Bare Wax and Spa Local Couple Helps Clients Feel Their Best Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Lindy Scott
Visiting a spa is supposed to be a selfindulgent experience full of relaxation and restoration. Years ago, however, Paula Barger had a horrific waxing experience that left her skin burned and ripped. The incident lit a fire within her. “I never wanted another person to endure something so awful, so I decided to alter my career path,” says Paula, who was attending medical school at the time. She promptly switched gears and enrolled in esthetician school. “Not only did I love the work, but loving on people was the business model I wanted to follow,” says Paula, who became determined to eventually open her own spa. It was a tough road however, as Paula, a mother of five (two of her children are biological and three are adopted from
Ukraine), was going through a difficult divorce and struggling to make ends meet. Armed with a fierce love for her family and a driven spirit, she was determined to see her vision through to fruition. In early 2012 Paula met Dean Barger, a divorced father of three who was hesitant to open his heart to love again. Though he was not looking for a romantic connection, he couldn’t deny the spark between them. “I literally realized after our first date that this was the person I wanted to spend my life with,” Dean says. The two admitted their true feelings and began dating exclusively. In the meantime, Paula realized her dream and opened Bare Wax and Spa in September of 2013. Dean, who had worked at a corporate job for 32 years, helped out behind the scenes with logos, marketing and social media. Over time, word spread and Paula’s client list crew exponentially. Bare Wax and
12 / GREENWOOD MAGAZINE / MARCH 2020 / atGreenwood.com
Spa currently offers waxing, lash and brow services, skin care and permanent cosmetics. In 2014 Paula moved to a storefront boutique and hired four additional staff members. “At that point I told Dean that we couldn’t afford for him to work in corporate America anymore,” says Paula. “I needed him full time at the spa.” The latter decision worked out well, and Dean, who has a background in art, became licensed and certified in microblading and semi-permanent cosmetics.
