play tennis and spend time with her family including her husband, son, daughter and two dogs.

Favorite Quote: “Another word for creativity is courage.” ~ George Prince

staff photography by Julia CM Vanderpool

staff bios written by Philip A. Edles