Speaker 1: 0:30

I'm Nina Wilson and I own the Beauty Haven Beauty Boutique, which is located in Herndon, Virginia, and we actually provide a plethora of services. So to start is eyelash extensions, brow tint, lash lifts, micro shading, micro blading and some body sculpting, and I also do a little bit of training other eyelash technicians.

Speaker 2: 0:58

Okay, very nice. You've got like a nice plethora of like body care, wellness, beauty stuff. I love that one stop shop. Yes, I would like to ask how you got started in your industry and what was your passion for being like? You know what I'm gonna do, that I think I can do that.

Speaker 1: 1:12

Yes, well, I've always been into beauty. Ever since high school I worked as a shampoo girl in beauty salons. Then I ventured out into the corporate world for a little while, but while doing that it would always be like my little side hustle to do like hair extensions or braids and stuff like that. And then a friend of mine, she went and got eyelash extensions and I honestly did not know anything about them. I knew about the things that they sold, like at CVS or like Walgreens or something like that, but like the individual ones, I had no idea about those. So she was like I think you would be very, very good at this. She was like the girl offers training. She was like maybe you should go and take it. So I was like, okay, that doesn't sound bad, let me look into it and let me see. So I did it.

Speaker 1: 2:11

And once I did I was like oh, yeah, yeah, I can do this. Like rearranged everything and like I had like this little kitchen nook at my house and I said, okay, well, I can make this my lash area. So I cleaned out everything and so I started off like in the kitchen at my home and then so like people started coming and they were like this looks so good and you know it was lasting. And then I ended up just venturing out getting my own salon suite, wow, yes. And so it's been like growing ever since, and every year I like tend to add on something so that it doesn't stay stagnant.

Speaker 2: 2:57

Yeah, and then when you add stuff, are you bringing in other I guess expertise, or are you learning to do all of this yourself?

Speaker 1: 3:04

I'm learning to do all of it myself. Wow, yes, oh my goodness that is awesome, though.

Speaker 2: 3:08

It's so cool that you like know how to do it, as opposed to like hiring someone. Oh, can you come in and say you like got it all, as opposed to like hiring someone.

Speaker 1: 3:14

Oh, can you?

Speaker 2: 3:14

come in and say you like, got it all. Yes, so do you have a team or anything?

Speaker 1: 3:15

Is it just yourself Right now? Yes, I do have one employee right now, and she's been with me for about three years, okay, and she has a great personality and she is willing to learn pretty much everything and stay underneath my wings, so I'm really grateful for that.

Speaker 2: 3:34

Yeah, that is awesome. And when you started your business, was it nerve wracking for you? Did you have like a plan in mind?

Speaker 1: 3:41

Did you reach out to maybe a coach or no, no, because I knew nothing about it, so I didn't even know who to really reach out to. What helped me was constantly looking at, like um other people's videos and seeing the different techniques and then practicing, because that is like the number one thing that you need to do, especially when it comes down to eyelash extensions.

Speaker 2: 4:08

it's like practice, practice, practice so that you can get better yeah, no, I think that that and like, do you look back on yourself? Sometimes I'm like how did you do that? How did I get here? Are you ever just like? I'm so proud of you, girl.

Speaker 1: 4:21

Yes, yes, I do, Even going from like the first year of me doing lashes. I look at the photos of the people that I did and thought it was like the greatest work ever.

Speaker 2: 4:36

That's like me with my photos too. I'm like, damn, that was so. And then I'm like looking back and I'm like, oh wow, I posted that.

Speaker 1: 4:40

I know, yes yes, exactly, and it was.

Speaker 2: 4:44

It's nothing compared to what I can do now, so so yeah that's awesome and that's how you grow and you learn and you're like, wow, you, it's good because you see how much you've like come and like yes, you've come a long way, so that's exactly exactly and then, um, what are you doing to get your name out there as far as marketing goes for for your, for yourself and your brand? Are you showing, like the befores and afters informational stuff, maybe online, instagram, facebook? Talk to me about yes, so oh, I'm.

Speaker 1: 5:12

I'm still improving. It's like a work in progress all the time. With, like, social media marketing. I'm still still a challenge to me because, like I don't really come from that era, the young people are just so good at it, but it's still a little challenging for me. But I do my best to post on Instagram. That is the most popular one, so that's the one that I gravitate to the most. So I do have an IG at the Beauty Haven VA. If you want to check me out. It shows before and after photos of all of the work that I pretty much do, from lash extensions to micro shading, brows, brow tint, lash lifts. Even some body sculpting is on there.

Speaker 2: 6:04

Yeah, talk to me about body sculpting. That seems like very interesting and kind of cool.

Speaker 1: 6:08

Yes, it is pretty cool. So it's kind of like you use like a cavitation machine. It targets like, um, like areas that you want to get rid of, like cellulite and like the belly area, yeah, the chin, uh, and it also has a feature where you can tighten and tone skin, um, so it's pretty cool.

