SUGARED + BRONZED Celebrates 50th Store Opening, Marking a Major Milestone in Transforming the Beauty Services Industry

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 17, 2026--

SUGARED + BRONZED, the nation's largest sugaring and sunless tanning brand, today announced the opening of its 50th location, marking a major milestone in the company's journey from a $1,000 startup founded in a Santa Monica apartment to a nationally recognized beauty services brand.

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Founded by Courtney Claghorn, SUGARED + BRONZED began in 2010 when Courtney set out to solve a problem she experienced firsthand: finding affordable, high-quality spray tanning services. What started as Courtney airbrushing clients in her apartment during lunch breaks and after work evolved into a thriving business that has helped bring both sugaring and sunless tanning into the mainstream beauty conversation.

Founder and President Courtney Claghorn shares, “When I started spray tanning clients in my apartment, I never imagined we'd one day be celebrating our 50th store! This is a testament to our incredible team and loyal clients and we're excited for the opportunities ahead as we continue expanding into new markets, introducing more people to our services.”

The company's first storefront opened on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica in 2012. Through disciplined reinvestment, profitability, and a commitment to affordable luxury, Courtney grew the business to 10 locations before taking on outside investment in 2019. Today, SUGARED + BRONZED operates 50 locations across 10 markets nationwide and plans to enter at least one new market annually.

But the 50-store milestone reflects more than geographic growth. Since its founding, SUGARED + BRONZED has created employment opportunities for more than 600 women and continues to expand its team as demand for specialized services grows nationwide.

“While our 50th store is an exciting milestone, what I'm most proud of is the community we've built along the way. We've created opportunities for hundreds of women across the country and fostered a culture centered on growth, education, and exceptional client care. Our people have always been the foundation of our success, and this achievement belongs to every member of our team,” says Courtney.

The company's growth story includes overcoming significant challenges. After reaching 10 stores and securing a growth partner in 2019, SUGARED + BRONZED faced the unprecedented disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic just months later. With locations shuttered for extended periods, the company quickly launched its e-commerce business, helping sustain operations until stores could reopen. As restrictions eased, the brand resumed expansion and has since experienced consecutive record-breaking years of growth, revenue, and new store openings.

Central to that growth has been a singular focus on two services: sugaring hair removal and custom airbrush tanning. Unlike traditional salons and spas that offer dozens of treatments, SUGARED + BRONZED was built around specialization, with all estheticians and technicians trained in-house to deliver a consistent experience at every location.

As the company looks ahead, SUGARED + BRONZED remains focused on expanding access to its services while continuing to invest in its people, clients, and communities. What began as a side hustle has become the leading brand in its category, and the next chapter is just getting started.

To celebrate the opening of its 50th store, SUGARED + BRONZED is launching a nationwide giveaway. Fifty winners will each receive a $50 SUGARED + BRONZED gift card. Additional details can be found at https://sugaredandbronzed.com/

About SUGARED + BRONZED

S+B revolutionized airbrush tanning with a proprietary solution and revived an all-natural, ancient Egyptian form of hair removal called sugaring. S+B is a one-stop shop to prepare for any vacation, wedding, red carpet event or to simply feel like your best self. We’re passionate about providing exceptional services in beautiful, upbeat, and welcoming spaces that make your appointment something to look forward to. Locations are available across California, New York, Pennsylvania, Miami, Texas, and Washington D.C, with many more salons on the horizon in addition to our online store offerings. No matter which location you visit or which products you use, you’ll always FEEL FLAWLESS®.

SUGARED + BRONZED, the nation's largest sugaring and sunless tanning brand, has announced the opening of its 50th location, marking a significant milestone in the company's growth from a $1,000 startup founded in a Santa Monica apartment to a nationally recognized beauty services brand. Founded by Courtney Claghorn in 2010, SUGARED + BRONZED now operates 50 locations across 10 markets nationwide. The milestone reflects the company's continued expansion, commitment to specialized beauty services, and investment in its people, having created employment opportunities for more than 600 women. As the brand looks ahead, it remains focused on expanding into new markets while delivering consistent, high-quality client experiences.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says vandals are to blame for large swaths of dead grass on the National Mall near the World War II Memorial — in the spot where he had a stage built and hosted crowds for his July 4 celebration.

Trump made the accusation in a social media post on Sunday without saying why he believes it's the work of vandals instead of trampled turf from the Independence Day festivities. The Republican president posted a photo showing a once-grassy area by the World War II Memorial, now patchy and brown across much of the sprawling turf.

“Look what VANDALS did to the grass connecting the vandalized World War II Monument and the vandalized Reflecting Pool, which will be opened again, and better than ever, shortly,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

“Anybody who thinks the Reflecting Pool wasn’t vandalized should go back to Law School!” he added.

Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for damage to his renovation projects in the nation's capital, often without evidence and sometimes despite opposing accounts from his officials. Trump lashed out at U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro this month after her office concluded that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was the result of poor construction and not the work of vandals, as Trump claimed.

The photo Trump posted matches what you'd expect to see with a large summer event, according to Penn State University turf professor John Kaminski.

“Nothing in the photograph clearly indicates vandalism. Jumping to that conclusion seems like a fairly large leap, although it is impossible to rule anything in or out,” he said.

Bradley S. Klein, a freelance journalist and golf course consultant, said the president's post didn't make clear what the problem was in detail.

“He sounds like every grumpy golfer who’s complaining about their golf course and actually has no idea what it takes to maintain it on a day-to-day basis,” he said.

Messages seeking more information were left with the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior.

Authorities on Friday announced an arrest in connection with vandalism at the World War II Memorial, after the words “Clean hands dirty $” were found painted on the monument and bubbles filled a fountain. Pirro said felony charges were being brought against Melissa L. Farris, who was in custody and couldn't be reached for comment.

A woman identified on her Facebook page as Melissa Lovewell on Thursday posted a video in which she is seen taking cans of spray paint from her bag and then painting the monument. “I will wait here to be arrested for spraying our veterans’ fountain,” she says. “It was me. I’m doing it. It’s on camera.”

The woman was identified by her Kentucky driver’s license as Melissa L. Farris, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, an arrest warrant says.

Charging documents in that case make no mention of the grassy area Trump is highlighting in his new claims. Authorities said Farris had previously been arrested for camping on federal property a few blocks from the World War II Memorial, but not the area cited by Trump.

That stretch of lawn is instead where a large stage was built and crowds gathered to hear from Trump and watch fireworks at a July 4 event celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary. Trump claimed without providing evidence that more than 400,000 people attended the event before a storm hit the area and delayed his remarks.

Photos from the time, taken by a streaming webcam atop the Washington Monument, show a large bandstand and seating areas covering nearly the entire lawn Trump now says has been vandalized. Associated Press photos from the days that followed showed workers removing the structures, revealing brown, damaged grass underneath.

On Aug. 1, Trump posted a different photo of the same area that appears to show the numbers “86 47” — which federal officials have said constitutes a threat against Trump, the 47th president — emblazoned into the grass. He cited it as evidence refuting Pirro's conclusion, calling it “a pure case of VANDALISM, that included the grass.”

“There may have been some contractor difficulty, but the major damage was caused by VANDALS!” he wrote.

Those numbers are not visible in the photo Trump posted to social media on Sunday.

FILE - Workers dismantle structures from Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation's 250th anniversary, as seen from the Washington Monument, on July 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)