Ellen Olson   |   Jeska Manuel

We provide waxing and facial services using environmentally safe and effective ingredients. We tailor our treatments to help you achieve your desired results. We use safe, synthetic and cruelty free products that are highly effective in treating all skin types. We believe that to achieve healthy skin, it takes work from the inside out.

We hope you enjoy your visit with us!

Ellen Olson
My very first facial hooked me on the idea of becoming an esthetician. The scents, the ambiance, the social aspect and the idea of helping others to feel and look their best was all the inspiration I needed to run out and inquire the very next day about getting my esthetician's license.

Since 2001, I have worked in this industry in various spas between the Pacific Northwest and the Bay area and created three successful businesses. In spring of 2002, I purchased the same small skin care studio where I had had my first facial, and turned it into a luxurious day spa. I spent my entire summer working on clients and in my spare time, designing, painting, planning service menus, hiring staff and creating a heavenly oasis for my clients.

After time, I decided that running a large day spa wasn't for me. It took me away from the one thing I loved, which was being in the treatment room with my clients! So I decided to sell the business and moved to the Bay Area in the spring of 2005.

Skin and Tonic started out under the name of Ellen Olson Esthetics in my live/work space near Lake Merritt. It was a tiny room with zero retail and a few of my favorite products with the intention that I'd provide services to friends. Suddenly they were referring their friends, writing reviews, and word got out. Before long, people were randomly showing up at my home at all hours wanting spa services. So, I decided it was time to become a legitimate business (and to get my privacy back!) and I opened up my studio on Grand Avenue in the fall of 2007.

We managed to grow out of our studio on Grand Avenue and once again, I expanded and built our cheerful space on Santa Clara Ave. We now have 2 treatment rooms and a lovely store front in a fabulous neighborhood!

I'm very passionate about skin care - the products filling my bathroom at home tell all. Mostly, I find it very rewarding to work with people, especially in this environment!

Jeska Manuel
I have always had a passion for skin care... I was the girl who at 14 yrs old was experimenting in the kitchen with egg and avocado masks! And I was a make up artist before I trained to become an esthetician in 2004.

Facials are my favorite service to do but when it comes to waxing I try to make my clients as comfortable as possible. I love to do brows!

I'm a big fan of the "science meets nature" approach to skin care. It's one of the reasons I love Rhonda Alison, a product line often featured in our facials, so much. Why use products filled with irritants and synthetics when you can use products that use nature's ingredients to yield more effective results!? I won't recommend a product to a client unless I believe it will have a positive effect on their skin. I practice an honest approach to skin care.

I believe in treating the skin not only topically but from the inside out. I assess a clients skin care regimine/habits, lifestyle, stress levels, diet and more to help find the cause of the skin disorder and then treat the condition accordingly.

Ultimately, I love helping people, whether it be improving their skin, giving a pampering facial, or simply being a good listener. I love customizing my services to each client's needs, as well as educating them about their skin. With a good understanding of what works best for them, they will have a better chance choosing the right products for their skins' needs and have long-term skin health.