Speaker 2: 6:31

It's like a wide range of things that you can do with the machine that is awesome I can only see like your stuff expanding, like next you're gonna offer like maybe botox or maybe you might go in that direction.

Speaker 1: 6:43

Well, I'm glad that you said that, because the new, the new thing that I am currently working on is, um, I'm actually opening up a lash supply store, uh, for all of the local lash artists in the area. Wow, yeah, we tend to have we tend to have to go online to purchase things, and if you're in a crunch, you can come on over to my lash supply store and get some of the things that you're missing if you couldn't order something in time. So I'm super excited about that. My plan is to launch it Black Friday for people to come on in and shop. So I'm so super excited. It's been a huge goal of mine to do that.

Speaker 2: 7:20

That is awesome. Will it be available on your current web page or are you going to have a separate web page?

Speaker 1: 7:24

Separate web page because the current web page doesn't offer a place for that Gotcha.

Speaker 2: 7:32

Okay, no, that's exciting, that is awesome.

Speaker 1: 7:34

Congratulations on that, thank you, thank you, thank you. You're moving on forward like that.

Speaker 2: 7:38

Like you said, growing.

Speaker 1: 7:39

I love that yes.

Speaker 2: 7:40

And then um what have been some of the challenges that you've um overcome and, if would you mind sharing those with us.

Speaker 1: 7:47

Sure. So you know, when it comes down to like the lash uh industry and clients and retaining clients, there's such a misconception of lashes harming your natural lashes. Do we hear that a lot? Yes, and it's just miseducation. And most definitely, if you go to the right technician and if you go to the right facility, you won't have that problem at all. I've had clients who've been with me for like four years straight and has never had a break with lashes. Not saying that they shouldn't take a break Breaks are always good, but their lashes are still thriving and they're still healthy. So that says a lot about the technique and the quality of lashes that I use. And if you are looking for a lash tech, those are questions that you should ask, especially if you have the concerns about it taking out your natural lashes.

Speaker 2: 8:52

Yeah, no, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 8:53

Thank you for clarifying that, because that is kind of a scary thing too. Yes, it is.

Speaker 2: 8:56

I want to get this done, but like is it gonna affect me in the long term? Am I gonna be left with like nothing?

Speaker 1: 9:00

like we're gonna hold on to it. Right, correct, correct. But that, no, that is not the case at all. Not at all. Thank you for sharing that.

Speaker 2: 9:10

And then um, do you do your own lashes?

Speaker 1: 9:12

no, okay, I was gonna say like how do you my junior tech actually does it? Yes, you look good. Thank you, I'm like, yay, she must have done that herself. Thank you, that's cute, cool.

Speaker 2: 9:21

And then is there any like events that you hold sometimes that maybe people can attend and see like your service obviously pay for it as well and, like I don't know, maybe is there like a place that you go to to showcase your work not necessarily.

Speaker 1: 9:38

Sometimes like, uh, right now I am going to be doing a vendor event uh, just coming up in december december 3rd I believe where I do and I do those um maybe twice out of the year okay where I talk about our services and let um know what we offer. So I don't necessarily do like demonstrations because of the setup I need, like a huge setup for the lash bed and the lash light and then other utensils and tools, yeah. So I just tend to go, set up a booth and let them know what type of services we offer.

Speaker 2: 10:15

Love it. Very cool, very cool, very nice. And then, where is the event going to be held, the vendor event that you're going to be?

Speaker 1: 10:19

at the vendor event is going to be at? I believe it is Westwood Golf Club. Okay, that's in Vienna. Okay, country Club. I'm sorry, country Club. Okay, yes, perfect no-transcript.

Speaker 1: 11:01

Maybe a tint or I don't know, but like what's the? And then the extension is offered for people who want the more natural approach but who also wants to make a pop to their eyes and open up their eyes a little bit. So some people have like straight lashes and they want them to curve up to brighten up their eyes a little bit more. So that's what we use. That's why we offer the L lash lift service for natural lashes and then if their lashes are like brown and they want them black to give like the mascara look, along with the lift, we offer the tint with that. So it gives a very nice natural, open, clean, girl aesthetic type look.

Speaker 2: 11:30

Yes, exactly, everybody loves that one. Yes, love it. Yes, and then what is the process like for extensions?

Speaker 1: 11:38

Like I think I've only ever done it one time and I kind of felt like maybe they were too big for my eye or I don't know, because I kind of felt like I can't really see, really, really, Okay, so the difference with that is like so some people get it misunderstood like with lash clusters and lash strips, which are the things that really weighs down your eyes, you can fill those with lash extensions and with the proper application, you do not fill them at all.

Speaker 2: 12:06

Oh, my gosh yeah.

