Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby McKaig-Rowe.
Hi Shelby, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hi! I’m Shelby McKaig-Rowe, a Santa Barbara local and licensed esthetician since 2008. I began my career working in Aveda concept salons and spas, and that experience completely shaped the way I approach esthetics today. It was there that I fell in love not only with facials, but with the deeper connection that comes from caring for people, helping them feel confident in their skin, and creating space for them to slow down and feel taken care of.
Shortly after I entered the industry, the 2008 financial crisis hit, and like many businesses, the beauty industry had to adapt. Facials became less accessible for many clients, and I quickly learned that people were looking for shorter, more affordable services — little luxuries that helped them feel normal during difficult times. That period pushed me to truly refine my waxing skills, and looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for it. It taught me resilience, adaptability, and most importantly, how meaningful these services can be in people’s lives. Even during hard times, human connection and self-care still mattered.
As my clientele grew and I became a mother, I felt a strong pull to create something of my own. Having my first child gave me the courage to finally pursue the dream of opening my own spa. In 2015, I opened Santa Barbara Spa, starting with just a single rented room inside a friend’s hair salon. From there, the business slowly and organically grew into what it is today.
Today, Santa Barbara Spa has two treatment rooms, a busy spray tan room, and a cozy boutique-style lobby filled with some of my favorite products, including Sorella Apothecary. I chose to carry Sorella because their philosophy around healthy skin barriers and results-driven skincare aligns so naturally with my own approach to esthetics.
Our spa focuses on creating an experience that feels both relaxing and personal. In our facial treatments, I still incorporate much of my Aveda training through massage, calming rituals, and intentional connection, while also focusing on healthy, beautiful skin. We offer multiple waxing methods including hard wax, strip wax, and sugaring, along with spray tanning and lash lifting services.
More than anything, I want people to walk into Santa Barbara Spa and immediately exhale. I want it to feel welcoming, comfortable, and genuine — like a place where they can take a break from the outside world and feel cared for. Esthetics has always been about more than beauty to me. It’s about confidence, trust, connection, and helping people feel good in their own skin.
Santa Barbara Spa truly would not be here without the incredible support of the Santa Barbara community, and I’m endlessly grateful to continue doing what I love in the city I’ve always called home.
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 definitely has not been a completely smooth road, but I think the challenges are what shaped both me and the business into what we are today.
From the beginning, I chose to grow Santa Barbara Spa slowly and intentionally. While many businesses take out loans to get started, I personally wanted to build things one step at a time and avoid taking on debt. I started small and reinvested back into the business as it grew. As demand increased, I slowly expanded services, products, and eventually the space itself. That approach probably took longer, but for me it created a very stable and sustainable foundation, and I’m grateful I trusted that process.
One of the biggest challenges came in 2020. I signed the lease for our standalone brick-and-mortar location in February 2020 — right before the California COVID shutdowns began. We were open for only three days before we were forced to close for almost ten months due to the spa closures.
It was an incredibly difficult and uncertain time for everyone, and small businesses like mine were hit especially hard. Spas faced some of the strictest closures, and at times it felt difficult to understand how a small, appointment-only spa operating one-on-one in a large space was categorized alongside massive theme parks and crowded venues. At the same time, I also understood that everyone was trying to navigate an impossible situation and there was no clear roadmap for any of us.
Financially, it was extremely stressful. Because I had just moved into a brand-new brick-and-mortar space with all new expenses, programs like PPP didn’t provide much support for my business since they were largely based on prior income calculations. At the time, there was also uncertainty surrounding whether those loans would ultimately be forgivable, so I chose instead to apply for unemployment. Unfortunately, it took nearly seven months before I received my first unemployment payment, which meant relying almost entirely on personal savings just to keep everything afloat.
That experience reinforced something I strongly believe now: if you’re starting a business, grow carefully, move intentionally, and make sure you have reserves if possible. Slow growth may not always look glamorous, but it can create resilience when unexpected challenges happen.
