For Lexi Tameling, Glen Ellyn resident and owner of the Sanctuary Day Spa in Wheaton, getting into the beauty business was as natural as, to pardon the expression, falling off a horse.

“I used to show horses,” said Lexi.

In the competitions, appearances always counted.

“From a young age, I always had to wear makeup. From the time I was very little, I was applying my own,” she said.

Lexi, who grew up in the south suburbs, showed an interest in horses when she was very small. By age 5, she was taking riding lessons and picked up skills quickly.

By age 9, she owned her own horse and had become adept at showing them. When her trainer moved to Missouri, Lexi was 15, and that’s when she launched her own business giving riding lessons.

She also assisted others in purchasing and showing horses. All along, Lexi paid strict attention to the details. Her insistence on wearing long sleeves, sunscreen and hats to keep her skin protected from the sun made her an object of ridicule among some in the diehard horse world.

“The other horse trainers would mock me,” she said.

But over time the attention she paid to the details and the skills she learned led to another opportunity. Lexi had become known for her meticulous appearance.

“When I decided to leave the industry, I had people tell me, ‘You should be an esthetician,’” she said.

Lexi followed through by attending school and becoming a licensed esthetician. After moving to Glen Ellyn in 2002, she began working in that field.

“It’s kind of a natural fit. It just came really easy to me,” she said.

She worked at an area spa and salon and became known for her skills.

“I became a spa lead,” said Lexi.

Over time, she began to visualize what her own spa would look like.

“I was looking to create an atmosphere where people felt relaxed and welcome,” she said.

The location in Wheaton was chosen, and over the next several months there were many other decisions that had to be made.

“It took a solid eight months. There were design plans, color schemes, equipment, treatments and products that we were going to carry. I wanted things no one else had,” she said.

The decision-making process was a huge job.

“I pretty much did it on my own,” said Lexi. “I would bounce ideas off of different technicians that are respected.”

For months, Lexi worked out of her home and would consult her clients for their opinions. For one thing, she wanted the clients to feel pampered, not rushed.

“We designed our booking system with leeway. That way the client gets a full service,” Lexi said.

Lexi wanted the Sanctuary Day Spa to be different, and it has turned out to be just that. With its earth tones, copper accents and ambient lighting, a gentle waterfall greets clients as they check in.

“People say that the spa is warm and welcoming,” said Lexi. “We used falling water everywhere to set the mood. It’s the look and the sound that’s very relaxing.”

Besides hair styling and coloring, some of the other services offered include manicures, pedicures, facials, makeup application, skin treatments, hair waxing, massage, body therapies, paraffin treatments and light therapy. One of the offerings available is a couple’s massage for any pair including a husband/wife or mother-daughter. The room for the couple’s massage was specially designed.

“It’s actually two rooms with a pocket door. The two rooms are exact mirrors of each other. When (the doors) are open, the two beds face each other,” she explained.

Lexi is happy to do business locally.

“I like the people a lot, and I’m a big fan of (nearby) Whole Foods and the Natural Pet Market,” she said.

The Sanctuary Day Spa is located at 251 Rice Lake Square, Wheaton. For more information, call (630) 588-1600.

The Glen Ellyn Grapevine is a weekly column appearing on Thursdays. Ideas and items for the column may be faxed to Kathy Slovick at (630) 545-1142 or e-mailed to kslovick@msn.com.