Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Allen.
Hi Vanessa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been artistic. I had a creative mind, was good at working with my hands, and had an eye for what looked good. My grandma always said that I was good at doing tedious things. That’s why doing lash extensions is one of my best jobs. From a young age, I was interested in beauty: makeup, beauty products, skincare, and hair. I wanted to be beautiful, and I wanted to assist others with finding beauty within themselves. These traits are important qualities to have to be someone in the beauty industry. The start of my journey into esthetics began back in 2017. At that time, I was serving and bartending at a restaurant. I had 4 years of experience in the restaurant industry, and I longed for more than just waiting on tables and serving food. I was fed up with relying only on tips for my livelihood and feeling like a servant. I started researching other jobs I could get into or could be qualified for. I am trying to remember what came first, 1. Seeing an ad for a beauty school, or 2. Looking into a beauty school first and then getting an ad for it later. Either way, you spin it, I got interested in becoming a licensed esthetician. I kept thinking to myself, “If I do this (enroll in beauty school), in 6 months, I could become a licensed esthetician and start doing something I’m passionate about.” Immediately after graduating, I took my state board exams and began working for a mom-and-pop esthetic shop. It was a long and stressful 6 months, but a young esthetician was born in the middle of 2018. I got hired for my first esthetician job before I was even licensed. I continued working at the restaurant at the same time that I was at the esthetic shop for monetary stability. Working at the esthetic shop was short-lived, but I learned what it was like to work in such a setting and the red flags to look out for in future esthetic careers. Once I parted ways with the mom-and-pop shop, I was back at square one again. I was a licensed esthetician, yet I still served tables that needed to be filled. In 2020, I finally decided to go all in. I got hired as a lash stylist at a franchise lash studio. I was there for under a year before I was ready to spread my wings and wipe my hands off that place. I left my restaurant job, which I had been at for 5 years then, equalling 7 years of experience in the restaurant industry. By 2021, I was a solo esthetician/lash artist, running and growing my small business. After a lot of hard decisions and risks, I’m still running a successful small business today in 2023.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s mostly been a smooth road, but it’s easy to say that now, looking back at where I was to where I am today. I faced many obstacles on the road to becoming my boss. It was challenging to leave my comfort zone of being in a restaurant. I was living a life I’d known for 7 years. I was leaving behind friends and everything I was used to. I still can’t believe I did it. My time at the beauty school that I attended was pretty rough too. It was hard enough to attend class full time and work every day after school, but it was equally challenging to make and keep friends at the school due to cattiness and competition amongst my peers. I was experiencing many family issues simultaneously, and it all took a toll on my mental health and well-being. On top of all this, I struggled to maintain a long-distance relationship. Now that I have listed all these things, I’m getting more memories of how difficult this journey has been! I shed a lot of tears, had a lot of naps in my car instead of eating lunch, and had many mornings dozing off on the road on the way to school. So, to answer your question, it has been a challenging road. But it’s been a road that has built a lot of character.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Although I am a licensed esthetician, and this title is an umbrella over many categories, I primarily perform and specialize in eyelash extensions. I’m most known for my natural style and for keeping up with the latest lash trends, including colorful eyelash extensions, wet lash looks, and wispy/spikey lashes. When I have time away from lash extensions, I also perform small facial waxing, lash lifts and tints, and brow lamination. I am currently working my way into the permanent makeup industry. I’m most proud of how far my artistry has improved. When I started in this industry, I was not good at lash extensions. I didn’t think I would continue with this service, but I stuck with it, and I’m proud of myself for that and for how much I’ve grown as a solo artist and business owner. One thing that sets me apart from others is my high standard of hospitality, my customer service skills, and my ability to anticipate the needs of others. I sometimes worry about how long it took me to pursue my esthetic career. Still, all I spent out of the beauty industry was time spent gaining customer service skills and learning how to deal with conflict or complaints professionally. On top of creating looks and confidence for my clients, my goal is that they are comfortable with me and the experience they receive with their service.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something surprising that people might not know about me is that I’m really into baking and learning Korean pop dance choreography. I go through these phases where I’ll see a pastry or dessert online that seems interesting or easy to make, and I’ll keep making that dish over and over again for weeks until I either perfect it or give up. I’ve done this with macarons, Japanese soufflé pancakes, and creme brulee. It’s one of my hobbies. The same goes for k-pop dance choreography. If I see a dance that looks super cool or cute, I’ll be dancing in my living room to that song on repeat for days trying to be as cute as these K-idols are, until I get tired of the song completely.
Pricing:
- Full Set of Lash Extensions range from $150-175
- Maintenance Lash Refills range from $75-96
Contact Info:
- Website: babytofubeauty.as.me
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/babytofu.beauty?igshid=ZmZhODViOGI=
Image Credits
Featured personal photo by Ferrovisuals (Taliferro Neal)
