As of this March, I have been a licensed esthetician for 8 years. My goal was to have a skincare business of my very own, and I did just that.
I started taking clients; AKA, very supportive friends, from my home. I then went on to share a suite at my most favorite massage therapist/mentor’s studio. She helped me believe in myself to the point of moving on and renting my very own room at a hair salon. My longtime family friend/hairstylist got me the spot at Fringe Hair Studio in La Crescenta, CA. From there, I flourished. I made that salon my second home. I created a space where my clients could come and be at peace. It was a space to sleep, chat, laugh, a space to feel loved and valued. It was always much more than a skincare service.
“Skin by Brooklynn” is my proudest achievement thus far in my life. I was only in business for about 3 years, but it was the most fulfilled I had ever been. I grew relationships with the stylists at the salon, my clients, even got to know myself better. I took my dream and I turned it into a reality. Now, it wasn’t always easy. Small businesses are hard to get up and running. Financially it was not always the most profitable and tax season was my arch nemesis.
After Allie passed (she was biggest cheerleader), after I had moved to the South Bay with my lover boi (my husband), and after I got screwed from my taxes and was struggling to catch up, I realized the best decision was to let go of it. FOR NOW. It hurt. It still hurts and I miss my cheerleader.
It’s been hard to find value in my work without caring for my clients. I put a lot of my identity in being an esthetician. Still do. To be completely transparent, I feel like a failure most days when I think about leaving a job I worked so hard to create for myself. It was a gift. Something that maybe one day I will come back to. God has been teaching me a lot in this season, it hasn’t been all rainbows and butterflies, but I do get sandy toes and the beach breeze here in the South Bay. SO, can I reallllly complain that much? I don’t fully understand what God is doing, but in the mean time, I will ride (or really just watch) the waves until He fills me in on His plan.
Skincare is still a passion of mine and though I am not fully immersed in it at this time in my life, I still have a wealth of knowledge to share. My approach is a mix of hippy dippy and realistic. Your average gal, is not out there buying $150 moisturizer made for the gods. I’m here to help you find balance. You’ll find the less stressful your life becomes, the happier your skin will be and more importantly, the more content you will be! Let’s keep it simple, honey!
Sincerely,
Brooklynn