Latest / Honest Esthetician Education / Finding Your Niche As An Esthetician Is SO Important!

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Finding Your Niche As An Esthetician Is SO Important! · Honest Esthetician Education

0:08
Hi guys, and welcome back to another episode of your Best Edition podcast.
0:12
Today we have Gina, also known as Gina the Esty Bestie on Instagram.
0:17
I'm so excited to get to know you and your business so much better.
0:20
Thank you for being on the podcast today.
0:23
How, let's just jump right into it.
0:25
How long have you been an esthetician for and when did your aesthetics journey start?
0:30
So yeah, I've been an esthetician for since 2019.
0:34
So six years almost.
0:37
I started because I feel like I was meant to do this kind of.
0:40
I've always loved popping pimples.
0:43
Yeah, I was in high school and everything.
0:44
I used to always do my friends eyebrows since I was like actually 14 years old.
0:49
I would get the Sally Hansen waxing strips.
0:51
The ones that you have to go like, oh my gosh.
0:53
And I would literally do like my cousins and my friends eyebrows.
0:56
I've always been into beauty.
0:57
I guess.
0:58
So, yeah.
0:59
But I actually wanted to go into dermatology in the beginning.
1:02
But then I realized, wait, you have to be a doctor for that, medical school, all of that stuff.
1:06
So it just wasn't something that I wanted to do when I was younger.
1:09
Yeah.
1:10
You know, when you're younger, you're always looking for ways to make money super fast.
1:14
And you're not really looking at...
1:16
the long run so yeah absolutely so you I noticed that your Instagram is all about body treatments and waxing is that what you initially went into the aesthetics field for no I actually hated body waxing really when I started Essie school I was like set on doing facials I loved it um but it was something that
1:41
I didn't end up sticking with because I was doing skincare.
1:44
You know when you go out on your own for the first time, which I did.
1:47
I did everything.
1:48
I was a jack of all trades right in the beginning.
1:50
And then I realized this is too much.
1:53
And people started asking me about Brazilian waxing.
1:55
And I knew how to wax, but I didn't do it often.
1:59
So I said, yeah, I mean, I can do it.
2:01
Also making money, you know, so I'm like, yeah, I can do it.
2:03
So it was like one Brazilian, two Brazilians, three, four, 10, 12, 20.
2:07
Wow.
2:07
And then next thing you know, I'm like, wait, I can make way more money doing Brazilians than I can doing facials.
2:12
Yeah.
2:13
And less time.
2:14
So that's when I decided to just completely, I think it was 2021.
2:18
I completely cut out like dermaplanes, facials, all the things.
2:22
And so we did body waxing and I dabbled into skin lightening.
2:25
Ah, that's so inspiring because I do feel, and I talk to a lot of estheticians where you go and you graduate and you think you want to do something and then you completely change because you're figuring out like what you're truly passionate about.
2:38
When you went into transitioning your business, how was that for you?
2:42
Was it because, did you get a lot of referrals from doing Brazilians?
2:45
How did you build that clientele?
2:47
So like when I opened my business?
2:49
Well, for when you transition your business from cutting out facials, like how did you, how did so many people get in the door?
2:55
Was it referral based or was it, you just marketed yourself as a Brazilian or a waxer at that point?
3:01
Well, I announced that I was only going to do waxing from here on out.
3:05
And a lot of my clients did both.
3:07
They were coming in, getting a Brazilian, getting a facial, like all the things.
3:10
And I just hated the transition of doing a facial and then setting up for the ambiance for a wax.
3:16
Yeah, that's so true.
3:17
This is too much.
3:18
So I stopped doing facials.
3:20
And then honestly, like if we jump into the beginning of my journey, I had zero clients.
3:25
I started my business with no clientele in the peak of COVID, of course.
3:30
Yeah.
3:31
And I decided to open up my own business and I got a studio and I told my husband, if this flops, I'll just get a job to pay for the monthly rent.
3:39
And if this doesn't flop, cool.
3:41
Like I have, at the time I wasn't married, I didn't have kids and I wasn't responsible, didn't have any like obligations.
3:47
Yeah.
3:48
So I had nothing to lose.
3:49
I started my business with zero clients too.
3:51
We can relate on that.
3:53
How did you, so did you go work for somebody and then go solo or did you just go solo right away?
3:58
So no, I went solo right away.
4:00
Okay.
4:00
Gotcha.
4:00
I actually got hired.
4:01
Am I allowed to say names?
4:02
Yeah.
4:02
On here?
4:03
So when I got hired, so when I first became an esthetician, I was looking for a job.
4:07
Yeah.
4:07
You know, everyone's like, I want experience two years, three years.
4:09
I'm like, well, how am I ever going to get it if no one hires me?
4:12
So I got hired at this day spot in Scottsdale and it actually has a bad reputation.
4:17
And anyway, so the lady hired me and that same day, my discernment kind of was like, nah, like you really don't want to work here.
