A Local Legacy

With Her Two Daughters Running the Business, Fahi’s Skin and Wax Bar Remains Open

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

When it comes to a mother’s legacy, who better to continue it than her own family?

Fahi Rafiei, owner of longtime Palisadian business Fahi’s Skin and Wax Bar, died in September 2022 following a recurrence of cancer that was originally diagnosed nearly a decade ago.

“Honestly, Fahi’s was her third child,” Fahi’s daughter, Parastou Pedrampour, shared with the Palisadian-Post. “There’s me, my sister, and then there’s Fahi’s. She loved that place, to the point where she refused to stay home, even on her off days.”

The family has lived in Pacific Palisades, apart from a two-year stint in Brentwood, since 2011. The location, which was previously a beauty salon, has roots that date back three decades in the community, with Fahi at the helm as owner for about 10 years.

Pedrampour said that Rafiei’s clients “meant the absolute world to her.”

“She has a background in psychology,” Pedrampour added, “so she became a full-on therapist to any client that would come in. She created quite a close bond with all of them, she really worked so hard to establish herself to the point where she was.”

For all of these reasons, Pedrampour explained, it was important for the family to “keep her legacy going” and “save all the hard work that she had done.”

“We wanted to take over and do the best we could to uphold Fahi’s business and try to encourage her clients to come back to us,” Pedrampour shared, “because we know my mom loved it so much that we just want to do her justice.”

The workload is split between Pedrampour, her sister, Parinaz, and her father—with her sister present in the spa six days of the week. Pedrampour and her sister are “actively working on social media,” with influencers and reality TV show cast members scheduled to visit.

“It’s mostly her and I that are trying to keep it going,” Pedrampour explained of her work with Parinaz.

Though they previously would stop by Fahi’s for things like getting their eyebrows done, this has been an entirely new venture for Parinaz and Pedrampour, who shared that they were “not allowed to ask about the business.”

“We weren’t allowed to get involved,” Pedrampour said with a laugh. “That was her baby and her baby alone. That’s another reason my sister has stepped up and taken over as the front desk, because we want to learn the business to ensure we can keep it going and keep the doors open.”

When they first took over, Pedrampour said they invited some of their mom’s “most loyal clients” to come in and try out their new esthetician, and encouraged them to share their thoughts.

“So far, everyone has absolutely loved them,” Pedrampour shared. “No one has had any bad words to say … we’re just trying to encourage people that the two estheticians we have hired are just as good as my mom, and we’re hoping people will give them a chance.”

When it comes to options, Fahi’s continues to provide a wide selection for clients.

“We offer a wide array of facials, and they primarily are with the companies Intraceuticals and Dermalogica,” Pedrampour explained. “We have two representatives that come in, they train all of our new employees.”

Pedrampour shared that the space also offers Procell Therapies, which she described as “non-invasive” and “one of our best facials.”

“It’s like skin rejuvenation and resurfacing,” Pedrampour shared. “We also offer waxing, and we are in the process of hiring someone for threading as well.”

When asked what the most popular services are, Pedrampour shared that the top three are the HydraFacial, the oxygen facial and full-body waxing.

Overall, Pedrampour explained that taking over Fahi’s has been “exciting” and “nerve-racking”—as well as emotional.

“It’s been a little bit sad for us, just being there,” Pedrampour shared. “It’s hard to just be in the spa because we just feel my mom all around us, so it’s been a bit emotional. It has taken some time for us to come to terms with everything that’s going on and the place we are right now … It’s been an experience to truly be thrown into something that you have no idea about, trying to do your mother justice.”

For more information, or to visit or revisit Fahi’s, call 310-454-3222 or go to skinandwaxbar.com.