Cloud Nine
Categories: Skin Care, Makeup Artists, Hair Removal [Edit]
Neighborhood: North Oakland5495 Claremont Ave
Ste A
(between Clifton St & Grove Shafter Fwy)
Oakland, CA 94618 (510) 350-0634
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Sat 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Sun 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- By Appointment Only: Yes
17 reviews
Neighborhood: North Oakland
"UPDATE: I have now had two massages with Abbey and one with Theo. All three were excellent! My most recent was with Theo and I came in with…" read more »
68 Reviews for Cloud Nine
As anyone born with Ernie brows (as is Bert and Ernie) knows brow grooming is something that must be started early in life and maintained with the vigilance of a Buddhist monk. After my last brow girl disappeared on me I embarked on the search for a new one. Thank you Yelpers, because you pointed me to Cloud Nine. Alresa is my personal brow tamer, and boy does she tame those suckers! Because of her I am capable of many more facial expressions than I would be otherwise. I get mine threaded and she is accurate and gives great definition. Book early and book often.
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Cloud 9 is officially, my new Brazilian wax/threading spot. I have never been a fan of Brazilian waxing but I am going on a cruise in 2 weeks so I had to do it. Alresa provided me with the best waxing experience I have had. She was very meticulous and took her time. Alresa made me feel very comfortable and chatting with her made the whole experience that much better. I experienced minimal pain and that was only on certain spots.
I also had my eyebrows threaded and my brows have never looked better. Although, threading is quite painful, the pain was worth the end result. I know I raved about RB threading studio in Burlingame but Alresa's work has caused me to cross the bridge for all my future waxing and threading needs.
PS As a young African American woman, it was great to find out that Alresa was also a young African American business woman. She was very professional and genuinely nice.
I never LOVED living in Orange County, but I had found a great bikini waxer whom I adored and hated to leave.
After moving up to the Bay Area, I bounced around from one bikini waxer to another. Nobody stacked up to my OC woman. Until now.
Alresa has a wonderful 'bedside manner' for someone like me who starts sweating profusely at just the thought of someone ripping hair from my bikini area.
I told her up front of my anxieties and I don't know how she did it, but I almost had a relaxing bikini wax.
She is a truly talented person to be able to put me at ease.
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Let's face it...getting waxed is right up there with getting a cavity filled...or worse! Alresa is fantastic!! She makes the whole experience less painful and erases all of your bad memories of 'waxing gone wrong.' I recommend booking online and in advance because she fills up fast.
Alresa is amazing! She really makes a bikini wax experience so comfortable and relaxing. Yes, I said relaxing!
Yes, she is hard to get an appointment with but plan ahead, schedule online. Well worth the wait!
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"While I'm down there it might be nice to see a hint of pubis. I'm not talking about a huge 70's Playboy bush or anything. Just something that reminds me that I'm performing cunnilingus on an adult." - Hank Moody
I have made an important decision. I'm going for the partial brazilian from now on. I mean, if Hank wants a little bit of pubis, who am I to quarrel? He's just a television character, but he has a point.
With nothing down there, I always felt like Chris Hanson was going to jump out of my closet and have "Perverted Justice" haul away my suitor right before that critical moment. Now, I can't risk having any man yanked away mid-munch (as unlikely as that scenario may be). Just to be safe, I will leave a little bush to show that I am a big girl.
Make sure you call at least 2 weeks before your desired appointment. Alresa books up fast! Probably because she's so fabulous.
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As a women, I have ALWAYS been very skeptical about allowing my facial hair grow TOO long before I go in and get is WAX off. Yet, I am also very sensitive to waxing but I SHUCK it, close my eyes, and pray that the pain eases over time.
As much as I love my personal waxer, she's always on vacation and doesn't take appt, which means I generally sitting around forever until she gets to me. For those of you who are LOYAL WAXERS, consider THREADING because it's painless (after the 1st minute) and overall a very interesting experiences.
FYI: the threading process is NOSY because two threads are constantly rubbing against each other - my friends said the noise reminds her of someone modding your lawn.
Here's more info on Threading: http://ezinearticles.c...
Overall, my word of advice: like mentioned by everyone....schedule an appt online - anticipate that they are booked at least 2 weeks ahead, tell her your FEAR to give her heads up, and arrive on time.
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Dating game announcer guy: "Bachelorettes, if your guy is feeling a little down, what do you do to cheer him up?