4:23
Yeah.
4:23
Yeah.
4:23
So I called her and I said, you know what?
4:25
Thank you for the opportunity.
4:26
But A, this is an hour from my house.
4:27
B, you're paying me mostly on hourly commission situation.
4:31
So some days, actually it was full commission based.
4:33
Wow.
4:33
So it was, I think, $15 a service.
4:36
Okay.
4:36
So if I had drove like to Scottsdale an hour away from my house, had one client, I would have made $15 and then maybe a tip.
4:43
Okay.
4:44
Yeah.
4:44
So for me, it wasn't worth it.
4:46
So then I ended up just not doing that with her.
4:49
And then like a month or two later, I decided to open my own business.
4:51
That's exciting.
4:52
What were when you first started, how long did you did it take for you to see people were booking?
4:59
Like, was it a slow process?
5:01
What was the most successful transition for you doing that?
5:05
I feel like I started getting clients a month in.
5:10
I mean, I started with zero clients, but I start what I did in the beginning.
5:13
So here's a tip.
5:14
Yeah.
5:14
If you're trying to open your business for real and you are starting from the ground up, I would use family members, friends, my husband, anybody for content purposes.
5:23
Yes.
5:24
Just making content.
5:25
And I would put that out on Instagram and just keep doing it.
5:28
And then people are seeing you.
5:29
And then it was mainly like word of mouth referrals at the time.
5:33
And then, you know, I had maybe five clients in a week, 10 clients in a week.
5:36
I remember my first week going solo and,
5:38
with zero clients and then just doing that.
5:41
Yeah.
5:41
Um, I ended up making like 500 bucks.
5:43
Wow.
5:44
And yeah, it was kind of crazy.
5:45
And I remember telling you, I'm like, wow, like I made $500 this week.
5:47
Like I've never, and I was, I was young, you know?
5:51
So I never had big girl money.
5:52
And so that was crazy to me.
5:54
500 bucks.
5:54
You're like, we're going shopping.
5:55
No, no, sorry.
5:56
I just like, I had a Red Bull before this.
5:58
So you're good.
5:59
But yeah, so that's how I did it.
6:02
Wow, that's so smart.
6:03
I always tell people to like literally find models and get somebody in your door.
6:07
Like how can you expect people to come in and just they're not going to magically appear.
6:12
Literally.
6:12
That's the biggest thing.
6:14
Um, so that is amazing.
6:16
That's so cool to hear how you had a plan and you were taking action and how you built success off of that base of how you built your clientele.
6:26
Um, so you, I, you obviously niched down where you're doing body treatments and waxing.
6:31
How did you become an expert in that?
6:33
So like body waxing or both?
6:35
I guess whatever.
6:36
Which one did you start with?
6:38
I did body waxing, but around the same time, like I've always done body waxing, but I dabbled like when I made my business solely waxing that same month, I decided to start getting into lightning.
6:47
Oh, wow.
6:47
Okay.
6:48
It was such a need.
6:49
Women are always asking.
6:50
Oh, yeah.
6:50
You know, so I'm not saying if you have hyperpigmentation, it's totally normal.
6:54
Okay.
6:54
Everyone has it, but if it bothers you, you can do something about it.
6:57
Yeah.
6:57
So that's why I wanted to bring it in.
6:59
I had tons of girls asking me all the time, do you know where I can go to get the service?
7:03
And I didn't.
7:04
So I'm going, I don't know.
7:06
You know, I'm not sure.
7:07
Blah, blah, blah.
7:08
So anyways, back in the day, we'll just do names.
7:11
Bright came out.
7:12
Yeah.
7:13
Okay.
7:13
And that was huge.
7:14
A lot of people use it today.
7:16
It is what it is.
7:17
But that's something that came out, right?
7:19
And it was very, very new.
7:20
Before that, it was South Beach Skin Solutions.
7:23
I believe that's the name.
7:24
And they are both topical products.
7:26
Okay.
7:27
So there's something that just sit on the skin, but they don't have a delivery system to actually penetrate deep enough to actually break down the melanocytes that are producing pigment.
7:35
Yeah.
7:36
So the only way to really do that is with a peel.
7:38
Yeah.
7:38
You know what I mean?
7:38
You deal with different, you do anti-aging, acne, probably just maintenance, you know, all the things.
7:45
So, you know, peels are really the only thing that are going to make a crazy difference.
7:50
Absolutely.
7:50
I agree.
7:51
Yeah.
7:52
So for your training, like how did you get certified in, or did you just, were you self-taught for skin lightening?
7:59
Well, I tried many, many, many brands.
8:02
Okay.
8:03
And it wasn't until, you can even try to cocktail your own and get a peel from Dermalogica, Glimit, all these things to try to make, get a solution.
8:12
But it wasn't until I found the right peel system that I was like, okay, this is amazing.
8:17
This works.
8:18
And with Skin Lightening, what I did was I put a separate savings account aside.
