Speaker 1: 0:30

My name is Francesca Altoona and my business is BBF Studios, and I do permanent makeup. I also do aesthetic services, such as waxing facials, laminations, lifts, and I specialize in wedding makeup as well.

Speaker 2: 0:47

Beautiful. And what does your name stand for?

Speaker 1: 0:50

BBF stands for Beauty by Francesca, beautiful Love that and now.

Speaker 2: 0:56

can you share the story behind the founding of BBF Studios and what inspired you to start your own beauty studio?

Speaker 1: 1:02

Sure, yeah. So I have been doing makeup for many years. I started in high school just doing like the homecoming and the prom makeups for all my friends and then their moms were slipping a 50 for me and I'm like, hmm, this is lucrative, I can make something out of this, cause, you know, I am, you know, from the like generation where we didn't really have a lot of influencers like we do now, so I really had to self teach myself a lot of things and so I felt like friends would reach out to me to learn all the beauty stuff that I was teaching myself and it just grew out of me. I was always very girly, very girly girl and I guess I have some of the artistic from my mom. My mom paints portraits and so I think that's a part of art that I probably, you know, got from her which made me into get into makeup. It wasn't so much of an insecurity thing, it was more fun for me. So I think that's why I dove into it and really got into makeup. And my friends saw that and people saw my talent and my potential. And then from there I went to college for a little bit.

Speaker 1: 2:14

I struggle with normal education because I have ADD, so it's really, really hard for me to like be successful in the studies and school and so, but, as, like you know, somebody of an immigrant family, the dream is to go to college in this country. That's why we come here for the opportunities, and so I didn't want to disappoint my parents, but they knew that I was gifted and talented and many other things. You know, I grew up dancing, I did a lot of things with children and so, and then I had a passion for beauty. So I decided to leave college where I was like struggling and feeling like a failure and um, and then, uh, go to one of the best schools uh, at the time called Aveda Institute in DC, um, right in Chinatown, um, and I did my aesthetics license there. So I got that in 2014.

Speaker 1: 3:11

And when I did that, I was tinting and waxing and doing facials and, um, really loved, I felt like I was nobody in school, but in beauty school, I felt like I was on top. You could shine in that. Yeah, it was like this is my jam that I started working towards becoming my own freelance makeup artist and doing makeup for weddings and events for people, because that's kind of where, as an artist you can really be successful is if you have your own business name and you travel and you become a travel artist. And so I decided to build up a luxury kit. And in order to build up a luxury kit, and you're, you know, you're young and you don't have money to just buy 25 foundation colors from a great brand, you know 60 bucks each. You, you are. You get involved with brands that look for talented people and you get free products that way, and that's how I did. I built up my kit. I worked for many brands. I worked for Tom Ford Beauty.

Speaker 1: 4:22

I worked for you know, yves Saint Laurent and Guerlain. So all of this high-end quality skincare and makeup that I wouldn't be able to afford alone, I was getting for free because I was representing them I wouldn't be able to afford alone. I was getting for free because I was representing them, and I built up a luxury kit which that, therefore, I was able to do weddings and have good quality products without having to spend any money and just really promoting my work. And then that's how it all started. And then, about two years ago, I decided to take my business into permanent makeup, um, which is the future of the beauty industry, and I was already really good at doing eyebrows and, um, I am really good at doing glam because of weddings, but I'm also I've worked for many natural brands like mineral fusion, um, and so I decided to, uh, really own into that natural beauty and I thought permanent makeup was like the perfect realm of that. So I got my license in permanent makeup artistry and I opened up my studio about a little over a year ago, and it's been going smoothly.

Speaker 1: 5:35

Little over a year ago, um, and it's been going smoothly, um, starting a business is hard, um, because you're doing everything for the first time and so, like, you're learning, like not every month is going to be the same and consistency is very important and you do have to invest in your business, um and so there, there is a lot of learning curves for me, but it's still very exciting. Even on like the hard times, you still are like, okay, well, now I get to be creative and think of other ways to like make more, you know, traction for myself. So that is where I'm at right now. I have a little studio in Springfield and I still do weddings, I still do freelance, I still travel, but for the tattoo, permanent makeup, I have a location.

