Meet Our Estheticians


Julia Robertson

(Note: Julia is not currently taking new clients. Please email her at julia@sweetasylum.com to get on the waiting list. Thank you!)

Mary Barker

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After years practicing esthetics as an employee in luxury spas, Julia finally set out on her own to make real the dream that brought her to San Francisco. Sweet Asylum Beauty Parlor is the dream. In June 2011, she and her father lovingly remodeled the very run-down retail space that the parlor occupies, creating an Edwardian and Art Deco-inspired urban sanctuary.

Julia is a mother of three with 14 years in this business: she can handle it, whatever it is. Her skincare practice is characterized by results-driven treatments and crazy attention to detail. She earns her clients' trust by giving them realistic expectations and consistent results. Specializing in inflammatory conditions (acne, rosacea & eczema) and healthy anti-aging practices, Julia uses cutting edge mechanical and biochemical technologies to treat all skin types and most skin conditions. Having suffered from acne and eczema for many years, she will take your skin concerns as personally as her own. Carrying only moderately priced product lines with high ingredient integrity, Julia believes in setting her clients up for long-term success by keeping home-care affordable, simple and effective. She hopes you feel at home while you visit the Parlor and looks forward to earning your business.

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A second-generation esthetician, Mary recalls the importance of her mother's role in the health and appearance of her own skin; good food inside, protection from environmental elements outside, and a simple yet consistent skincare regimen. While the technology and her skill in practicing have advanced dramatically since then, Mary has carried the same basic philosophy with her for over a decade as a skincare professional. To this philosophy she brings passion for her work, a nurturing touch, and a keen, almost obsessive knowledge of ingredients and attention to detail. With Sweet Asylum's cutting-edge modalities, Mary can create a personally tailored skincare experience that stands alone or complements and supports more ablative procedures.

Her attention to detail doesn't end with facials. Are you anxiously considering a Brazilian waxing for the first time or trying to forget the last time? Mary's your girl. Waxing, especially Brazilians and brows, are Mary's first loves. “No hair left behind!” is her motto. She's been “The Brazilian Whisperer” since even before she was licensed (shhh…).