8:23
And for three months, I saved every single penny from my Lightening treatments and,
8:27
And I saved $12,000 in three months.
8:29
Wow.
8:30
Oh my gosh.
8:30
Just from offering skin lining.
8:31
Amazing.
8:32
So I'm like, whoa, what the heck?
8:33
There's so much money in this.
8:34
But not only that, like there's money in it, but it's life changing for other people.
8:38
Oh yeah.
8:38
You know?
8:38
So offering a solution for somebody who's had this issue since they were 12, 13, high school, like whatever.
8:44
having that for them is amazing.
8:45
Oh my gosh.
8:46
I know that is, I love how you took your current clientele and you built around it.
8:52
Cause I feel like, again, people try to be the jack of all trades, but like that makes so much sense for you to start and niche down in something and kind of grow with it.
9:00
Um, so if somebody is looking to get into skin lightening, what would you recommend?
9:03
Like if you're a waxer, should you explore that?
9:06
1000%.
9:07
Yeah.
9:08
If you offer body waxing, you should be offering skin lightening treatments because it goes,
9:13
hand in hand a the clients are already caring about usually when you're getting body waxing you're doing like intimate areas and things like that um some people only you know do certain parts whatever but um yeah they usually want that service as well yeah so it is I do see a lot of people normalizing the people that may not approve of skin lightening because they think that it's kind of going against like self-love or whatnot but I don't think so I think that's a really good service to have yeah if it bothers you you're building somebody's confidence how do
9:44
I think I just talk about it so much.
9:46
So I've had two children.
9:47
I've been through it.
9:48
You know, when you're pregnant, everything changes.
9:50
Like literally, um, you don't even recognize yourself.
9:53
Yeah, exactly.
9:54
So I think because I've been through motherhood and I've been through realness and I'm not saying anybody that has any surgeries or does things like that to themselves are not, but, um, I think when you're just authentically you, I think people will see that and then they're like, Oh,
10:09
Yeah.
10:09
Yeah.
10:10
I know.
10:10
And I think that, I mean, making people comfortable is a skill.
10:15
Yeah.
10:15
I feel like you have to like really know, especially when you're working in intimate areas.
10:19
So would you say a lot of your clientele is a lot of moms then?
10:22
A hundred percent.
10:23
A lot of them.
10:24
I have every kind of client you could possibly think of.
10:27
Like everything from just a worker bee client.
10:31
I have, like, I have clients that are public health scientists and I'm like, how did you find me?
10:34
I'm like with the cap of side white, making sure everything is perfect.
10:38
I'm very clean.
10:38
Yeah.
10:39
But yeah, I have public health scientists, just all kinds of clients, a lot of moms though.
10:43
And I love it.
10:44
Yeah.
10:44
We relate so much.
10:45
I think that's another thing too, is if you're trying to start your business or you already have a business and you want to attract clientele, you should do something that's relatable to you.
10:55
Absolutely.
10:56
You know what I mean?
10:56
Yeah.
10:57
So yeah, that's why I do like to target, target, it sounds bad, but I do like to attract other moms and other women who are in their late 20s.
11:08
I do get young clients too, but you know.
11:10
I know, I feel like with waxing, it's so like diverse.
11:13
You can get like an 18 year old and then you can get a 40 year old.
11:16
But I love the point that you made about enjoying what you do and relating to the people because we own our own business and that's the whole point is like,
11:24
you are around these like-minded people every single day.
11:27
So it makes work enjoyable.
11:28
And so you're not like going in and you're like, oh my gosh, Stacy's on my calendar again.
11:32
You know, I feel like that's how I felt before.
11:35
Okay.
11:35
And I'm like, no, like she's on my calendar again.
11:38
I'm like, no, I don't want to treat her today.
11:41
Yeah.
11:42
And I've been there when I did facials.
11:43
I was like, dang, I literally got to go in.
11:45
I got like six facials.
11:46
And honestly, yeah,
11:48
Let's be real.
11:48
Like in the beginning, you overdo it.
11:51
Oh, yeah.
11:51
You're just trying to make money.
11:52
I mean, you love what you do, but you're also trying to make money.
11:55
Like you got to survive.
11:56
I completely agree.
11:57
In the beginning, yeah.
11:58
That's what it is.
11:59
So you're in Buckeye, right?
12:01
Yeah.
12:01
I live in Buckeye, but my business is in Phoenix Central or Uptown Phoenix.
12:05
Is it pretty busy in Phoenix?
12:06
Like do you think location matters?
12:08
Absolutely.
12:09
Yeah.
12:09
Absolutely.
12:09
I couldn't have my business in Buckeye.
12:11
Yeah.
12:12
I could.
12:12
Yeah.
12:13
But it wouldn't thrive the same way as it would in Uptown.
12:16
Like it just wouldn't.
12:17
Where do a lot of your new bookings come from?
12:20
Your referral source?
12:21
Instagram.