Speaker 2: 6:23

Wow, that is an extensive background Thanks for sharing that I'd like to ask you, how are you keeping up with, like the latest trends and tips and tricks for makeup, because there's so much going on and then with social media it like moves, so quickly it does.

Speaker 1: 6:36

Um, I when, when there's a new trend that comes up, I take a look at it and I see, is, is that, is that necessary? Is that something that is more for artists, uh, to like try some a new reel? Or you know, like, a lot of the hacks aren't really for an everyday woman. It's usually for artists that, like, they do a thing a certain way and then they try to do a thing a different way. Like, instead of with powder, you do it with cream, or you, you do it with the shading now, and it's like, um, is it really going to benefit like the everyday woman? Is this something that, like you, I would want to own in and take and take? You know cause I do makeup lessons. So I'm like, is that something? Is that a trick that I would try to teach um my clients when they come for makeup lesson? I guess it just depends.

Speaker 1: 7:26

You know, like I think it could be trendy and fun for an artist um to maybe try that um on herself. But you know, sometimes if it becomes easier, like the cream contours and stuff like that, like if you can make that into less product, less tools, and it's just easier and just the whole point of just like blending out that makeup and just learning the placements in your face, like where to put that for each specific face is very different. Then I could see how like that would be a fun trend. Or like for mature skin, like we're using creams now, we're not using too much powder anymore, we're not doing a hard contour. So I could totally like keep up with the trends but never take everything on. I just choose, I pick and choose. That's smart, yeah.

Speaker 2: 8:18

Otherwise you'd be busy all day trying to figure all that out. Yeah, and then BBF Studios offers a range of services, including ombre powder, brows, lip blush and eyelash enhancement. Could you explain these services and what clients can expect from?

Speaker 1: 8:35

each enhancement. Could you explain these services and what clients can expect from each? Sure, so powder brows is just a different technique of tattoo for your eyebrows. So a lot of people are more familiar with microblading. So when they think tattoo they just think, oh, the blading, the microblading. Well, actually that is tattoo, but it's just one form, one technique. The technique that I do is not microblading. So with microblading they use like a blade and they use the pigment and then they actually do the hair strokes with the blade.

Speaker 1: 9:07

With powder brows we do pixels, little tiny dots, and we do shading, and so when that heals, it shades, it heals into like a natural tint underneath the hair and that's what people really like, kind of like that shadow that you don't really know that's a tattoo or not, you know like, and that's the whole point of it. Now, of course, there is different artists that do it, so there's different styles. So there are some powder powder, ombre, powder tattoo artists that do more of significant, more like a painted brow that's like very, like whoa, very ombre and faded in the front. And then there are some like me that I go and really try to make it as natural as possible. Yeah, I go and really try to make it as natural as possible. Yeah, and just kind of like the. I woke up like this type of look that I don't have to put on mascara to match my brows, type thing, you know, or half-pulse lashes. So that is the technique of permanent makeup powder that I do for eyebrows, and what they can expect is a semi-permanent, because after two to three years they can have a little bit of the fading which your skin renews itself throughout time, and so then, with skincare and the sun, the arches will start to fade, the tails might start to fade a little bit, and then you will need a touch-up. And so that's why I say semi-permanent, because it won't, it won't be exactly like that for the rest of your life. You will need to have to upkeep them, which is exciting too, because later on you might choose to change the shape or change the shade, like you dye your hair brown now and now you you want, you know, a little bit more brown in that pigment when you do your touch-up. So it's nice, it can be versatile, but your shape will always still be there. It's a great guide and just saves so much time.

