"I became an esthetician in 2016. My first thought was representation, especially in the field. I didn't really get facials or any of that stuff until I became an esthetician. And when I became an esthetician, I realized there was a lack of representation in my field, specifically for melanated skin. I did not see many estheticians catering to melanated skin, and even in services like microneedling or any type of laser facial or treatment, I would always see contraindications for dark skin. And I, my whole life dealt with, you know, on an ongoing acne, I would have breakouts. I would deal with hyperpigmentation.

That was one of the things that I always wanted to work on, especially with my skin. And when I saw that there were very, like, limited treatments out there that I could do, my first thought was, one, there needs to be not only representation, but another way to go about healing the skin besides aggressive treatments.

So I worked for certain businesses that did cater to women of color, and that really helped me become a stronger esthetician and learn about different modalities I could use to cater to the community. But some of those treatments were, like, really costly, and it would kind of limit how many times people could actually receive service. So my first thought was, like, how can I offer people alternatives to taking care of their skin at home, also be able to treat them, and also cater their treatments to their skin color, cater it to how their body works, how they receive energy, how they receive information, because each client is going to be completely different.

And that kind of, like, really started to resonate with me a lot because it became a little bit more personal, and I was able to customize things and build relationships with my clients. And it made me kind of want to step away from the high-volume servicing and the kind of, like, high turnover, and start narrowing my treatments down to be a little bit more intimate, include a little more energy work, and tailor and customize these treatments.

So I stepped away from working for a couple of different med spas. I only narrowed it down to one right now in New York that kind of just fits my aesthetic. But I started spending a lot more time pouring into my own personal business, and that's where everything's leading. It's kind of just like heading in that direction, customizing fusion, Eastern and Western beauty practices, and giving me the opportunity to also, like, deeply connect with my clients, which has helped me with client retention since I started my career in 2016. I still have some of the same clients who have followed me everywhere."

" First of all, love the mission. I love what you guys stand for. And also being an esthetician of color in the field, I always love that representation. I also really stand with your ingredients. I’m a stickler for ingredients. I will turn over the products and look to see if they have, like, any preservatives or fillers, or just ingredients that are really harmful to the skin. I don't like it when people become too dependent on products rather than addressing the root cause of the issue.

So when I looked at your products, I was like, from start to finish, like, love the ingredients, love what you guys stood for, the packaging. I'm all about colors, so it's nice to have something that stands out on my shelf, which I love. And people are always asking, like, oh, what's that?

So from the beginning, I just loved everything about your brand, and I love that it was also, like, small batch and like, small business. I feel like it'll be a little bit more personal to you, you know, contact companies and work directly with them instead of large corporations. You have to hit the minimum sometimes, and it's just like, outstanding. So it gives people the opportunity to really start and build their company, build their back bar, and the products that they're using."

" Okay, so I loved it obviously, for you know, twice a day for my clients who are dealing with their hyperpigmentation. But I have found a new love for my, like, semi-aggressive treatments. I use it for microneedling.

I actually have mixed the Alpha Glow serum with the Prndn salmon sperm hyaluronic acid. And I used it because I used to do microneedling. I used to add a chemical peel on top, but since you have active ingredients inside, I was like, let me microchannel it into the skin and see how it responds. And it helped with product penetration. It actually helped overall, too, because sometimes with microchanneling or microneedling, you might have some cell turnover, which can cause your skin to flake. So immediately, my clients had less healing because their skin wasn't flaking as much, since the Kojic acid in the serum and everything was penetrating deeply and helping with cell turnover.

So I have found a new love for incorporating it into my aggressive treatments as well as my nightly maintenance treatments."

"I love me a nice matcha. It could be flavored or not. I'm somebody who doesn't really derive too much from too many sweets, so I like a little earthiness. I could do a matcha with oat milk. If I'm doing a sandwich order. It could be a turkey, egg, and cheese. Or I'll do some avocado toast if I want something like that. And then if I don't have my matcha, I'll do like an iced chai latte."

"I always try to practice gratitude as soon as I wake up. I have been trying my best not to grab my phone and check my emails or look at my workday. I just feel like if I give myself, you know, 20, 30, sometimes an hour to just pour directly into myself, then I can show up for others more efficiently. So I journal in the morning. I do gratitude prompts. I also move my body first thing in the morning. So I've been trying to do more vibrational plates and lymphatic drainage, and then I'll go in.

I have to touch water first thing in the morning as a Pisces. So first thing, I'm in the shower, and then I decide if I want to do a morning workout or go ahead and have my breakfast of the day. Answer my emails and make sure all my clients' questions are answered. I go through all my appointments, what I need to accomplish for the day, and then I usually end with gratitude as well. I kind of like going through and seeing if anything I set up for the day was accomplished. And if it was accomplished, what did I learn from it?"

