In addition to being a waxing salon owner, Mistey Saffore is also caring for a 4- year-old daughter; a 70-year-old formerly incarcerated mother; and a brand new nonprofit organization for teenage girls.
When asked how she does it all, she just leans back on the tools for success she talks about in her lectures: perseverance, discipline, resourcefulness and creative thinking, along with a structured format to turn her dreams into reality.
Growing up in South Los Angeles and the Valley, Saffore recently celebrated her tenth year as the owner of Sashay Wax in Beverly Hills, the first Black-woman-owned waxing salon in that city. As part of the celebration, she announced the launch of her new nonprofit, Mistey’s Dream House, a foundation for teen girls whose mothers are incarcerated. The mentoring program’s goal is to help establish, grow and build the bond between mothers and daughters.
“For more than 10 years, it has been truly a blessing to serve the people of Beverly Hills and today with the launch of Mistey’s Dream House we can help even more people in a new way,” said Saffore. “Through Mistey’s Dream House, we will be able to work with teen girls in their growth into young women. Supporting incarcerated mothers and their teens — that is very much needed today and especially in Los Angeles.”
As an adult, Saffore began living off Third and Fairfax. She honed in on her passion for beauty and skin care while working as an accountant. Her studies in chemistry and botany and research into different dermatology ingredients heightened Saffore’s desire to educate women on beauty and skin care and after starting bikini wax and skin care lines, she created special products for clients who, like herself, had sensitive skin subject to breakouts.
Saffore opened her first Sashay Wax location on Canon Drive.
“I wanted to set the bar and allow people — especially young women — to know that you don’t have to be afraid of that Beverly Hills zip code,” Saffore said. “To open up the eyes of younger women that don’t come from that area.”
“We’d like to congratulate Mistey,” said Beverly Hills Mayor Bob Wunderlich at the Sept. 22 ribbon-cutting of her new second location. “We love it to have businesses in Beverly Hills that are thriving. Certainly getting to the tenth anniversary is an indication of that. I know that Mistey is very involved in the community.”
Saffore’s client list has grown tremendously through referrals and Sashay Wax’s notable clients include Janet Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Ashley Green, Francesca Eastwood, Megan Fox, Devon Aoki and Kathy Griffin, to name few. Saffore’s skin care certifications include a licensed and bonded aesthetician, advanced speed waxing and sugaring hair removal.
“I’ve been a friend of Mistey’s for a long time; before we were adults, and she is an amazing woman,” shared actor Raven-Symoné. “When she first opened Sashay Wax, I was here for the main opening and I was so proud to see a woman stand on her own two feet, do what she needed to do, take care of her family the way that she did and that she continues to grow makes me so happy. She has put her clients first and she has such dreams and ambitions, which is important. I think she’s a fantastic role model for humanity, let alone as woman and a Black woman, and I think there’s a lot more in her future.”
Although Mistey’s Dream House does not have an actual, separate location itself, Saffore is planning to hold a dream board event for young girls soon. She is drawn to this cause because of her own mother’s plight.
“My mother was 25 years wrongly convicted,” Saffore said. “I was 12 years old when she went in and I didn’t have a proper explanation of what was happening.”
Saffore’s aunt raised her until she was 18, but did not want her to visit her mother, or even call her on the phone. Saffore spoke to her mother only two or three times a year, through three-way calls with cousins.
“That was no way to build a relationship with my mom,”Saffore said, noting that when she turned 18, she would drive herself four hours to Chowchilla. “I did that for 10 to 15 years untill she was transferred to Corona.”
Now that her mom has been released, Saffore says they are still rebuilding their relationship.
“She’s 70 years old and very institutionalized,” Saffore said. “I’ve had to become the parent. The little girl in me who wanted this relationship — I had to realize I’m not going to get it.”
Saffore wants young girls to get the guidance and support that she lost.
Los Angeles County’s jail system is one of the largest in the jail system today and, in 2020, had an average daily inmate population of more than 14,000. Of those, 1,500 are female.
Through Mistey’s Dream House, Saffore plans to provide stationery supplies, funding for phone communications, transportation for prison visits and monthly feminine hygiene packages. She also wants to hold special events such as dinners, vision board parties and fitness development sessions for the teenagers.
“I want to share my experience,” Saffore said, explaining that she hopes to help build, restore and maintain relationships between mothers and daughters.
To learn more, visit misteysdreamhouse.com or visit sashaywax.com.