Speaker 1: 11:05

And if you love the way that you do your eyebrows with your artist and, like you, can, you know, permanently tint them, like for a few years, right? It just saves so much time and it, you know, cares for the shape of your face. It really helps Falling into, like, matching those eyelash extension. Look, eyelash extensions is a huge thing, right? So much so that women have been getting addicted to it. Oh my gosh, where they feel a little naked when they don't have their lash extensions. And that has generated clients for lash tattoo for me, because what happens is they don't stop, they don't take a break, and so they continue to get fills and fills and fills and then, slowly and surely, their natural lashes will come off a little bit. And so then they come to me. I look really closely and they have a lot of gaps or very tiny short lashes that just weren't strong enough to make it all the way through anymore. You know from the extensions, like they've taken a break. They're doing their castor oil, they're doing their eyelash serums, but they don't feel as beautiful anymore. And so now they're coming to me and they're like, okay, what can you do?

Speaker 1: 12:22

And I do a combo, actually, which is not as popular, but I believe it is a future of beauty, and I love that. I'm talking about this now because I want to tell everyone about it. But it's basically what a lash tattoo is is not necessarily a liquid liner tattoo where you have a wing or you see a line on top of the lashes. It's literally just a tattoo underneath the hair growth. So it makes your lashes look fuller and darker, without a liquid or a wing or anything like that.

Speaker 1: 12:53

And then the combo that I provide is a lash lift and tint in the same appointment, and so the client will come in. I will tattoo her lash line on, I will lift her lashes to have that curl and then I would tint them black. And so they go home and they have the natural curl, the natural tinted lash, if they need it, because some people have natural black lashes and then, um, if they want to have that false, uh, extend, extended look, then they just add a really great volumizing mascara and women are just learning to love their own lashes. So many girls I've done lash lifts on. They're like I can't believe my lashes are doing this, like I never thought they would be this long and fluffy looking. I just had to, I had to lift them, that's it.

Speaker 1: 13:41

You know, Um, and so I I provide that a lot of a lot of artists. They just do, like lash tattoo, and then they strictly just do tattoos, Like they're strictly PMU artists. And then you know some aesthetic um estheticians they just do the lifts, and so I can provide both. And then you know some aesthetic estheticians they just do the lips, and so I can provide both. And I really want more women to fall more in love with what they were born with, like what their beautiful lashes can do, and just a little good mascara, Because now we even have mascara that has lash serum in it. Yeah, that helps grow your lashes.

Speaker 1: 14:13

And then lip blush, because there's two different kinds of lipstick or lips tattoos. There's lipstick tattoo Well, there's different techniques, but there's lipstick tattoo where it's like very firmly one solid color. Then there's lip blush is what I do which is a tint of color and it outlines your lips, but it's just a blush, like, literally. And then there's the ombre effect, where you have the darker liner and it like ombres into a lighter color in the center, which some artists do provide. So I do the blush. The blush is really nice. It's not over lining the lips. I actually am. I have my everything that I provide.

Speaker 1: 14:53

I have had done so. My lips are blushed. This is not a lipstick, it looks like a lipstick. I do have lip liner. So, like when you do lip blush, you cannot tattoo around the lip Because then you, over time, when your lips start to heal and fade that color, the permanent makeup around the lip won't fade the same, and so then it looks like a permanent lip liner and so we blush. Our artists do not tattoo outside the lip, but what's fun about it is I have a lip blush tattoo right now. I have a clear lip balm on top and I only did a liner right where I wanted a contour, which was right in the bottom, right in the top, to make it a puckered look. Just an artistry trick, and it looks like I have a full on lip, but I really don't. I can literally kiss and you can see that it's just the liner.

Speaker 2: 15:46

That's crazy. Yeah, the outline of the liner. Thanks for the demonstration.

Speaker 1: 15:50

Yeah, A little kiss, a little blush kiss. So those are the three.

Speaker 2: 15:59

Awesome. And now I do have to ask because, like just hearing, like the tattoos, like when it's so close to your eyes and your lips, what is the pain with this? Does it hurt? That's the number one question.

