How 22 years of experience, a dream and faith built a sanctuary of care and wellness in Okarche. – By Ana Veronica Bárcenas
My name is Ana Veronica Bárcenas, and I am the founder of Meraki SkinSpa in Okarche. I am a licensed massage therapist and cosmetologist, and I have had the privilege of serving in the beauty and wellness industry for over 22 years.
I was born in Guanajuato, Mexico, and later my family moved to the United States. When we arrived in Okarche, Oklahoma, I was just one month away from my 10th birthday and in the fourth grade. At that time, we were the first Hispanic family to establish ourselves in the town.
We attended Holy Trinity Catholic School, and over the years Okarche truly became home for our family. I later graduated from Okarche High School, and the values of this small community have stayed with me throughout my life.
From the very beginning of my career, I always felt called to help people feel better about themselves, not just physically, but emotionally as well. Over time, that desire slowly grew into a vision of creating a place where people could walk in feeling overwhelmed and leave feeling renewed, respected, and cared for.
Meraki SkinSpa was born from that vision. The word Meraki is Greek and means doing something with soul, creativity, and love, putting a piece of yourself into everything you do.
For me, that word perfectly represents the heart behind my work. To me, Meraki is not just a name. It is the intention behind every treatment, every conversation, and every detail inside the spa.
One of the most unexpected parts of my journey was how I ended up in the building where Meraki SkinSpa is located today.
After my father passed away in 2013, I had a very vivid dream one morning in the first week of August 2021. In the dream, I was asleep and woke up to the phone ringing. When I answered, it was my father’s voice anxiously telling me I needed to hurry to work because there was chaos and he didn’t know what to do.
What shocked me was that even in the dream I was aware that my father had already passed away. I grabbed my things and rushed out the door.
As I drove, everything around me was foggy and I couldn’t see where I was going. Then suddenly the clouds lifted and I was parked in front of a building I didn’t recognize.
Inside, it was busy. A woman was waiting for an eyebrow wax, and people were carrying boxes as if a business was opening.
When I woke up, I was still rushing out the door as if I were still inside the dream. Without even thinking about it, I drove and ended up parking in front of the exact same building I had seen in my dream.
There was a “For Rent” sign with a phone number in the window. I remember sitting in my car completely stunned. I checked my phone to look at my schedule, and I didn’t even have any appointments that day.
I remember asking myself, “Do I call this number?” because at that time I was perfectly content where I was. I had no intention of moving my business.
But at that moment, I heard a loud and clear “YES.”
For me, that experience remains a quiet reminder that my father’s encouragement continues to guide the path I walk today.
Even after that moment, making the decision to move was not easy.
At the time I was working inside Studio 201 Salon & Spa in Kingfisher. I had built such a strong friendship with Cherie, the owner, and with all the women who worked there.
My biggest concern wasn’t moving my business, it was the thought of leaving Cherie with the financial burden of losing my booth rent.
It was mid-August. I remember praying and saying,
“God, if I am truly meant to move out of this salon, then you will take care of Cherie and send her another booth renter. But if no one comes, I will not leave. You know how much I care for this woman.”
That same evening, I walked into my treatment room and Cherie followed me back there.
She said, “Ana, you won’t believe this. Thirty minutes ago, an esthetician came in asking to rent the other room.”
My jaw dropped.
I told her, “Then I have something to share with you also. I had no intentions of leaving, but I truly feel like God is leading me to this new location and it’s closer to home.”
Cherie looked at me and said, “Oh Ana, that makes so much more sense for you and your family. Take it.”
That moment reminded me that when we trust the path God places before us, everything else begins to fall into place.
Today Meraki SkinSpa has grown into something even bigger than I imagined.
We offer a variety of services designed to support both relaxation and long-term skin health.
Our massage sessions range from 30, 60, and 90 minutes and include prenatal massage, lymphatic massage, deep tissue, and Swedish massage.
For skincare, we offer complimentary skin consultations along with customizable facials that range from 30, 45, 60, and 75 minutes.
The 30-minute facial is perfect for someone experiencing their first facial, while our 75-minute spa facial is our most luxurious treatment and includes a relaxing head, neck, and shoulder massage.
We also offer men’s facials and our Derma Exfoliating Facial, which includes one of our clients’ favorite treatments, dermaplaning.