Bachelorette #1: "I cook him a nice dinner, serve it by candlelight with some cabernet sauvignon"
Bachelorette #2: "I take him on a nice, long drive through the countryside, stopping at all the cool microbreweries"
Bachelorette #3: "I get a Brazilian wax"
Bachelor: "I choose Bachelorette #3"
For all your bachelor winning needs, I suggest you go to Alresa. Or if you just want to feel super sexy, have a beach vacation coming up, or anything else that requires warm gooey goodness dribbled on your naughty bits followed by a quick, relatively painless ripping of all hair in the nether regions.
Great price- you can't beat it.
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I've finally gotten around to writing a review. Seriously, this is the place to go if you are thinking about having anyone wax your "happy" area. Alresa is great! She makes the whole process comfortable and as painless as possible. Be advised that it is VERY hard to get an appointment so plan ahead!
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PERFECT!
I got thick, bushy, Egyptian brows. I have been to places all over the east/south bay, and NEVER have I had my brows look not only perfect, but perfect for me!
She's really sweet, kinda quiet, and takes her time... I let my brows grow out for a good two-months (yikes) so I could let her have something to work with.
She kept my natural shape, just cleaned it up a bit... AHHHH it looks great. At first I thought $20 for threading was OUTRAGEOUS, but this is most definitely worth it.
Alresa is dooope. Check her out!
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For years, I had the best brow shaper in the Bay Area. Alas, she had to go to nursing school far, far away and I had to go aesthetician shopping again. It was a very stressful period of time. Finally, in desperation, I found Yelp and Cloud Nine. I could not believe the sheer volume of good reviews for Alresa, the brow taming goddess. I had to try it out for myself.
Now, I'm not a street parker, but Alresa is worth it. I might have to circle once or twice to find a spot that does not freak me out, but it is not a terrible parking experience.
When I had my first appointment with her right as she opened in the morning, I had to wait a couple minutes for her to show, which was fine, and then another minute for her to setup (also fine). I was not sure what to think of her then. She was really sweet, but I felt as if I was in the presence of a celebrity; Yelp had made her so. She took some time to do a consult with me that was fabulous! I told her of the horrible experiences I had with others and she calmed my trepidation immediately. She said exactly what I needed to hear to trust her and I gave my excess over to her care. When she waxed, it felt like she pressed a finger to my skin and then removed it. I did not feel any tugging or stinging. It was great! She took her time, but I was totally okay with that because she is a great conversationalist and is so sweet. Her bedside manner is just incredible. I felt so comfy and even less like an intimidated Sasquatch (with the amount of hair I think I have) than I usually do.
The next time, I saw her, she remembered our first conversation. I know she has fifty million clients, yet she went into details that even I could not remember. That is customer service. She did a little bit of treading on top of the waxing. I walked out with fabulous brows.
I was able to make my next appointment in person. This is good because the online appointment system is crazy for people like me who like to book ten years in advance. She gets booked quickly so it is always a special task making sure I can fit her in to my busy, busy schedule.
I feel like gushing whenever I think about her. She is good. She is nice. She is professional.
Thank you, Yelp!
Oh yeah, and not be all -ist or anything, but I love that she is a minority woman business owner!
I got a Brazilian with Alresa and had a really good experience. I'm very shy, so getting such a wax is not the most pleasant experience for me. She made it as comfortable as possible. I was really impressed with how clean and methodical she was while doing the wax; other Brazilians I've had were definitely sloppier. The atmosphere isn't fancy but definitely quiet, and her prices are very reasonable. It's a bit tough to get an appointment with her -- I had to wait about 3 weeks to get in (mostly because I can't come during the day). But it was totally worth the wait.
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Alresa does a great job with threading eyebrows. All of my co-workers immediately knew something was different about me and my lunch time escape to beautify myself was exposed.
Cloud 9 would be a solid 5 stars if she switched from the wax strips to the blue wax for those uh, er, "sensitive" areas.
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Alresa is a sweetie. She's funny and patient. She doesn't make your wax experience feel like an ordeal. She puts you at ease with her soothing voice and relaxing music. And she does an EXCELLENT job! Way to go, girlie! Five stars and then some!
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Based on reading Natasha's and other yelp reviews, I thought I would stay in the east bay for some eye brow attention rather than fighting traffic to go to Blink in San Francisco as I usually do.
Groomed brows make a really big difference, You can't just go to anyone ... they have to know what they are doing. Since I like threading rather than waxing, it can be difficult to find someone that is good. It is a special technique that a lot of people cannot master easily.