12:22
Okay.
12:22
Wow.
12:23
And TikTok.
12:24
Okay.
12:24
I don't even try on TikTok.
12:25
And TikTok is crazy.
12:27
A lot of people will be like, I found you on TikTok.
12:29
And I haven't posted a lightning video on TikTok for at least like four months, five months.
12:33
I don't know.
12:34
I don't talk about it that often.
12:35
I'm trying to turn it into...
12:36
something else make it like a faith-based page yeah because I I've been studying the Bible for like four years so I like to talk about that oh that's so exciting so um that's interesting what is I want to talk about that so you're um I feel like we both have talked a lot about faith what is what do you feel like God is calling you to do right now then with your business
12:56
Hmm.
12:56
To be honest, I'm not sure.
12:58
Sometimes you got to sit and wait, you know, you might be asking for something, but that may not be what his plan is for you.
13:03
Yeah, absolutely.
13:04
I think he blessed me with my business.
13:05
And even when, so when I started my business, this is going to get real deep.
13:09
Yeah.
13:10
When I started my business, I wasn't saved.
13:12
Okay.
13:12
I was a completely different person.
13:13
I was wilding out, Meg Thee Stallion, like young drinking, blah, blah, blah.
13:17
Then I ended up coming into that right later on into the business.
13:21
But he had handed me this and I actually felt a lot of conviction and I felt bad for doing what I did.
13:25
I felt bad doing waxes because I thought I was promoting promiscuity in a way.
13:30
And then I realized a while down the line because I would pray on it.
13:34
Like, Lord, is this what you want me to do?
13:35
Why do I feel like this when I'm doing it?
13:38
And then I realized, oh my gosh, I get to plant seeds.
13:40
Like there's so many deep conversations.
13:42
Like when you're doing an intimate service like that, people are coming in and they're talking to you about, um, tragic things, you know, like trying, you know, if they become pregnant, maybe they didn't want to be pregnant or things like that, or, or divorces and just miscarriages and all the things.
13:57
And so me being in that special niche, it's allowed me to be able to have these deep, intimate conversations.
14:02
Yeah.
14:02
Oh my gosh, that gave me chills because I feel like in the treatment room, I have so many of those experiences and like you may in the moment be like, okay, what's my purpose?
14:10
And in those moments you're like, wow, that is my purpose.
14:13
Being able to connect with other people and not necessarily like shove faith in their face, but just be that light and that love that people need.
14:21
And it's so crazy.
14:22
I mean, I don't know if you've noticed, but people like when, at least for facials, when they're laying there, they are so vulnerable.
14:28
Like they'll just start crying.
14:29
Like they'll start opening.
14:31
up it is so crazy like the power of touch like truly you're like how was your day and they're like I know and they just you're like okay what is happening right now so like you being able to like pour love and be that light into your clients um so are you as far as your practice goes then um I noticed you do um thank you so much for sharing that story by the way that was so inspiring I love that we can relate on faith in that yeah absolutely
14:56
So with that and the direction of your business going, are you thinking of like staying in the treatment room or do you feel like God's calling you to another place right now or education?
15:06
Funny that you said that.
15:07
I'm actually starting nursing school.
15:08
Oh my gosh.
15:09
In like six, seven weeks-ish.
15:10
Congratulations.
15:11
Thank you.
15:11
Thank you.
15:12
Yeah.
15:12
So I had a really good opportunity come my way and I feel like –
15:17
It's just seamless.
15:19
So yeah, I'm going to be doing that.
15:21
But I don't plan on, right now my vision isn't to go and do injectables.
15:24
Like that's not what I wanted to do.
15:26
Would I do it on the side?
15:27
Maybe.
15:28
But it's such a, I don't know.
15:32
I really, my true passion is I love, I'm weird.
15:34
I love being pregnant.
15:35
I love pregnancies.
15:36
I love birth.
15:37
I love it all.
15:38
And so when I was pregnant with my first baby, I fell in love with my, the midwifery care that I had.
15:44
Oh.
15:45
And just loved it that I thought, wow, I wish more people knew what I'm learning right now about pregnancy and your options and your options in terms of like how to be healthy during your pregnancy.
15:55
Yeah.
15:56
Like anything else.
15:56
Wow.
15:57
But, um.
15:58
so yeah I fell in love with that and I thought about being a doula yeah first I had I took birthing classes all kind of things and um then I realized I wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse yeah and then it kind of all rolled in my lap second pregnancy I met a new midwife my insurance stopped covering my other one um and we hit it off so well she was like I want to hire you right freaking now wow you need to go to school and you need to become a midwife and I was like yeah I will her name's Tori I'm like yeah Tori I will I will
16:26
And then I ended up pushing it off.
16:29
Yeah.
16:30
And then it all just happened in like literally a week span.
16:33
Incredible.
16:33
Yeah.
16:33
Congratulations on this new journey.
16:35
That's insane.