In addition, we provide more advanced anti-aging treatments such as chemical peels and microneedling.
Our services also include full-body waxing and sugaring hair removal.
Sugaring is a more natural and gentle method of hair removal, and many of our clients love it because it is 100% natural ingredients and is less irritating to the skin compared to traditional waxing.
We have recently added a couple of new services, lash lifts and brow laminations, to our menu.
When people ask what our most requested service is, the truth is that it really depends on the needs of the client. We stay balanced between massage therapy, facial services, and sugaring.
It tends to be about half and half.
Many guests come to us for massages when their bodies need relief from stress or tension, while others are focused on improving the health and appearance of their skin through facial services and skincare treatments.
Lately, however, some of our newer services have been gaining a lot of attention. Treatments like lash lifts and eyebrow laminations have been a great hit with clients and are quickly becoming more in demand.
One of our favorite experiences we offer is the Meraki Reset Experience, which combines a 60-minute full-body massage with our Derma Exfoliating Facial. It’s designed to help reset the whole body and has become a guest favorite because people leave feeling refreshed from head to toe.
Several things set Meraki SkinSpa apart.
We are currently the only bilingual spa in Kingfisher County that serves the Latino community that we know of. Being able to care for clients in both English and Spanish helps people feel comfortable, understood, and truly welcomed.
We are also the only spa located between Oklahoma City and Enid that carries SkinBetter Science and SkinCeuticals, which are medical-grade skincare lines backed by science and dermatologist-approved.
Another unique service we offer is sugaring hair removal, and to our knowledge we are the only spa between Oklahoma City, Enid and all of Kingfisher County that provides this service.
Sugaring is a more natural and gentle hair removal method that many clients love because it is less irritating to the skin than traditional waxing.
At Meraki SkinSpa, we are also passionate about shifting the narrative around self-care. We blend advanced skincare technology with holistic practices because we believe true beauty is connected to mindfulness and personal well-being.
As the spa has grown, I’ve also been incredibly grateful to build a team that supports this vision.
Cristina works closely with us as a photographer and helps create much of our social media content. She is constantly bringing creative ideas and new ways to enhance the environment and overall experience for our clients.
My daughter Jasmin is also a huge part of the behind-the-scenes operations. She helps keep me organized and supports many of the daily tasks that allow the spa to run smoothly and seamlessly.
We also recently welcomed Jackie, our newest esthetician. She has been training and has introduced some of our newest services, including lash lifts and brow laminations, and watching her grow in her role has been one of the most incredibly rewarding experiences in my career.
As a Hispanic woman and business owner, I take great pride in creating opportunities for other women to grow alongside me while building a business rooted in empathy, service, and community.
True beauty begins from within.
Outside of the spa, my greatest joy is my family. I am married to Paciano Bárcenas, and together we have the privilege of raising three amazing human beings: Osbaldo, Jasmin, and our youngest, Mikael.
When I do find free time, I enjoy simple moments at home watching movies with my family, playing board games, or spending hours in the kitchen cooking big homemade meals.
Because my schedule is usually so busy, those moments have become a special treat for me.
Besides spending time with my family, I also find myself spending a lot of time reflecting and contemplating how I can lift other women up.
Sometimes that means mentoring, sometimes it means creating opportunities for them within the business, and other times it simply means encouraging them to believe in themselves and their own potential.
Our faith is also a very important part of our lives.
We attend Holy Trinity Catholic Church where we serve as parish members. Over the years I have volunteered in several different church and school activities, and currently I serve on the Parish Council.
This year I also began volunteering as a youth leader, and becoming a YDisciple leader has honestly been one of the most rewarding experiences of my personal life.
All these parts of my life, my family, my faith, and my desire to lift others up naturally influence the way I care for people at Meraki SkinSpa.
More than anything, when someone walks out of Meraki SkinSpa, I hope they leave feeling peaceful, refreshed, and valued.
If they walk out feeling lighter, more confident, and more connected to themselves, then I know we have done something meaningful.
There is also a belief that I carry deeply within me that guides the way I approach life and how I serve people:
“Humility is the ability to see one thing from multiple perspectives without the need to be attached to being right or wrong. How we choose to see things ultimately determines what becomes possible.”
And in many ways, that belief is at the heart of how we spread empathy and compassion at Meraki SkinSpa.
One person, one conversation, and one moment of care at a time.
