The Email I Was Not Expecting
Earlier this month, an email arrived from Fresha — the booking platform that runs the scheduling side of our studio. It said Lavie Bella had been named a Highly Recommended 2026 business. A certificate came with it, with our name on it, signed by their CEO.
I read it twice to make sure I wasn't reading it wrong. Then I showed it to the team.
It's a small thing and it's a real thing. I wanted to take a minute and explain what the award actually is — and why, if you have ever been a guest at our studio, this award is really about you.
What "Highly Recommended 2026" Actually Means
Fresha is one of the largest booking platforms in the beauty and wellness industry — they work with more than 100,000 salons, spas, and studios worldwide. Every year, they look at a set of performance indicators across every business on the platform: the number of verified reviews clients leave, the average star rating, and the total confirmed online bookings completed over the course of the year.
In Fresha's own words, the Highly Recommended award goes to businesses that "deliver consistently great appointment experiences for all clients who step through their door" — the ones that "go above and beyond for their clients, and, in turn, raise the bar for the industry."
Being named one of them, out of 100,000, is not something we take for granted.
This Is Really a Thank You
Here's the part of the award that matters most to me.
Every review Fresha counted was written by someone who took the time after their appointment to say something about their experience. Every booking Fresha counted was a decision someone made — to spend their afternoon with us, to trust us with their scalp, their relaxation, their hair. Some of our guests have been coming back every month for a year. Some found us through a friend's recommendation, or the Voyage LA feature, or a Google search at midnight when their scalp was itching and they were looking for answers.
Every one of those choices is how a small studio in Artesia becomes a Highly Recommended 2026 Fresha business. The award is Fresha's language. The reason it exists is you.
The Standard Behind the Award
Our guests take their time seriously, so we take the work seriously. Every session starts with an intake conversation — what you are noticing, what you are using at home, what has changed recently. Every scalp analysis we do is scoped across eight areas of the head, not just a quick camera pass. Every guest who comes in for a Scalp Reset leaves with a written verdict and a care plan they can use between visits.
That system is the reason clients write the kind of reviews they write. An award is a nice signal. The work is the thing.
Come See Us
If you have been thinking about coming in — whether it is a 60-minute Essential, a Platinum, or a full Scalp Reset — we would love to see you. We are at 11688 South Street in Artesia, about fifteen minutes from Long Beach and Cerritos, thirty from most of Southern California depending on traffic.
Highly Recommended 2026 would not exist without the guests who already made the choice. I'd like to meet the next ones in person.
Thank you.
— Vicky