Speaker 1: 16:05

Yeah, um, we know, we definitely know, um, with the eyebrows we do do a first pass, um of doing the outline that we created with um, the shape that we we made. We made without the numbing, because in order for the numbing to really work you have to have open skin. So we do a little fast outline pass and then we numb the brows, but the skin on the face isn't as tender than our eyes and even our lips, because our lips swell up. But it's so funny, like I always say, you ever want to know if you how you look like with lip filler. Just get a lip blush for 48, for 24 hours your lips will look like you got filler and then you can decide if you want to do it or not, cause it's really cool. But yeah, we do numb the eye, the eye lash line, we wait and then we numb the lips as well.

Speaker 2: 16:56

Okay, thanks for sharing that. The beauty industry is continually evolving. How do you approach ongoing education and training to maintain a high standard of service at BDF studios?

Speaker 1: 17:07

Yeah, so I'm always, always looking to advance myself because I like learning a lot. I think one day I will be a teacher because I also like to teach, which I think is part of being curious and learning. Like you said, there's so many trends that are happening and, just with like makeup, also in the beauty industry. I mean, there's just so many new services that are coming either from Dubai, from Europe, from Turkey, that every you know people are doing already that hasn't reached the U? S yet. Um, and that's how permanent makeup started for me.

Speaker 1: 17:42

My, my friend that is from Ukraine. Um, it was popular in Ukraine. Permanent makeup was a thing and it wasn't here yet. And she's like, oh, I've just, you know, I I'm going to chip at this because this is going to be huge. And now she's. You know, she started, like me, with a little like suite that she ran, rented it and I was one of her first models ever, and now she has one of the best academies in the area and teaches girls all over the country how to do permanent makeup, and it was only because she knew that we hadn't tapped into that yet, and so I'm always looking into different services, like the combo lash tattoo and lash lift that I provide, that I actually got from Korea.

Speaker 1: 18:23

Korean women love the lifting of the lashes, but also want to define their lashes a little more, and so I, by trying to educate myself, saw that and I'm like I could totally, like I do both already, like I just need to combine them, and that's what she does, and she has a successful studio in Korea.

Speaker 1: 18:43

There's a lot of amazing, amazing artists that I'm following, that I want to take their class, and that's what you do as a business owner. One of the biggest things I learned is not to waste all your money that you're making on just yourself or like your hobbies or what, whatever it is, but to put some of it back into your business, um, and not cheap out on, like you know things, because the higher quality, the more love you give to your business, the more it grows and the more revenue, at the end of the day, you'll get, um, just just from being a better environment. And so I um, I haven't. I have been like trying to do that more with, like, advancing and educating myself with amazing um artists out there that provide education, um, and that's kind of where my pennies are going to go to, and then going to more than like, maybe a fancier you know something fancy, a purse or something, yeah, exactly, like, yeah, stuff like that. When you're a business owner, those things don't even matter anymore.

Speaker 1: 19:52

Like materialistic, things don't even matter, like are you going to get that purse or are you going to buy like a better foam for your bed that your clients are going to lay?

Speaker 2: 20:01

on, you know. So, oh, I love that You're like always thinking about your business. Like I'll pick my business. Yeah, good for you and then client satisfaction is crucial in the beauty industry. Can you share a memorable experience where you transformed a client's look and how it impacted them?

Speaker 1: 20:17

experience where you transformed a client's look and how it impacted them? Yeah, of course I mean I've had multiple people because your brows are so significant and change your face, and I've had multiple people cry when they see their brows, and some people record it and post it. I don't. I think that's such a special moment, and private moment too, because some, some women, can't see themselves in the way that you see them until they see it and then and then, and so that's, you know, that's what everyone says they do this for, and I know like it's so cliche, but, um, I, I, I have a strong belief that, like we are here to to use our talents, like we were put on, are here to use our talents. We were put on this earth to use our talents to give whatever we have good that we're great at to others, not gatekeep, right.

Speaker 1: 21:06

Our own talents, because that's how we all grow and learn from each other. And I think, with the success stories of women like women just like crying, feeling great about like their permanent makeup, and then I've had so many women that have gotten everything done by me and just like want to see me because you built that relationship, and so they just come for facials or like something that like a makeup lesson.