Speaker 1: 12:08

Yes, so it's like we are literally isolating your natural lash and we're using a nice lightweight lash to adhere to your natural lash, so which it's like sitting on top, but it's so lightweight that you don't feel it at all. That's what?

Speaker 2: 12:25

yes, I don't want to feel it. I want to look at, but I don't want to feel it exactly, exactly. They're big and like they weigh a lot, but they know, I don't know, they don't what have been some of your favorite trends or unfavorite trends?

Speaker 1: 12:37

maybe that you've seen, that you've come and gone and you're just like I don't know Like I'll do it, but I'm not a fan of it. But I respect everybody's style. Right, exactly, exactly. So, oh my God, I hate to see the extremely thick, long lashes where it's like covering eyes and it's like and you're wondering how can that person see?

Speaker 1: 13:00

And then, as a lash artist, I'm like oh my God, the damage that's being done. They have no idea. So, yes, I hate, hate, hate to see that because it gives us a bad name. So I have clients and new clients that come in. I don't want caterpillars, I don't want butterflies, and it's like you don't have to have that Like don't, don't even look at that.

Speaker 2: 13:25

You know? Yes, exactly With Nina. Yes, you're taken care of.

Speaker 1: 13:30

Exactly, exactly. So I will be happy when that trend comes, goes away.

Speaker 2: 13:37

Absolutely. And then what are some of your favorite trends? Like that, You're just like oh wow, I love this. I'm going to go and learn this so I can do that. Yes, yeah.

Speaker 1: 13:46

So I do love a good cat eye, whether it's a classic hybrid volume. It just makes the eyes look so sexy. It's a popular one with the ladies. I would say I do cat eye, like 75% of my clients get cat eye. I also love the wispy, natural look and like the clean look, the clean girl aesthetic. The clean girl aesthetic yes.

Speaker 2: 14:12

I love it. It's so good. Classic. Yes, love that. Thanks for sharing that, of course. And then, where do you see yourself in the next five years? I know you've just now told me about having like lash supplies and like all that good stuff. Anything else in the works, or maybe you're like I hope that in five years I'll be able to do X, y, z, yeah.

Speaker 1: 14:40

So my five-year goal is to actually have a training facility, actually have it all, a big enough facility where I can house everything Meaning like on this side we have services and right here we have training, and then here is the lash supply store. So that's my five-year goal.

Speaker 2: 14:53

That's awesome. Like you've already got like half of that going, so that's amazing. Have you ever thought about like also I know you want to have a one-stop shop, but maybe expanding or having like your own big office and like having maybe suites that you can have other?

Speaker 1: 15:05

men or women working under your wing. Yes, I do think about that. Yeah, I think about it all the time and I'm hoping that God would send me some great technicians and great people. That wants to work underneath the Beauty Haven?

Speaker 2: 15:19

Yeah, let's manifest that. People that wants to work underneath the beauty haven yeah, let's manifest that. Tell me what kind of people like you would be looking for when that time comes, and what type of ideal employees and values you hope that they would.

Speaker 1: 15:29

Yes, other business-minded um men or women who are willing to see themselves grow, willing to learn um and continue, continue learning throughout their entire journey. Someone who's ambitious, someone who has an awesome personality and who actually appreciates and is grateful for the clients because they are actually putting us, you know, in their budgets. Because it's a luxury service, not everyone can get it, and I want someone who can show gratitude for that.

Speaker 2: 16:05

I love that, thank you. We put it out in the universe so if this sounds like it's you then come talk to Nina. And where can people find you and find more information and see all your work? Give us all the plugs.

Speaker 1: 16:15

So, for the website, you can find us at thebeautyhavenglossgeniuscom, and then, like I said earlier, on Instagram. We are at thebeautyhavenVA. We're also on Facebook, and that's really about it. I love that, yes.

Speaker 2: 16:32

Thank you, yes, and then is there anything that maybe I have not touched on, that you are like dying to share.

Speaker 1: 16:49

It could be in regards to your business, your life, anything in on that you are like dying to share. It could be in regards to your business, your life, anything in general that you just want to get out. Um. Well, I am truly uh grateful of where I am uh thus far. Um I did not uh see this um when I first started so to to expand to where I am, from the kitchen to an actual storefront. I am very, very grateful for that and I welcome anyone to come and try lashes at the Beauty Haven. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

Speaker 2: 17:17

Yeah, I'm looking at her lashes right now. A girl who's under her wing did them, and I thought she did it herself, because I was like in particular, but no, they look amazing and they're not covering your idols.

Speaker 1: 17:28

Thank you, yes, we don't want that. No, we don't.

Speaker 2: 17:30

You will not get that unless you actually want that look, but we don't recommend it right exactly and there was something that I wanted to ask you about the type of service. You have also permanent lip blush. Let's talk about that. Oh yeah, I've not heard of that before. Can you educate me on that?