Well ... Alresa is great at brows! What all of the other Yelpers have said is true. She has found her calling and she makes her talent available to us at a relatively small fee.
Thank you Alresa for being organized enough to let us set appointments online. That is very useful and I liked the email reminder a day or two ahead as well. You make it easy to do business with you and you are great at what you do. And now I can save a few bucks and a lot of time by staying in the east bay.
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I was finally able to confirm all the positive reviews that this place has received. I was very happy with the job that Alresa did with my eyebrows. I was a bit concerned that she was going to make my eyebrows too thin, but she did a nice job. She was very patient, too. I'm glad that I no longer need to go to the city to get my eyebrows done.
First, I would like to thank all the Yelpers in helping me find my new esthetician. I had my first appointment with Alresa today and she is exactly what you're all hollering about. She is flipping awesome. Totally professional and nice. I mean really nice -- not sick to your stomach fake nice -- genuinely nice. I had scheduled a bikini and half leg and let me tell you, that was the LEAST painful waxing experience I've ever had. She's genius. She seriously makes you feel very comfortable and is truly a joy to chat with although to be fair I think I was flappin' my gums a bit too much (poor thing!). Anyway, thank you again Yelpers! I will definitely be returning for more waxing. Who knew it could actually be fun? :o)
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I'm a believer. I was skeptical, but I'm not anymore.
I've been a die hard loyalist to my "waxer" for many years now, and had graduated to getting regular Brazilians with her despite the extreme embarrassment I suffered getting them. But after a particularly productive 5-month lapse in maintenance, I was feeling too shy to present my increasingly jungle-like lady parts to her. I realized the only way I was going to get another Brazilian was if I went to a stranger who I never had to see again if the experience was awful. But, of course, you won't take that job to just anybody. So, taking several fanatic recommendations over the years into consideration, I made an appointment with Alresa.
My first appointment with her, for a Brazilian, underarms wax, eyebrow arch, and upper lip wax, took 2 hours. Mostly that was the Brazilian and her needing a machete to work her way though the thick undergrowth. It was painful. I wanted to quit. But she kept on, chatting with me, making me laugh, and encouraging me as she continued stripping out perfect lines with precision, and when she was done I felt like I'd finished a marathon. Not to mention that the embarrassment I felt having my butt exposed with my other waxer just wasn't an issue with Alresa. I stayed relaxed.
Everything else was uneventful, except the lip wax when she told me she was going to thread after she waxed for the little fine hairs that wax leaves behind. Threading doesn't feel good, but its really REALLY cool. I was blown away.
Between appointments, I only got 1 ingrown hair, which is amazing for me, and my regrowth was surprisingly scant.
My second appointment with Alresa was 4 weeks later and it was only an hour. My Brazilian was almost painless, with no redness or soreness afterward. She also didn't wax my eyebrows or lip because she felt like there wasn't sufficient regrowth to justify it, so she did a little trimming and tweezing and threading to clean it up. How refreshing.
I'm a fan. Go see her. You won't regret it.
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Oh hell yeah.
This place is amazing! Thanks yelpers. Alresa is amazing. I've never met a waxer who really has perfected the art of waxing like she has.
I never would have found Cloud Nine if it weren't for Yelp.
Believe the hype!
Alresa makes waxing almost fun. She's both incredibly sweet and exceptionally good at her job... she just makes it hurt less. Also, I booked a full leg & bikini wax and she said I didn't need a full and ended up doing exactly what I wanted originally for $10 less than I expected.
NOTE: She accepts credit cards, but cannot accept credit card tips, so remember to bring cash to give her the tip she deserves.
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Thank you YELPers!
Yeah, what she said!
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Believe it, Alresa is the best for brows and brazilians. I've been to other 'highly acclaimed' waxers around town and was disappointed. Alresa exceeded my expectations - thanks yelpers!
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Cynthia at Spa Bar in SF is the best brazilian waxer in the Bay. However, Alresa is good too and much closer to me than Cynthia. Cloud Nine gets:
1 Point for being Closer than Spa Bar
1 Point for better prices than Spa Bar
1 Point for Alresa's kind spirit
1 Point for Small, Cute Shop
Now, I wish Alresa would just buy the other, more gentle type of wax that Cynthia has. The other type of wax truly helps in the pain dept.