Speaker 2: 21:33

Like they're just like. I want to spend time with you.

Speaker 1: 21:34

Yeah, they're just like oh, what else do you?

Speaker 2: 21:37

Okay, I'll do that, you know.

Speaker 1: 21:39

And that's great, that's really great, that's great loyalty there.

Speaker 2: 21:41

Yeah, and then how do you handle client consultations to ensure their expectations align with the outcomes of the services provided?

Speaker 1: 21:50

Okay, uh, yeah. So consultations I offer for free. Uh, I offer a 30 minute free consultation. I think it's important to just get them in the door, to feel comfortable coming to the studio, kind of getting like, you know, okay, I've been there, I've been to BBF studios, I've seen um, you know where I would be going if I wanted to do a certain service, um, and I love that because we sit down and then we built that connection, we start that connection. They realize that I'm not just selling something, that I just want to help them make their life better.

Speaker 1: 22:21

And listening, listening to their desires and what they want. You know, because, you know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yeah, I'm a specialist at it and I have an eye for it, but I also want them to want the same thing. I want Like, it's not like, no, you need this and it's like, but I, I'm kind of not comfortable with that. It's like you need to listen to whoever's in your chair and that's why the consultations are really important. And once that client like sees that you know person, sees that my desire is only to help them and what they want, then they feel more comfortable with, like, you know, easing into it. So some women just come in first for just an eyebrow tint and eyebrow wax to see what I do with their brows and how I see them, you know, before they commit to a semi-permanent powder brow. Yeah, so it's all about, you know, getting there Aligning with them.

Speaker 2: 23:14

Yeah, Love it. And then, what challenges have you faced as a beauty studio owner, and how have you been able to overcome them?

Speaker 1: 23:21

I definitely think that there are ups and downs, right, so you can have somebody, um, come in and book three services and then you're full that whole entire week and then you, you know you've covered your, your studio rent, you've covered your own rent, um, and you feel great and you're like, oh, I can definitely keep doing this, like I just need to be good at what I do. But it's not true Um it that is true, but if you can be talented and the best artist, uh, and there can be 10 other artists that live in 10 miles from you, but if nobody knows, you're alive. If no one knows about your business, those people are going to get the clients that maybe would have benefited or connected with you even more, but it doesn't matter, because they're the ones that are paying for the marketing and um popping up on ads and I'm not you know. And so I think that was a learning curve for me where, like, I wasn't really investing in my online marketing or social media, um, because I was doing well with my word, word to mouth, clients or clients, I already knew Um.

Speaker 1: 24:34

And when you're starting a new services like permanent makeup, it, it, it is great. In already knew Um. And when you're starting a new services like permanent makeup, it, it it is great in the beginning, um, but like everything does, it has as lows and as highs and as lows, and I think that was probably the hardest part. Um, for me is like realizing that it's not going to be as easy as just being good. You have to really invest in networking. Like it's funny, I've gotten a lot of clients just by going out with friends and meeting new people and not really like leading with what I do, but people are curious sometimes yeah.

Speaker 1: 25:10

Oh, I did it, yeah, and I think right now, especially after COVID, people were so antisocial a little bit because they got used to being home and just being, you know, in their inner circle or doing Zooms and FaceTimes that now people are craving interactions, are a little bit more friendly, more willing, and I think we all should still be doing that. We should all still be doing the things that we love and meeting people that love the same things and getting out there, and I find that that's helped me a lot. Like I go to a Pilates class and then I mentioned you know something and then boom, like oh, actually, yeah, I'm interested in that. Like people really do, like that You're not really pushing anything, you know it's, it's more of just like hey, just letting you know I'm, I'm here and I do this. Check me out With a natural conversation just asking.

Speaker 2: 26:07

I love that. Is there anything that I have not touched on that you would like to share with your followers or our listeners? You have the floor, whether it's about your industry, your services or something personal about you you can share.