Speaker 1: 17:45

yes, of course. So permanent lip blush is for those who actually just want to have like a nice uh tint to their lips, who wants to add a little bit more color actually to their entire face. And sometimes people get it as if they want to change the shape of their lips, like their cupid's bow, if they want more of a heart shape, wow, or more of a pointed. And then there's some clients who want to color correct their lips, like if they have like dark spots, um, they can come in and we can make it all one color, we can correct it.

Speaker 2: 18:22

That is amazing and you offer that at your studio as well. That is incredible. And then there was another thing that I wanted to ask about. Let's see, there's wood therapy and castor oil massage. If you can also educate me on those things, and our listeners. That would be great.

Speaker 1: 18:36

Yes, so that's a part of the body sculpting. So wood therapy is actually like a Colombian wood therapy technique which helps with the lymphatic system. It helps get rid of, like extra water weight and through the process it actually helps to tighten and tone the skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite with wood therapy. For the castor oil massage, that is a therapeutic wellness type service. So you know, there is a lot of things that's in the environment that actually hinders us women. You know all of the toxins and stuff. So we tend to develop things like fibroids or heavy menstrual cycles or PCOS and like castor oil massage and doing castor oil packs actually helps with eliminating some of those toxins.

Speaker 2: 19:35

Yes, that is incredible and like how is it done? I guess is it like a normal massage? Do you use a machine?

Speaker 1: 19:40

So no, that is all done by hand. So you warm up the castor oil and it's the motion that you use when you're massaging the stomach, the lower abdomen area Then you also take, like the castor oil pack and you have it laid there heated for about a good 30 minutes. That sounds nice Like heated, like it's relaxing. It is very relaxing, yes.

Speaker 2: 20:06

Speaking of relaxing, what do you like to do as a business owner to recharge yourself, take care of your mental health and just make sure that you're doing? I'm not saying you don't love your job, but I'm saying like any worker who's like working and has their own business likes to do stuff outside of that. Another passion that they like what are all those things for you?

Speaker 1: 20:24

Well, I would say my other passion. I love being a mom. I love my boys so much so many do you have? Two Okay, yes, I have a 22-year-old and a 14-year-old and I really enjoy spending time with them, hanging out with them, just creating memories, yeah, yes. And for myself, anything that has to do with self-care yes, like a nice massage, yeah, or just like a spa day or something like that, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 20:55

Yeah, I'm like you're giving everybody their massages. You need to get your massages too.

Speaker 1: 20:59

Exactly Feel good, exactly Rejuvenate exactly no, for real.

Speaker 2: 21:03

Um, and then let's see, are there any other like hurdles that you've had, maybe that you feel like as a woman being an entrepreneur, um, challenges that you've found, or maybe sometimes people are like I want to be taken more seriously, they're just not taking me seriously, like maybe I look really young. Talk to me about some of those things.

Speaker 1: 21:20

Yeah, so definitely, as a small business owner, you do have, like, people that come in there who immediately want to discount just because you're a small business and they feel like it's not serious. And to me that part is not fair, you know, because even though it's small to you, someone has worked very hard to get to where they are, so those are always, that's always a challenge when people come in and they have their comments. Those are just some things that you just have to like brush off and continue with great customer service and service them and you know, and don't allow it to like break your spirits or fall too deep into your mind.

Speaker 1: 22:19

Yes, yes, for you to second guess yourself. You're absolutely right, and like.

Speaker 2: 22:23

It's actually a little bit harder when you're a smaller business because you have to go and get all your credentials, your training, your supplies to keep building yourself, getting your name out there, putting in all the work. You're doing it yourself with one person for help and you've got to pay that person and the work that you do. Like you're right and I think more people, when they're a small business owner, should say it's not a bad thing, it's just the reality of it.

Speaker 2: 22:46

And it's good for other people to acknowledge Like, because we are a small business. We actually like, rely on, like the work that you do and the quality of the payment that goes along with it.

Speaker 1: 22:56

Exactly, exactly. And then to to those that are starting off and that are just coming into the industry, like don't give up, keep going, don't self sabotage and don't listen to others. You know, like, only you know your vision and only you can see it come to fruition. And I was in corporate for about 15 years and struggled literally from paycheck to paycheck Would have never imagined that stepping outside of that and working for myself can provide a more comfortable life for myself and for my boys. Yes, and keep going. Keep going, because you never know what's at the end of that tunnel waiting for you.

Speaker 2: 23:52

So, yeah, Thank you so much. I was going to actually ask you like is there a saying or a quote that you find inspiring? But it sounds like it's keep going and don't give up.

Speaker 1: 24:00

Don't give up. It's going to be hard times. Don't self-sabotage.

Speaker 2: 24:03

yep, yes thank you so much for being on the podcast.

Speaker 1: 24:06

I really thank you for having me absolutely.