Welcome to Haisai
Haisai is a founder-led wax and sugar studio built on more than 20 years of industry expertise and inspired by the Okinawan tradition of Haisai, an open-hearted, welcoming hello rooted in values of respect, endurance, and matriarchal strength. The greeting isn’t decorative. It’s a philosophy. Care here is direct, grounded, and generous but never performative.
Designed with equal parts precision and intention, the studio delivers steady service in a space that is inclusive, inviting, and unapologetically fun. Created for all bodies and all identities, Haisai is where genuine hospitality - and a touch of whimsy - define every visit, from arrival to afterglow.
Our Studio
We are a creative, community-driven space inspired by Austin’s art, culture, and people. Through pop-ups and curated retail, we create room for connection, celebration and self-expression, all grounded in the warmth of Haisai. Those who gather at Haisai share a sense of belonging and creative, playful energy. A wax - even a great one - is still a wax. So we want to have a little fun while we’re at it.
A Founder-led Wax Studio
Meet Kelly
Kelly DeMauro was born in Okinawa and raised with a deep respect for its culture of warmth, resilience, and understated hospitality. “Haisai” is an easy hello and that grounded sense of welcome lives at the heart of the studio.
She has spent nearly two decades working in beauty across Miami, New York, Detroit, and wherever else the work called her. Beauty has never been one lane for her. It has existed inside treatment rooms and on editorial sets, in music videos, indie films, print campaigns, advertising, and special events always rooted in both technical precision and creative expression.
Along the way, she worked within a New York–based restaurant group in both events management and on the floor. That experience shaped how she understands hospitality not as performance, but as timing, flow, atmosphere, and care. Showing up fully. Staying steady when it’s busy. Working hard for the money, honey.
After nearly twenty years in the industry, she has seen it at its best…and at its most chaotic. Inconsistent standards. Burnout culture. Ego-driven environments. Spaces that protect revenue but not the people inside them.
Haisai was built differently. Expert technique. Clear pricing. Thoughtful service.
Kelly’s goal is to bring her understanding of Okinawan hospitality and modern beauty to Austin in a way that feels intentional, refined, and built to last.
