Today we’d like to introduce you to Bailey Mora.
Bailey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The esthetic and art industries always caught my attention. Between creating a graphite piece or focusing in on how to make a client feel their best, I felt called to it. My parents are both creatives, as well as my grandma and uncle. So I grew up surrounded by art and art history. My primary mediums started with acrylic and graphite, once I graduated my esthetics program in 2019 I dove into the cosmetic tattoo industry. This lead to my next medium being tattooing. I started my first business in Midtown Sacramento and began taking clients for Powdered Brows and Microblading. I worked in Sacramento up until the pandemic in 2020, which ultimately led to my move to Santa Barbara later that year. In 2021 I was able to start back into the esthetic and cosmetic tattoo industry and work hard to grow an amazing, loyal clientele base. From this space, I grew and moved into my own private studio in 2023. A space that really developed my creative style and served as a solid foundation to invite more clients in. I focused on my esthetics work, like precision brow mapping, body art training, lash lamination, and dove deeper into cosmetic tattoo. I invested a lot of time into more trainings and expanded my cosmetic tattoo menu into lip blushing and nano-strokes. I began creating more art pieces, flash boards, and unique fineline tattoos. Making clients feel and look their best everyday, genuinely fulfilled me! I grew exponentially at this location and couldn’t have done it without my generous clientele base. My portfolio grew as well as my love for the industries! October 2025 I found a beautiful location in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. It was larger and a labor of love, but with the help of my amazing family and fiancé, we built the space into a gorgeous, light and bright, warm, welcoming private studio. Orange hues, animal prints, the traditional desert theme found in my previous studio. A private patio with birds chirping and inspiring a creative atmosphere. In this space I have met more clients, clients that have become friends, local businesses, and explored deeper into the arts. My clientele base primarily comes in for lash lamination, fineline tattooing, cosmetic tattooing, and brow services. I love spending time creating a custom fineline piece or a juicy set of freshly blushed lips. Working hard, pushing into my creative outlets, and manifesting the space that I am in is what led me to be where I am at today. Not only that, but I have an incredible clientele base that has invested and believed in me every step of the way, for that I am always grateful. My childhood dream was always to have a career where I got to create art. I feel I get to do that in every medium I love every day now.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Obviously the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was an obstacle for me to overcome. As a new professional in the industry, I still had so much to learn and establish. Luckily I was able to be flexible with my business in
Midtown Sacramento and take some time off during the closure. I lucked out finding a job at a plastic surgery office in Santa Barbara and was able to make the move! As I became established in this role, I was able to reopen my business in Santa Barbara.
The esthetics and tattoo industry is full of other struggles and challenges. People can be hard to read, you can invest a lot of time into other’s without receiving the same love back. It is also an industry full of comparison and greed. There were a few obstacles like this while I became grounded here in Santa Barbara, but I have always been good at keeping on. My heart was always set on creating my own way, my own version of this industry. To give clients the best that I can give, while creating art and building my portfolio and base in an uplifting, positive, and independent environment.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Desert Palette is a warm and bright private Cosmetic Tattoo/Fineline Tattoo & Esthetics studio located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. Walking distance to the Presidio, surrounded by amazing local businesses. The owner, Bailey Mora, has been in the industry for 7 years and specializes in precision brow mapping, lash lamination, lip blushing, and creating unique fineline tattoos. Desert Palette offers a positive, private experience for clients that don’t enjoy being in an open salon or tattoo shop setting. A brow appointment can be an intimidating service, but Bailey spends extra time consulting, mapping out, and walking clients through every step of the service. For fineline tattoo services, we can spend as much time as you’d like placing your stencil or making design adjustments. Your appointment is for YOU! The studio space is always a clean, sanitary environment and a relaxing setting no matter what service type you are coming in for. Good vibes, great location, appointments that are always catered to you.
How do you define success?
Success can be measured in so many ways. For me it has personally always been about keeping the progress, the momentum. Finding new ways to improve or create. I feel success in my daily life, if I am staying consistent in doing what fulfills me and creating progress in my work.
Pricing:
- Cosmetic Tattoo – Lip Blushing $550
- Cosmetic Tattoo – Brows $700
- Cosmetic Tattoo – Freckles $275
- Lash Lamination – $145
- Brow Wax & Hybrid Tint – $65
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.desert-palette.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desert.palette?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