Speaker 1: 26:19

Yeah, sure, um, um. I would only like to just mention like uh it's. It's always really easy to go on Google and just look up like a huge uh industry that does. You know a company that does these services, and I've actually known a lot of girls who have worked for big companies that don't really have that much experience but want to get their foot in the door, but then they're charging like full price, like artistry prices, because they can, because they're a big company and they're located in a shopping center or a really great location. But they're a big company and they're located in a shopping center or a really great location, but they're not getting the same quality and the artist is just learning.

Speaker 1: 27:04

I'm not putting that down at all. People put their trust in that, though. So I would say support your local businesses, support your artists. The people who are getting these suites are believing in their talent alone, so you know like they got something up their sleeve that's good. You know somebody that's not confident is not going to get their own suite, so I just really think that people should look into that.

Speaker 1: 27:30

I have many friends that they get their hair colored by a stylist that has their own suite. They get their nails done by a private nail tech and the only thing I would say is they probably think that they would be paying a little more, but actually it saves you money because the nail techs that are doing your nails that are in the private salons which is somebody I actually like I have a suite next to me does Russian manicures, which is a new technique. Um, not too many people know about, but you see the difference, because I've I've been getting my nails done acrylicly for since I was like 15. And then I got my nails done with her and my nails were never as healthy as they were and they were strong and healthy and that's literally the down part of acrylic nails and the retention was like six weeks and that doesn't happen. Was it a little more expensive?

Speaker 2: 28:21

Yes, but was it worth?

Speaker 1: 28:23

it? Absolutely, and so that's the same thing with me. I offered one-on-one makeup lessons. Could you go to a counter at the mall and get a one-on-one makeup lesson and buy a lipstick? Yes, you can.

Speaker 1: 28:36

But if you really want to sit down and have me record everything, write a map out of everything that we talked about, go through your makeup kit, go through those brushes that you don't know how to use, or you don't really have anything and you just need suggestions and have like your personal shopper for that, like I did that for years. So that's why I offer like one-on-one makeup lessons and people don't really realize, like how amazing that is. It's like it's all attention on you, one-on-one, we record it, we write everything down. You can always go back to reference. I have you do one side while I do the other. It's it's really um, intensive, uh stuff, but that you will take with you forever, you know, and then you'll know okay, this is my skin type. I shouldn't use this product because Francesca told me like this would dry me out even more. I would have never known that this is the type of makeup I should be using and I only need to do a little bit, and so I think that supporting your local businesses Also, I'm would say I'm bilingual, so I am, I'm a Spaniard.

Speaker 1: 29:33

I'm would say I'm bilingual, so I am, I'm a spaniard. And bien, when we're at the last at the seat, those, like everybody, you know, I'm gender-neutral. I just did a powder eyebrow on a male yesterday, so nice, you know, because I do natural beauty, it works on anyone, and so, and then I would just leave it to really um, just being open and um, and letting yourself feel beautiful in the most natural way is my biggest thing. Um, I worked for a lot of brands that were anti um.

Speaker 1: 30:10

In the U? S, we have over 1800 ingredients in our products that are harmful to women even our fertility that they sell to us and make us, and we just don't know until we like research and read ingredients and learn what those are, and our FDA does not have a lot of regulations against a lot of that stuff, and so we, as women, are the ones that have to have each other's back and educate each other on those things. We, as women, are the ones that have to have each other's back and educate each other on those things, and so that's what I'm always going for, too, as far as what's safe for us, what's great for us, what's going to work for us. It's not the same for everyone, and so you do need to personalize it and I would say just invest in yourself a little more, even if someone in your life is making you feel like it's superficial and not important.

Speaker 2: 30:57

You are important, yes, well said Thank you so much for being on the podcast you offered so much insight, even things that I did not even know, and I do my own makeup but it's not professional, but anyway thank you so much.

Speaker 1: 31:09

No, no worries, thank you so much for having me and giving me the opportunity to have this platform. Of course, anytime.