16:36
I mean, I think it goes back to when you first got into aesthetics and you were essentially a different person and it's okay to evolve with your business and grow.
16:45
Now, are you still going to keep your current business or are you thinking of doing both?
16:49
Yeah.
16:50
I'm going to keep it.
16:50
Okay.
16:51
Mainly because right now I really probably see maybe three new clients a month.
16:55
Okay.
16:56
I have all my same clients on rotation.
16:58
Yeah.
16:58
So, I mean, I'm always open to see new clients.
17:01
But because I'm busy, I have two kids under three.
17:04
You know what I mean?
17:05
I'm a wife.
17:06
I have the business and all of that.
17:07
So I'm just occupied.
17:09
But, yeah, I'm going to keep it for now.
17:11
And I'm still going to keep it even as I become a nurse.
17:15
But...
17:16
Yeah.
17:16
Are you open to, I mean, I noticed on your page, I think I saw that you do educational.
17:23
Do you do like one-on-ones with estheticians for your business or anything else when it comes to teaching other people in the industry?
17:30
Yes.
17:31
One-on-ones are my favorite.
17:32
I don't like to teach in group settings.
17:33
Yeah.
17:34
I think that you don't absorb as much and you may feel like a little bit setback.
17:37
Yeah.
17:37
I want to ask something because you're like, I don't want to be annoying.
17:40
But I do think that it's super important to do one-on-ones.
17:43
So I've been doing trainings for the past two years and I love it.
17:47
I think that's another thing is my business.
17:48
That's why I don't, um, try to promote to get new clients all the time because I do, I see clients two days a week and then a training and then two clients.
17:58
So that's kind of where my time goes.
17:59
And the trainings are time consuming for hours and hours and hours.
18:02
And then you're always like 24 seven on available availability because they have to reach out.
18:06
You have questions, concerns, whatnot.
18:08
So
18:08
Is it in person or is it through Zoom?
18:10
All online.
18:10
Okay.
18:11
Yeah.
18:11
Nice.
18:11
All online.
18:12
So I've trained all over the U.S. And I have my first student coming up in a couple weeks in Belize.
18:18
Wow.
18:19
That's incredible.
18:20
Yes.
18:20
Are you excited?
18:21
I'm excited.
18:22
I'm very excited for her.
18:23
Yeah.
18:25
It's different shipping, though, out to somebody in Belize.
18:27
Yeah.
18:28
So that's the mission.
18:30
Like I have to ship it to, they have a shipping carrier.
18:33
So I have to ship it to somebody else and that somebody else is going to know that it's going to go to her.
18:36
It's like very odd doing out of the country.
18:38
Wow.
18:39
Well, congratulations on that.
18:40
That's huge.
18:41
Thanks.
18:41
How did you get into trainings?
18:43
Um, I just started, I had a lot of inquiries on it and then I'm like, you know what?
18:47
I've done a lot of education on this before I even started aesthetics.
18:50
I was a science major.
18:51
I never finished, but I went in for that.
18:53
So I've always loved the peels and everything.
18:55
So when I got into it, that's when I'm like, okay, other people can make a lot of money for this.
18:58
There's room for everyone.
18:59
Yeah.
18:59
Yeah.
19:00
How did you find like the right site to build your courses off of?
19:05
You know what?
19:05
I'm still in the works.
19:07
Nothing's perfect.
19:08
Yeah.
19:08
So right now I use Stand Store to purchase my trainings and then I do my trainings via Zoom.
19:13
And then, yeah, I kind of just do it off of that.
19:15
It's kind of all over the place.
19:16
Yeah.
19:16
I wish I had like a one site.
19:17
It sounds like it's been very organic for you, which is amazing.
19:21
And just looking at your page, I'm like, oh my gosh, I...
19:24
had no idea that this was going on in the background.
19:26
Oh, you're like a career switch, which is exciting.
19:30
But as far as you and you getting in the aesthetics industry, I know that we talked a little bit about like Instagram having its ups and downs and the algorithm.
19:41
What has been like your biggest struggle with Instagram and
19:45
I think, so a couple years ago, all of my videos would be crazy viral.
19:51
And then they started, instead of having monitors, Instagram monitors, they started having AI do the monitoring.
19:59
And then so all my stuff would get flagged.
20:01
Literally everything.
20:02
From even me talking, flagged.
20:04
Underarm wax, flagged.
20:05
Everything.
20:06
So I even got emails from Instagram that if you post any more of these, of Brazilians or anything like that, you will get deleted.
20:12
Like it's over.
20:13
Yeah.
20:13
So that's when I'm, so now I don't post hardly anything, which is bad.
20:18
Um, I should be better about it, but, um, yeah.
20:21
Wow.
20:21
So Instagram basically just kept flagging your account because they saw content that looked like it was, they didn't understand the service.
20:28
In underarm wax.
20:29
Yeah.
20:29
Yeah.
20:29
That's crazy.
