Abbott and her husband, Sam, spent more than two months converting a pet grooming shop at 25 W. Market St. in Springboro’s historic downtown into a luxury destination for those who want to escape for an hour or two.
“I love Springboro. It’s just such a charming city,” said Abbott. “I think (Vie Claire) fits right in.”
The salon has three fully renovated suites and a waiting area where clients can enjoy complimentary coffee and soft music before or after appointments.
Abbott uses one suite for her business, Esthetics with Katrina.
After graduating from Dayton Christian School, she attended cosmetology school at Aveda and within days of graduation in 2023, rented a booth at a Lebanon salon and started serving clients she built through social media.
Her non-invasive services include eyelash lifts and extensions, eyebrow laminations and dermaplaning, a procedure that uses a sterile blade to gently scrape off the top layer of dead skin cells and fine facial hair.
Abbott said the procedures do more than just make someone look better on the outside - they help them feel better on the inside.
The name Vie Claire - French for Clear Life - fits the feel Abbott is striving for.
“I think self-care has become a real focus. It ties with mental health,” Abbott said.
Logan Waugh, a client of Abbott’s since she started, agrees.
Waugh works from home as a financial claims investigator.
She said her job and working environment don’t lend themselves to dressing up or engaging in feeling “put-together.”
After a while, that feeling can creep into her mental state.
Waugh started by having Abbott do her lashes and then some skincare. She said she started feeling better about herself with each visit. Next, she said, are her eyebrows.
“Katrina is awesome,” Waugh said. “My lashes feel good, my skin feels good. I feel good.”
Abbott said she envisions Vie Claire’s other two suites adding to the luxury experience, whether they’re rented by a massage therapist, nail technician, tattooist or another esthetician.
Each suite is equipped with a new vanity and new cabinets, and one has closet space.
Abbott said she’s had inquiries about the spaces, but has not signed anyone yet.
Esthetics with Katrina operates 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday; 1 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday; and by request on Saturday.
To make an appointment or inquire about booth rentals, reach out through Instagram, @vieclairesalonsuites or through Facebook, Esthetics With Katrina.
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