Today is a day we celebrate a wonderful profession within the beauty industry, Estheticians! While both being one myself and working for a company in the esthetician-driven industry, the respect and admiration I have for everyone in this industry are endless. 

I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our fellow estheticians than by spotlighting a few of our very own and sharing a part of their story.

To introduce everyone, I will include a picture and how long each has been in the industry. This will be split between two blog posts, featuring four of our estheticians on each post.

Crystal O'Reilly

@crystal.esthetics

located in Vancouver, WA 

3+ years in the industry. 

Mary-Bryant Boyd

@barebyblondie

located in Pulaski, TN

1 1/2 years in the industry

Alyssa Kotter

@alyssak_esthetics

located in Utah (Home Based)

3 1/2 years in the industry

Mecaila Farnsworth 

@thecoloradoesthetician

located in Wiggins, CO

in the industry since May '21

Why did you become an esthetician?

“I wanted to help people feel comfortable and happy in their own skin and educate others on the best way to care for their skin health long term.”  Crystal

“I got a job working at a medical clinic at 19 and worked there for six years. I instantly fell in love with the medicinal side of things. Forever I pondered about choosing the beauty industry, and that is when I discovered Esthetics. I knew it was not only what I wanted to do but what I NEEDED to do. A passion and a career collided, and here I am.”  Mary

“I became an esthetician because of my personal struggles with acne. I became so intrigued with the thought of learning how and why my skin was breaking out, how to treat it, and then do the same for others.”  Alyssa

“I had wanted to become an esthetician since 2017 when I began working on “the skin champs team” at University of Colorado Hospital. As a Respiratory Therapist, I joined the skin champs team to take action in the rise of preventable skin damage caused by medical devices. Our team was made up of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and estheticians. As a team, we rounded each floor and ICU of the hospital together and assessed each patient’s skin top to bottom twice a week to ensure we were doing everything possible to protect our patients from getting pressure wounds on their skin caused by our medical devices. Working with this team, specifically, the estheticians, is what sparked my interest in treating skin.”  Mecaila

What helps you stand out?

“I think being relatable and transparent about my own skin struggles and rocking my pimple patches proudly.”  Crystal

“I try to be a down-to-earth, empathetic, and healing person. When they walk into my treatment room, my clients know that they can leave their problems at the door, come in, and know they are doing something for themselves. I pride myself on the fact that I can not only change people’s skin or just be there when my clients need me.”  Mary 

“I think the thing that makes me stand out is being completely myself and showing my clients and followers exactly who I am. Anyone can do esthetic treatment, but no one else is you. That is our biggest asset.”  Alyssa

“The two main things that make me stand out are my passion for helping others and my attention to detail. I always make a genuine effort to support the people around me, not only professionally but personally. I love that my friends and family feel comfortable asking me for help or know that I’ll be there to simply listen and offer them words of encouragement. I also pride myself on my attention to detail! I am someone that very much believes in doing everything right the first time.”  Mecaila

What inspires you?

“Being around those who value education and constantly trying to leave the industry better than when they found it,”  Crystal

“The owner of the shop that I rent at. Hannah started an upscale full-service salon in a tiny town in Tennessee. No one was used to all these new and exciting things that only big cities offered. Hannah has truly been a trailblazer for so many of us in our area, and she has helped mold me into the businesswoman/owner that I am today.”  Mary 

“Seeing my fellow estheticians do unique treatments and transformations inspire me so much. We do life-changing things in this industry, and l love seeing other esties thrive and be successful.”  Alyssa

“My family inspires me every day, especially my son. I want to teach him that building a successful business around your passions is possible. It is okay to step outside what others may feel is best for you. This is what inspires me to keep going, especially on days when I doubt myself or wonder if this will all be worth it. I want to be his role model and set the example that you can truly be anything you want to be in this life with hard work and dedication.”  Mecaila

What advice do you have for other estheticians?

“Put yourself first when you can. The best person to take care of you is YOU.”  Crystal

“DON’T BE SCARED TO TAKE THE LEAP. Shoot for your dreams, no matter how crazy they sound. Nobody in my hometown had really ever heard of results-driven skincare or half the things I do. Now I can hardly fit people in on my schedule because everybody wants to get their skin corrected. Also, don’t wait for luck to happen. Get out and work hard and create your own luck. Success doesn’t happen overnight, and you have to be willing to work for it!”  Mary 

“My biggest advice would be to never stop learning and never compare yourself to other people in this industry. It’s often easy to get caught up in how many clients someone else has, how many transformations they can do, how often they post, how much money they make, etc. Know there is room for everyone in this industry, and use those people to be inspired and learn more.”  Alyssa

“My advice to others is to just go for it! If there is something in your life you want to do, just do it! It took me a long time to accept that there is no “right time” for anything and that it is okay to change your life when you are unhappy. Don’t be afraid to go after your dream job; it’s never too late or just the right time. Once you take the leap, you will look back and wonder what took you so long.”  Mecaila

What does the skincare industry mean to you?

 “Connecting with like-minded individuals who want to empower others to be happy and confident and rock their natural skin”  Crystal

“This industry changed my life. I could cry thinking about it, honestly. I am happier than I have ever been, and sometimes I cannot believe this is what I get to do every day. I remember going through school full time, working full time, being a mom to a toddler, and I was pregnant and thinking there is no way I can do this. Now I look back and thank God that I did it. This is my calling, and I have had so many doors open for me because of this industry.”  Mary

“This industry is everything to me. It has changed my life, and I love it so much. It brings me joy every single day to make someone feel more confident.”  Alyssa

“It means teaching others how important it is that we care for our skin as we would any other organ in our body. We accomplish this by constantly educating the public on the importance of skin health. And showing the world the value estheticians bring far beyond the superficial stereotypes and impossible beauty standards so many think they must achieve.”  Mecaila

What specific experience solidified Esthetics as a career for you?

“Back in 2016, I was making my own skincare as a hobby before I did it professionally. And I had a girl reach out to me and tell me by using my products, she left her house for the first time without makeup in years, and it made me tear up.

Literally, any time I get a text from a client thanking me for helping them love the skin they’re in gives me butterflies and is a constant reminder that I’m where I’m supposed to be”  Crystal

“There is one particular client that I have had some of the worst acne I have ever laid eyes on. She truly is one of the sweetest people I have ever met and is beautiful with or without acne. She had the lowest self-esteem and had tried everything, so she finally booked a facial with me one day! She took a chance on me, and honestly, I took a chance on her. Her skin cleared up with little to no scarring, and she still is clear. Once she finished my boot camp, she cried–truly cried. I teared up. She was so thankful, and I was too. This was when I knew that this was my calling. It’s so much more than skin to me. This is what I was destined to do!”  Mary 

“Being a part of the skin team at UCH solidified my love for Esthetics, especially working with burn patients. Many would have nearly 80-90% of their bodies burned, so we worked with them for many months, then they would finally complete all their treatments and get well enough to be discharged. I absolutely loved being able to see them strut back into the burn unit with big smiles, happy to be alive getting their life back!

Now my esthetics career is constantly solidified when my clients beam that same smile when they look in the mirror and see their skin improving,”  Mecaila

Follow along to part 2 to learn about Jimmy, Madilynn, Tessa, and Allyson!