Beauty Care for Women and Children

As the great granddaughter of one of Solvang’s founding fathers, Kimberly Skytt Storey intends to keep the family tree firmly planted in Santa Ynez Valley soil. She has always loved the area, but with the birth of her daughter, Sophia, now four, she appreciates her hometown even more.
“I’m here forever,” Storey declares. “I don’t plan on going anywhere. It’s nice, because everybody knows us and the Valley is safe. There’s not a lot of traffic and we pretty much have everything we need right here.
“My husband is from Idaho,” she adds, “and he loves it here, too.”
Storey’s great-grandfather, Hans C.D. Skytt, was among the first Danish immigrants to arrive in the Santa Ynez Valley in 1911. A master builder, he helped erect many of Solvang’s early structures, including Bethania Lutheran Church, the original hotel and many homes.
According to Storey’s mother, Rose Skytt, Hans raised four children, among them Evald, whose son, the late Henry Skytt, became Rose’s husband and Kimberly’s dad. The family has long been associated with Solvang Mill and Lumber, established by Hans in the early 1900s, and Henry owned a sand and gravel business on Mission Drive.
“Since early on,” Skytt says, “the whole family was involved with the traditions of Solvang, and Danish Days is a big tradition. When Henry and I got married in ’75, we came back early from Disneyland so we could get ready for Danish Days.         “When Kimberly and her sister, Jennifer, were growing up,” she continues, “we always went to Danish Days. Henry helped set up booths and install the dance floor, and we’d bring the girls down in costume and they’d do gymnastics. Now, I talk to Sophia about her heritage and tell her how involved Papa Henry, his dad and grandfather and all his aunts and uncles were.”
Carrying on the family traditions of both celebrating all things Danish and building strong businesses, Storey operates her own successful enterprise in downtown Solvang. Her shop, called Let’s Face It, specializes in beauty care for women and children of all ages.
“The main services I focus on are oxygen facials, microdermabrasion and LED treatments,” says Storey, who has worked as an aesthetician for 10 years.             “Also light chemical peels. My services are a little more clinical than froofy.
“I use organic products,” she continues, “especially Eminence products from Hungary. They’re really active and have no preservatives. Everything’s just pure, cold-pressed fruits and vegetables, so they’re very potent and you get great results. They’re gentle on your skin and they smell really good.”
Downstairs in her retail space, Storey stocks a variety of hard-to-find products, such as Nia24®, a skin care line sold mainly in dermatologists’ and plastic surgeons’ offices.
A popular children’s section includes organic bath and body products, bath bombs, soaps, scrubbies and children’s bath towels carefully selected by Sophia.         “She’s got her own little section in my shop and she’s picked out what she likes,” Storey laughs, “so we know they’re kid-approved. She really likes 100% Pure, which is a kids’ line of body wash and bubble bath that smells like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.”
Keeping Sophia in touch with her Danish roots, Storey makes aebleskivers on Sunday mornings and continues to observe long held traditions of opening gifts on Christmas Eve and dancing around the holiday tree. With additional guidance from her Danish “Grandma Joan” and her Aunt Jenn there’s not much Sopia doesn’t know about  Danish culture.
Her elders needn’t worry, however, Sophia seems to be very clear on her ethnic identity.
“She loves Danish sausage and aebleskivers,” explains Skytt, “and every year for Danish Days she’s in costume, we’re all in costume.
“She’s just so into it,” she smiles. “Her favorite saying is, ‘I’m so Danish and I can’t wait until Danish Days!’”