Creating Sedona Skin & Wax Studio
By 2015, I had been an esthetician for over a decade, and while I loved what I did, I knew something was missing. Working in resort spas was fun and had definitely shaped my skills, but everything felt so scripted. Every facial had a specific protocol, every movement was the same, and every client was a temporary visitor passing through.
I missed the connection.
I missed the relationships — the people whose lives I’d become a part of, and who had become a part of mine. I wanted to get back to the heart of why I started doing this work in the first place: to help people understand their skin and feel good in their skin.
So, I started dreaming again.
I wanted a space where I could combine everything I had learned — the clinical knowledge, the holistic philosophy, and the artistry of touch — to create something uniquely mine. A place where results met relaxation, and where skincare wasn’t about chasing perfection, but about nurturing health and confidence at every age.
In March of 2016, I found the perfect little launching pad — a cozy room that would become the first home of Sedona Skin & Wax Studio.
It was small, but it was mine. And for the first time in a long time, I felt free to create. I could customize every facial, experiment with products, tools and new facial equipment, and really focus on the long-term health of my clients’ skin. Little by little, word spread, and my clientele began to grow. Within a year and a half, I had outgrown that tiny room and moved into a beautiful new suite — my second location.
At that point, I thought I wanted to expand into a bigger spa with employees. And for a while, it was wonderful. I loved having a team, the energy of collaboration, and the joy of helping others grow their own esthetic careers. But deep down, I started realizing that the larger spa model wasn’t aligned with how I wanted to work.
Letting my team go and returning to being a solo esthetician was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made… but it turned out to be one of the best.
Not long after, the world turned upside down with Covid. Like so many small business owners, I had to close my doors for a while and figure out how to survive. The following year, in 2021, just when things were starting to stabilize, the building my suite was in sold and all tenants were asked to vacate.
For eight months, I was what I jokingly refer to as “business homeless.” It was hard — but it also reaffirmed something that’s been true my entire journey: resilience is everything.
When I finally reopened Sedona Skin & Wax Studio in my current location, it truly felt like coming home.
Here we are — 2025 — and I’m celebrating 22 years in my esthetics journey. One of my favorite things about being a seasoned esthetician is realizing just how much I’ve learned over the past two decades… and how much there still is to discover. This industry is always evolving, and I love that there are endless paths to explore.
It’s funny to think back to where it all began — just a girl with stubborn acne, trying to figure out how to heal her skin and help others do the same. Now, at 50, I find myself on a new path: embracing the process of aging and helping others feel confident in their skin at every stage.
My mission has always been simple — to help people feel comfortable, confident, and happy in their own skin. Perfect skin doesn’t exist, but healthy, radiant skin absolutely does — at any age. Wrinkles will come, and that’s okay. They’re part of our story.
As I walk through my 50s — botox and filler free — I’m doing it with a smile on my face, grateful for skin that’s strong, healthy, and cared for with love. Thank you for being part of this journey with me. I wouldn’t be here without you — and I’m so happy we get to do this aging thing together.
Skin Lesson:
Just like life, your skincare journey will have chapters of change, challenge, and rediscovery. True radiance comes when you accept the process — and start flowing with it.
“Happy girls are the prettiest”- Audrey Hepburn