"I love working out. I feel like it's so important for my mental health. I also love being challenged. I love seeing my body grow stronger each day. I have my little doggy right here with me. So, being a dog mom, she's always by my side, taking her out. I love traveling. I have a wedding this summer on the Amalfi Coast. I've never been there before, so I'm willing to, like, cross that out and see the world. So those are the things that I, like, tend to do when I'm not in the studio. I'll schedule, like, mini-trips upstate or weekend hikes. If I can't go anywhere far. But just spending time with my family, working out, and getting out into nature."

"So I feel like everyone really loves. I love exfoliation. I feel like exfoliation could be, like, so popular. And I feel like a lot of brands have just been adding acids to their products, whether it's a leave-on glycolic moisturizer or a PHA toner. And while I do feel like exfoliation is vital, I'm a really big proponent of letting the skin heal on its own a lot. So making sure it has a healthy acid mantle and that it's healthily moisturized. So I believe in doing less, which I know sometimes, for estheticians or other people, they want to bring out the big guns. They want to do, like, hydrogen abrasion with a peel and all these things. I believe in less is more.

So, for a skincare hot take, there are times when I might do a refreshing facial on somebody and not use much exfoliation, maybe not do many extractions. And, you know, contraindications may. People might be, you know, shocked about that. But I feel like letting the skin heal on its own sometimes is a great way to make sure the person's actively recovering and following what they need to. And when the skin is healthy, we can start adding a little more active ingredients. Then you can go ahead and start adding a little bit more intense treatments, like lasers, to help heal their skin. You don't have to start aggressively every time. "

"I've been really into Afro House lately. I went ahead and refreshed my whole playlist. I've been to a couple of events. There's a Brooklyn pop-up here. They do them all over. They do them in London and other places. They're called Descendants, and they have a couple of DJs who play Afro House. And I just love the high-intensity drums. I love it, like it's very upbeat, so it keeps me awake.

I've also been listening to a lot of music without words lately, and just like frequencies and notes, just to kind of get myself in alignment. Because I feel like a lot of the music nowadays is just. It's all programming, and it has a specific agenda. So I try to keep things very clear. But a lot of like indigenous beats. Afro House. I'll do like tribal drumming, that's been on my playlist lately. Musical like pan flutes, just like super calming.

And then if I want something a little bit more upbeat, I'll go back to my 90s nostalgia pop and R&B playlist. So you gotta go with, you know, old school Britney Spears, old school Backstreet Boys. You know, I had some SWV on Rex and effect if I want to go in. But yeah, like definitely more Afro houses lately."

"Keep going. And also just like have so much more faith in yourself. I feel like there are times when I played small and stayed in places a lot longer than I needed to, simply because I thought I didn't have everything I needed. And I was well qualified. I was also well-experienced, but I was a little apprehensive about betting on myself. And even now, most definitely, like with my business and in having a job too, there are times where I feel very comfortable having, like, my job as my backup, even though I know that ultimately my goal is to work for myself. So I've been constantly reminding, like my younger self, like, you are equipped to be in these rooms just like everybody else. You have the right to take up space just like everybody else, and also keep pouring your passion into it. I feel like my passion and excitement for the industry have gotten me so much further than if I had just stayed the course. So I always tell myself, like, you did the right thing by jumping jobs. You did the right thing by knowing how long to stay here and when to go, and when to move, by following your gut, not what's on your resume or longevity and how it looks. You know, because I think we've been so programmed, even from our parents' generation, that staying at a place for a long time shows loyalty and longevity. And I also learned when it's time to go, when it's time to grow. So yeah, absolutely, keep going. Stay, stay consistent, and like, you're doing everything right that you're supposed to. I love it."

"I think the goals of just having that moment where I can look back and be like, " Wow, I did all of that.” I think during the moment, it can be super exhausting, especially if it's your own business. And I'm sure you can speak about it for yourself. Like, doing everything for you, spending that time and that energy, sometimes sacrificing time, going out and, like, being with friends and stuff, just so you can see the main goal at the end of the day, which is, like, you know, your business and growing and expansion. So for me, that's exactly what drives me also, like, there's this, like, feeling that I have that once I commit to working with somebody, like, my all is in. So I think if that person is still showing up and has a goal to accomplish, I'm still going to show up and work toward that goal with them. I feel like when people check out, it's very easy for you to check out. So as long as that passion is still there, that drive to achieve your skincare results, form a business partnership, or refer somebody to a practitioner that I know would be beneficial, like I really do give my all. So I think that's just keeping the energy that I want to be met with."