Man, I miss having a sugar daddy pay for my no-no bits to be waxed......
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Ever since I discovered Yelp.com, I come here to find businesses that offer all types of services. Mainly, I come here for restaurant reviews.
Anyways I found out about Cloud Nine on Yelp and because of the great reviews I went there this past Sunday for a massage with Teresa the Massage Therapist who is the mother of Elrissa. She was kind, pleasant and very firm and skillful in her deep tissue massage technique. She managed to crack and pop a few bones back into place and released a lot of the tension mainly in my shoulders and upper back. She taught me a great breathing exercise and told me a little bit about her background throughout the massage. She was kind enough to spend a little more time with me beyond my scheduled 60 min massage. I will definitely go back to receive other services like waxing and facials.
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All I have to say here is "Alresa rocks"...I need to visit again SOON.
Ok, ok...I do have more to say...oops! Alresa is super friendly, kind and makes the potentially awkward service of waxing one's coochie surprising comfortable. :) Also, she is the first person who ever threaded my brows and they looked phenomenal both times I've had her attack my little caterpillars! :) Too bad it is seldom that I can get out for this type of self-care...
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I got my first bikini wax today. First ever. And thanks to Yelp (and everyone's Cloud Nine reviews), my experience was totally comfortable and relatively painless.
There's something about Alresa that makes you feel relaxed enough to forget that you're really lying down on a table wearing disposable panties that cover the bare minimum, with an "area" that needs some taming.
It's hard not to feel humiliated and vulnerable in that position, and Alresa helps you get over it quickly.
Her technique is fast and efficient. I was really surprised that it hurt less than I thought it would.
You know what hurts though? Threading. That shit is a bitch to sit through. But my brows? Girl, my brows are FABULOUS. Way better than waxing. I just hope that over time, the pain is less intense. I mean, I'm not gonna lie; it hurt so bad, that I asked her to just wax my lip instead of the threading, which she recommended.
Anyway. Long story short; everything you read here about Alresa is true. She's great.
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I am so very happy to have found Alresa and her extra cute studio. Not only is she extremely polite and professional sistah but she has a special way of making something so intimate and painful ....bearable...much like a midwife or doula.
Yelpers definitely got this one right. Alresa was really amazing. Although the brazilian was painful, she managed to make me feel really relaxed. I'm definitely going back again for this and other services.
Super awesome! Best place for eyebrows, and I've been to so many in Berkeley. Owned and run by the most gorgeous lady - Alresa. She's super nice and makes you feel totally comfortable.
Careful when looking for it, the place is tiny and really easy to miss.
I agree with the others---- Alresa is great at her job and is super sweet! I've been going to her on a regular basis since summer 2007 and I don't have one complaint.
I went here after sitting on a gift certificate for wayyyy too long from my man. I've become that girl who finds it hard to schedule a prolonged amount of time to do something nice for herself. This, my friend, must change!
I had scheduled myself an hour long massage with Theresa on a Saturday afternoon. She greeted me with open arms and a smile after my little bike trek to the salon.
She has so much passion for what she does, (being a nurse, an advocate for community health and therapeutic massage) that I really felt comfortable with her. She made it a point to let me know it was "ok to let go" of anything that was bothering me and really helped me breathe in a more relaxed way using yoga techniques.
At the end of my massage I wanted to nap. So I did. She let me relax, no rush, my body was twisted and turned and she practically beat the kinks and overcrowded thoughts out of my system. Having someone around you who obviously loves what they do makes the experience that much more enjoyable. Whenever I get a massage I always think "Damn, they must be TIRED!" after I'm done-especially since I feel like I've just ran my body through a car wash after one.
I'd definitely go back, as now I'm curious about their beauty services!
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I always pictured my first time having a professional waxing done would be very similar to that depicted in "The 40-year-old Virgin", where Steve Carrell shouts obscenities and random names of American Idols in order to take his mind off the searing pan of hot wax stripping off his body hair. I do realize that I have a fairly high level of tolerance for pain, but I've heard too many horror stories associated with the Brazilian wax, that I was second guessing myself for making that appointment at Cloud Nine.
I immediately felt at ease during the phone call to make that first appointment. Alresa didn't hesitate to assure me that no, I wouldn't need to take Tylenol prior to my appointment. And she was right- I didn't. Either my tolerance for pain is a lot higher than I thought, or Alresa has the magic touch or because of the conversation we were having, but I barely felt any pain. It was such a positive experience that I've been there again- to have it done all over again!
