Suga Skincare

Angelea Iafornaro founded Suga Skincare in 2019 after about three years of developing formulas and natural products. Before the brand was established, she sold handmade products at local farmers' markets, and she still hand makes the lip butters and body butter.

Most products are made in small batches by a San Diego manufacturer and chemist, and two are made by a manufacturer in Florida. Herbal ingredients are grown in the Pacific Northwest and northern California, mostly in fields or greenhouses. The line is about 99 percent plant based, and the only synthetic ingredient is Emulsifying Wax NF. Products are shelf stable without refrigeration, with a standard shelf life of 12 months, and most last 18 to 24 months. Preservatives vary by product, mostly radish root ferment filtrate, lactobacillus, coconut fruit extract and citric acid; the Cucumber Mist uses phenoxyethanol.

Treatments at the La Mesa suite are by appointment only. Every facial is customized to skin type and goals and begins with a one-on-one consultation, and it ends with at-home care recommendations. Facials may include aromatherapy, energy work, herbs, sound healing, LED or infrared light, Gua Sha, hot stones and other modalities, and clients can ask to leave any of them out. The 60 minute Custom Intuitive Facial is $175, the 75 minute Holistic Facial Infusion with Micro-Channeling uses the Osmosis RevitaPen Pro and is $225 with a series of three recommended, and the 90 minute Signature Lymphatic & Sculpting Facial combines manual lymphatic drainage with facial sculpting for $240. The 333 Facial Ritual, the founder's signature holistic treatment, runs 2 hours 22 minutes for $333 and includes cleansing, exfoliation, lymphatic massage, cupping or Gua Sha, aromatherapy, hot towels, a mini scalp treatment, an oracle card reading, reiki and sound healing, and it finishes with targeted products and herbal tea.

Local San Diego residents can return empty Suga Skincare containers to the La Mesa location for $1 off their next purchase per glass or plastic container, and the business says returned containers are recycled through TerraCycle. Products also ship internationally for a fee, and the business says 17 estheticians across the US carry the line.

Holistic, mind-body treatments customized to each client, paired with a botanical product line in which every ingredient is chosen for a purpose and the stated goal is products that are safe and effective.

A spa and integrative wellness space focused on mind, body and spirit.