Spa for a Cause

Nadine Kam photos
Juliet Lighter, center, founder of Women Speaking Out, with Aren Delacruz and Karina Migotti in the courtyard behind Q Laser and Fashionista's Market, where guests at "Spa for a Cause" could relax over drinks, and pupu from M Nightclub.

Juliet Lighter's non-profit Women Speaking Out organization hosted its inaugural "Spa for a Cause" fundraiser on Aug. 26 at Fashionista's Market and Q Laser on Bethel Street.

Through the intimate spa party, the former Miss Hawaii USA aimed to help raise the awareness of domestic violence, while allowing guests to indulge in a day of pampering. For a $15o donation, guests could enjoy spa services, cocktails, pupu, dessert, music, shopping, and go home with a gift box of product samples from Sephora Waikiki.

At Q Laser Center, guests could choose one elite service from a menu that included a 30-minute massage, laser hair removal, laser rejuvenation, teeth whitening, and chiropractic adjustment. It was a good opportunity to check out some of the services offered at Q Laser. I, for one, am a big chicken, so I wanted to know exactly how hot that laser gets before trying that collagen-boosting treatment.

One of the guests gets a laser rejuvenation treatment. The goal is to have a forehead more like Bugsy's, at right below, than the pug at left. The humorous comparison greets visitors to Q Laser Center.

From there, women could move on to Fashionista's Market next door to enjoy a dessert bar with treats from The Mixer, Cake Envy and Candies Cupcakes, as well as a 20-minute neck and shoulder chair massage, hair blowout, and nail color change or nail art from The Nailery, then shop the FM racks with a 10 percent discount.


Funds raised will go toward funding WSO's educational programs focused on reaching women about domestic violence, and to adopt a local women's shelter for the holidays. Lighter, a survivor of domestic violence, created WSO in 2007 to help create social change, but said she's also in the process of rebranding her organization, saying that while she had been focused on education and empowerment for younger women, she has realized such help is needed at all ages.

For Mother's Day, she hosted a similar spa event involving Bath & Body Work and Victoria's Secret for women of the Ewa Beach Domestic Violence Shelter, and said, "We take these things for granted, but some of these women had never had a massage. They were literally in tears and we all left crying. It just made me realize I need to be doing more in the community."


Her aim is to adopt a different women's shelter annually.

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For more information on Women Speaking Out, visit www.womenspeakingouthawaii.com
Q Laser Center is at 1183 Bethel St. Call 524-1237. Fashionista's Market is at 1185 Bethel St.

Lighter with Q Laser Center's (and Rakuen's, and Fashionista's Market's) Anita Clemente.

Another guests gets an adjustment from Cy Hirota.

Anita Clemente gets a well-deserved back and neck massage from Sierra Keylin.

Stylist Crystal Pancipanci, left, was offering shopping assistance at Fashionista's Market, with founder Alyssa Fung, center, and Moani Hara. The dessert bar was a good place to be!

Out in the courtyard behind the two establishments, John Domrique, left, and Richard Antone were serving up drinks.

Edibles from M Nightclub included a fresh fruit and cheese platter, grilled chicken, mushroom risotto and these caprese skewers ...

... and salmon bruschetta.