20:30
They're like, that's nudity.
20:31
That's sexual nudity.
20:32
And I'm like, it's an underarm.
20:33
There are people doing liposuction on here.
20:35
I know.
20:36
I can't even imagine because I feel like TikTok is so different.
20:39
Like, I feel like I see that stuff all the time.
20:40
all the time did you go to tiktok instead no i actually blew up on tiktok a couple years ago so i've had the same tiktok forever um that one tiktok is strict too like you can't post extractions on tiktok at least i would get flagged for that it could just be me but yeah so that that was not fun yeah so do you have like i mean if you're a waxer then how do you have you figured out how to get around it no i mean i just don't post that kind of stuff yeah i post regular like day in the lives um
21:09
Get ready with me.
21:09
Things like that for my business.
21:11
Stock up the fridge, like all of those things.
21:13
But I don't really show treatments.
21:14
I do show before and afters for lightenings, but only underarm lightenings.
21:17
Like, unfortunately, I cannot show Brazilian lightenings or anything, like inner thigh even.
21:22
I'm just like, I don't want to risk it.
21:24
Yeah, that makes sense.
21:25
So do people still inquire about Brazilians then?
21:28
I mean, or do you just kind of talk to them once you see them in person?
21:32
Because I feel like if you're going to somebody's page and like you can't see your work in that area, have you seen any difference like with inquiries on your business?
21:41
No.
21:42
Okay.
21:42
Because I still post on my stories.
21:44
Okay, gotcha.
21:45
So I'm really active on my story.
21:48
And I post a lot of things that I probably shouldn't.
21:50
But I still do.
21:51
So I'll post like a before and after of a labia transformation on my story.
21:56
And things like that.
21:57
But yeah, so I feel like it hasn't slowed me down.
22:00
But it could if...
22:02
they want to do.
22:03
Yeah.
22:03
You know, that's so crazy.
22:04
Instagram is so annoying sometimes.
22:06
I mean, it's so up and down and that's why you just got to either one just keep going or kind of like, you're like, it is what it is.
22:12
Right.
22:13
Right.
22:13
Right.
22:13
Right.
22:14
Um, so I want to talk about TikTok and your virality for sure.
22:18
What, what is like, what was the biggest success for you when you on TikTok?
22:27
I mean, you get paid on TikTok.
22:28
Yeah.
22:29
But it's not really that crazy.
22:30
It's like, it's cool, you know, but, um, I would just post a lot of my waxing videos would go viral.
22:36
Yeah.
22:37
And I'm talking like 3 million views.
22:39
Wow.
22:39
Like they would all blow up just the waxing ones.
22:42
And then I just, I think when I got pregnant with my son, I just, my first baby, I stopped.
22:46
Yeah.
22:47
I just was not motivated anymore.
22:48
And I didn't post on TikTok for a year.
22:49
Wow.
22:50
Wow.
22:50
Wow.
22:50
Wow.
22:50
Wow.
22:50
Wow.
22:50
Wow.
22:50
And then I just started getting back into it and I started posting about lightning and stuff because that's my niche.
22:57
And then I decided, I don't even think I want to make this an aesthetic, like an esthetician page.
23:02
Yeah.
23:02
I think I just want to make it me like mom life talking about the word and things like that.
23:07
Cause that's what I'm truly passionate about.
23:09
Yeah.
23:09
So, so is it the same page or did you create a new one?
23:12
Same page, change the name.
23:13
Nice.
23:13
Yeah.
23:14
Awesome.
23:14
Have you noticed a difference in engagement because people followed you for
23:18
waxing and now you're transitioning into motherhood?
23:21
Hit or miss.
23:22
Okay.
23:22
Hit or miss.
23:23
I really, I'm not trying to be like controversial.
23:25
My page, I talk a lot about, like I said, Bible talk.
23:28
So I feel like I've gained that.
23:30
Yes.
23:31
But even then I was really active.
23:33
And for the past like two, three months, I haven't really been active on there.
23:35
I just go through like spurts.
23:37
So I commend you because you are so consistent.
23:39
Thank you.
23:40
So, and I know it's a lot of work and you have kids.
23:44
So that is amazing.
23:45
Instagram.
23:46
Thank you.
23:46
I appreciate that.
23:47
It is so hard to be consistent.
23:49
I think that's something that like a lot of people struggle with because like truthfully, I mean, thankfully I have my husband and you have such a supportive husband too, but like he can literally make a post for me if I need to, because he has like studied the niche.
24:02
He knows how to make a video.
24:03
So sometimes if you see a post, it'll actually be him.
24:06
And I'm like,
24:06
dang you've gotten so good at this I know I'm like so I do have like an amazing support person so I just want to put that out there that's how it should be yeah it should be exactly and I truly believe that everybody needs somebody like that in their life to like push them in the right direction of whatever you want to accomplish in life um right but if you had one piece of advice for an esthetician trying to get into waxing or skin lightening what would it be
24:32
Oh my gosh.