More than anything, that season showed me the strength of the Santa Barbara community. When we were finally allowed to reopen, our clients showed up for us in such an overwhelming and heartfelt way. Their support is truly the reason we made it through. We never take that for granted, and we know without a doubt that Santa Barbara Spa would not be here today without our incredible clients and community behind us.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Santa Barbara Spa is a beauty boutique built around the idea that self-care should feel fun, relaxing, and approachable. From the very beginning, I wanted to create a space where people could walk in, immediately feel comfortable, and know they were genuinely being cared for. We focus heavily on connection, consistency, customization, and creating an experience that feels elevated without ever feeling intimidating or overly clinical.
I’ve always wanted skincare to feel like something people genuinely look forward to — almost like a treat for your face. Because of that, everything we bring into the spa is incredibly intentional. The way products look, smell, feel, and perform all matter deeply to me because I believe the entire experience contributes to how someone feels when they leave.
We specialize in customized facials, full body waxing including hard wax, strip wax, and sugaring, spray tanning, and lash lifting. Over the years, we’ve become especially known for our facials, waxing services, and custom airbrush spray tans. I think people trust us because we focus so much on detail, comfort, individuality, and making clients feel at ease during services that can sometimes feel vulnerable. Our goal is always for people to leave feeling more confident than when they walked in.
One thing that truly sets Santa Barbara Spa apart is that we value relationships over transactions. We’re a family-run business made up of myself, my mother-in-law Lisa Velasquez-Crabtree, who is also an esthetician, and my husband Robert Rowe, who helps tremendously behind the scenes and at the front of house. Most of our clients have been with us for years — some for over a decade — and we’ve had the privilege of being part of so many important moments in their lives. We’ve seen clients through marriages, pregnancies, career changes, celebrations, hardships, and everything in between. That human connection is one of my favorite parts of this industry and a huge part of why I love what I do.
Facials, to me, have always been about so much more than skincare results alone. Every treatment at Santa Barbara Spa is fully customized because no two people’s skin — or skin goals — are the same. Whether someone is dealing with sensitivity, acne, dryness, aging concerns, or simply wanting to maintain healthy glowing skin, we tailor each treatment specifically to what their skin needs that day.
At the same time, I want the experience itself to feel calming, restorative, and deeply relaxing. I never wanted Santa Barbara Spa to feel rushed or impersonal. My goal is for clients to walk in, take a deep breath, and fully exhale while they’re here — to feel cared for, comfortable, and able to disconnect from the outside world for a little while.
I’m also incredibly proud that we’ve created a space that feels welcoming to everyone. Whether someone is coming in for a results-driven facial, their regular brow wax, a spray tan before a wedding, or simply an hour to relax and reset, we want every person to feel seen, comfortable, and genuinely cared for.
More than anything, I want people to know that Santa Barbara Spa is about more than beauty services. It’s about helping people feel good in their own skin, creating meaningful relationships, and offering a peaceful place where people can slow down and take care of themselves in the middle of busy lives.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I’m a fifth-generation Santa Barbara local, so this city is truly home to me in every sense of the word. I love the lifestyle here and how much there is to do outdoors and with family. Between the beaches, farmers markets, local events, and the sense of community, there’s something really special about growing up and raising a family here. You’ll usually find us spending a lot of our free time at the beach — it’s always been one of my favorite parts of living here.
What I love most about Santa Barbara is the balance it has. It’s beautiful and peaceful, but it also has such a strong sense of community and support for local businesses. People here genuinely care about supporting one another, and I think that’s a huge part of what makes this city feel so unique.
Like many locals, one of the hardest parts is seeing how expensive it has become over the years. Santa Barbara is an incredible place to live, but affordability can definitely be challenging for families and small businesses alike. Even with that, I still can’t imagine calling anywhere else home.
Pricing:
- eyebrows $40
- Lash lift and tint $165
- Santa Barbara Signature Facial 60 min $165
- Brazilian $78
- Custom Airbrush Tans $65
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thesantabarbaraspa.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/santabarbaraspa/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/santa-barbara-spa-santa-barbara