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It's always nice to find a "one woman show" that can run her business and run it well - and in Oakland!!
I've seen her twice in the past 3 months for lip threading, under arm waxing, and the dreaded fully monty! Not sure what made me so brave, but after reading so many great reviews I knew I couldn't go wrong with Alresa.
Walking into her salon, I felt completely comfortable and at ease. If you're interested in any kind of bikini waxing all I can say is two words: DISPOSABLE PANTIES. After being presented with them, I cannot understand why more salons do not offer these, especially the expensive ones!! It was surprising to me how these disposable chones put me even at more ease. It's great to know how in tune Alresa is with her customer's feelings - to know having your vajajay on display like that only lends to more tension!
She is warm and friendly, works in small patches (this is key!!), and does everything to make you feel comfortable. I will never go to another person for waxing as long as she is where she is. Her place is CLEAN, her prices are VERY reasonable, she takes cash & credit, and she does THREADING!!
I highly recommend her, especially to the most weary of persons. She will definitely take care of you.
BTW, for those of you wondering - the full monty wasn't bad. Alresa was my *first* and actually made me look forward to the second time. If you go on a 4-5 week schedule, your new growth will be much less and therefore less painful. I have had very minor issues regrowth and it does NOT compare to shaving (which I've always hated). The back is much less painful than the front - yes there are a few very sensitive areas, but there is not anyone I would trust more than Alresa!!
As for the Underarm wax, it is GREAT. I will never shave again unless I'm desperate.
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Alresa is The Sh*t. And she should know it.
Yes, she IS Oakland's Next Top Model.
Yes, she threads an awesome brow, asks what shape you want (so speak up) and is meticulous (thank god).
Yes, she is adorable, friendly, cute and accommodating with appointments.
Yes, her prices are very reasonable.
Plus, she told me I maintained my eyebrows well between appointments. *Sigh* This is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.
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I first heard about Cloud Nine from Yelp and saw all the great reviews about Alresa so I thought I'd check it out. I got my very first Brazilian with Alresa about a month ago and although it was painful (I don't have a high tolerence for pain), it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. She made me very comfortable and put me at ease with every rip of the strip. And she was making conversation with me throughout the whole waxing to get my head off the pain. And yes, the backside hurts LESS than the front. I will definitely go back to Alresa. She's great! Now a month later, the hair is starting to grow back, but not a lot. I will never ever shave down there again!
Hands down my favorite waxer in the East Bay. Alresa is sweet and easy going, making the whole experience of waxing...um...whatever it is you need cleaned up a very positive experience. I've never felt uncomfortable on her waxing table. She's been doing some redecorating of the room lately, which is very nice, new paint, new lighting. Leave a message on her machine and she'll get back to you within a day. My only suggestion is the addition of a little relaxing music.
I do not like having bald eyebrows, it just looks funny on me. That, and I break out after a waxing/threading. After seeing all of the great reviews I thought I'd give Cloud None a shot. Alresa (sp?) was really nice and personable and made me feel comfortable. she asked me if I wanted them waxed or threaded. She recommended threading because I am pregnant. She did an amazing job and didn't make my eyebrows bald! And I didn't break out one tiny bit (unlike the $50 lip threading I got off Hayes St)! And a few weeks later my eyebrows still looked good!
I'm always anxious before having my eyebrows done - too many traumatizing experiences at Anastacia, Benefit Brow Bar, etc. Thanks to the many positive reviews here on Yelp, I made an appointment with Alresa and am thrilled with the results! I've been trying to reclaim the original fullness my brows once had and Alresa kept the shape natural. I will be back for sure and look forward to becoming a regular at Cloud Nine.
Alresa is an ARTIST! She's detailed and really takes her time with you. She's also so sweet and completely stunning. I love it when someone really takes pride in their work, especially if the work involves my eyebrows!
I've been a faithful client of Alresa's for over a year, and she NEVER dissapoints. After deciding to break up with About Face and Body after a tumultuous 2+year relationship, I was on what seemed like a never-ending quest to find a quality esthetician in the E. Bay.
Enter Alresa. In addition to being drop-dead GORGEOUS (seriously--she is like Oakland's winner of America's Top Model, hands down), Alresa has mad skills. Girlfriend restored my eyebrows to runway status, and--in the words of Bob Barker--the price is R$GHT! If you are looking for an waxing/threading high priestess? Alresa is the one!
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