24:33
That's like an easy question, but a little bit hard, huh?
24:35
Yeah.
24:36
I feel like I would tell them to...
24:40
Explore your options when it comes to wax.
24:42
Okay.
24:43
So when I started off, I only used hard wax, but that's going to cost you so much money in the long run.
24:48
So when I switched to soft wax, you will make three X, four X just switching to soft.
24:55
So just explore and, um, just never stop learning.
24:58
Just keep going.
24:59
Cause in the beginning, when you start waxing, you kind of, you can get scared.
25:03
because it's, it's scary.
25:04
You're dealing with things that you would never, a normal person doesn't see.
25:08
And so if you just keep pushing yourself to be consistent, like, no, this is what I'm going to do.
25:12
Don't just take a course and then not do it.
25:14
Okay.
25:14
Because a lot of people do that.
25:16
Um, if you, I'm the type of person, if I'm going to learn something, I'm going to learn it all the way.
25:20
I'm going to stick with that.
25:21
So same thing.
25:22
If you're going to try it out, try it out for a long time.
25:25
Don't try it out for two weeks and then
25:27
you know, not stick with it.
25:29
I know.
25:29
And I feel like on, in aesthetic school, we learn the basics.
25:33
How do you become an expert at waxing?
25:36
You do it like a thousand times.
25:37
Okay.
25:38
Over and over.
25:39
Tips and tricks?
25:39
Like anything?
25:40
Oh my gosh.
25:41
I don't know.
25:42
You just do it over and over and over.
25:44
And then the more you do it, the better you get.
25:45
Yeah.
25:46
Like even me.
25:47
So I, about six, seven months ago, I switched to soft wax.
25:50
Yeah.
25:50
Yeah.
25:51
And in school, everyone's like, soft wax is horrible.
25:53
It's so bad.
25:54
You can only do the area one time.
25:55
You're going to rip people's skin off.
25:56
No, no, no.
25:57
So they scare a lot of estheticians from using soft wax.
26:02
No, I was like, you know what?
26:03
I'm determined.
26:04
I'm seeing people using soft wax and they are getting great results and they're doing it faster.
26:07
So I am going to do it.
26:09
Wow.
26:09
And I did, I think 20 people or so.
26:13
And then I'm like, okay, I'm feeling comfortable.
26:14
And then kept going, kept going.
26:15
And now I can never, I do not even, I have hard wax, probably 30 pounds sitting at my studio that I don't even know what to do with because I'm just, I love soft.
26:23
Yeah.
26:23
That's a really good point.
26:24
Only thing you can't wax is nostrils.
26:26
Okay.
26:26
Okay.
26:27
I mean, maybe you can, you can, uh, let me know.
26:30
Let's find out.
26:30
No girl.
26:31
Husbands are in the room.
26:32
So that's true.
26:33
That's true.
26:35
But it's going to be the guinea pig.
26:36
Yeah.
26:37
Somebody is going to come over here and get those wax.
26:38
That's hilarious.
26:39
That's actually really, really good advice.
26:42
Um, so for, do you offer courses like for waxing or is it mostly light skin lining?
26:47
You know, I do offer courses.
26:49
I don't advertise it, though.
26:50
OK.
26:51
So if an esthetician messages me, hey, I'm fresh out of school or hey, I really want to specialize in using soft wax, do you offer training?
26:57
Absolutely.
26:58
Yeah.
26:58
And I'll shoot you over like how much it is, what's included, what I offer you.
27:02
And I just did one a couple weeks ago.
27:04
And she had an amazing time.
27:06
Wow.
27:06
We were able to get her eight models that day, which was so good.
27:09
And she was just ripping things out, doing everything perfect by the end of the day.
27:12
And she's like, wow, I absolutely feel so confident.
27:14
And that's exactly that's my goal.
27:16
I want you to leave this going home and being able to do it on everybody, you know, you know, so amazing.
27:22
And do you ever do them in person ever?
27:24
Yeah, they were in person.
27:25
Oh, okay.
27:26
Yeah.
27:26
So waxing is in person.
27:28
Oh, okay.
27:28
Gotcha.
27:29
So waxing is in person and then the skin lightning is online.
27:32
Virtual.
27:32
You can, I do offer in person, but it's a little bit more.
27:36
Yeah.
27:36
But, um, makes sense.
27:37
Yeah, no, it's like, cause it takes a lot.
27:39
I feel like if you're going to come into the studio physically, we are going to be there a long time.
27:44
Mm hmm.
27:45
Um, so it is worth it, but yeah, but body waxing, I feel like you really have to be hands-on with that kind of service.
27:51
Oh yeah.
27:51
You know what I mean?
27:52
Like you have to, I agree so that you can see their technique and how much hair is coming off.
27:58
Absolutely.
27:58
Yeah.
27:58
There's so much that goes into it.
28:00
Um, so since you got into online training and in-person trainings, what would you suggest to somebody that wants to get into training for this?
28:09
Like when is the right time?
28:11
Was it like obviously when you feel comfortable or how did you get comfortable enough to offer these services?
28:17
I think, like you said, you need to be comfortable doing it yourself.
28:20
You need to do your research.
28:21
You need to be extremely confident in the ingredients, like everything that's in the peels or what wax you're using and everything.
28:28
So you're able to teach somebody that.
28:30
Yeah.
28:30
Because A, if you're a small business owner and then you start doing trainings and you're slacking on them or you're not offering 100%, you're setting somebody else up for failure.
28:39
So I think you need to, it's not just about the money.
28:42
It's about genuinely wanting to see another esthetician make money.
28:46
You know what I mean?
28:47
So that's why I truly enjoy it.
28:50
So even in my, so in my trainings, I send a detailed itinerary of everything that we're doing from hour to hour, minute to minute.
28:55
I send you the requirements for the models you're going to need, all of the stuff.
28:58
But I also send you the contraindications, aftercare protocol.
29:01
product overview, all of that.
29:02
But the first hour of the training, we're going over where pigment can sit in the skin, what's causing the pigment, um, how you break up the melanocytes, like all of that stuff.
29:10
We're going over that.
29:11
And I want you to have answers for your clients that say, Hey, um, I'm not doing all the things you're saying that can cause pigmentation.
29:17
Why do I have it?
29:18
And you should be able to kind of, we're not doctors, but we are estheticians.
29:22
We're skin therapists.
29:23
Oh yeah.
29:23
So we can have answers sometimes.
29:26
Amazing.
29:26
I mean, I love that you,
29:29
give so much detail to your course.
29:30
Cause I feel like that's what a lot of courses miss or even in-person trainings.
29:34
And it makes me sad.
29:36
Cause I, I talked to a ton of estheticians that pay for certain things and they're like, Oh, I learned a little bit and I don't feel like, I feel like I could have done learned more.
29:45
And I just, I really respect you for doing that and offering like valuable training because
29:52
that's what people need so amazing i'm so that makes me so happy to hear that you're making a change in the aesthetics industry thank you thank you of course for the peels are there any specific peels that you would suggest for an esthetician if they're doing skin lightening for sure you would have to use something that at least has glycolic salicylic lactic and malic acid something like that what's your favorite
30:15
Ooh, I can't say.
30:16
Okay.
30:16
But.
30:17
Top secret.
30:18
It's very top secret.
30:19
But what I can say is just make sure that the peel that you're using is perfect, is not that it's perfect, but that has a good delivery system.
30:28
Yeah.
30:28
And it's good for sensitive skin.
30:30
Okay.
30:30
Okay.
30:31
Because, and it has to be formulated for the intimate areas if that's what you're going to light in.
30:35
Okay.
30:35
Don't go online and just buy this glycolic acid 30% and start applying it.
30:42
No.
30:42
You need to have – this is why it took me time to offer training.
30:47
Yeah.
30:47
Because you can't just go and do whatever you want down, especially in the Brazilian area.
30:51
You just can't do it.
30:52
Yeah.
30:52
But, I mean, you can use other body lightening peels from Glymed.
30:56
I keep saying Glymed.
30:57
I love Glymed, by the way.
30:58
Yeah.
30:59
And you can use them on the underarms and stuff.
31:01
But intimate areas, you need to use something that's very gentle.
31:04
Amazing.
31:04
Yes.
31:04
Well –
31:05
Where can people find you on Instagram?
31:08
Gina the Esty Bestie.
31:10
That's a mess, you guys.
31:12
I was, did you know my old name?
31:15
Did you know?
31:16
Honestly, I feel like I've always known you as Gina the Usty Bessy.
31:19
Maybe.
31:19
That's good.
31:19
Wait, I just saw your profile picture and I feel like I've always seen that.
31:22
The profile picture.
31:23
Yeah.
31:23
Mm-hmm.
31:24
What was it before?
31:25
Jean Bean Beauty.
31:26
Oh, yes.
31:27
Yes.
31:27
Yes.
31:27
Okay, now it makes sense.
31:28
I'm like, you had to say it for me to remember.
31:30
Yes.
31:31
So that was my original, like, everything, right?
31:34
And actually, we're in the process of rebranding right now.
31:37
Nice.
31:37
But I wanted to keep my Instagram name separate than my business name.
31:40
Yeah.
31:40
But, yeah.
31:41
Absolutely.
31:42
And where can people find your courses?
31:44
So they're on my, if you go to my Instagram and then you click on the link, it will lead you to where you can purchase all the courses in-person waxing, online skin lightening training and in-person skin lightening training.
31:55
Amazing.
31:56
Well, thank you so much for being on the podcast today.
31:59
Thank you.
31:59
I hope you guys enjoyed today's episode.
32:01
Make sure you like, comment and subscribe and we'll see you in the next one.