Today we’d like to introduce you to Adriana Keith.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always had a passion for beauty since I was younger. I used to apply false cluster lashes on myself and close friends in high school because they were so cute, then I took my interest with me to college at North Carolina A&T State University. I attended a lash certification course to learn the skill of applying lash extensions and at the time I couldn’t afford a private suite, so I was doing lashes out of my apartment bedroom. I started to fall more and more in love every day with lashing and by the time I graduated undergrad in May 2020, I had it already made up in my mind that I’ll attend Esthetics school to pursue a career in the beauty industry. I moved back home to Chicago and attended Esthetician school literally 1 week after graduating college because I was so excited to start my new journey. During Esthetician school I fell in love with waxing and maintaining healthy skin. I battled with skin problems in my bikini area for years and I was interested in learning all that I could on improving my skin health so that I could help others that may be experiencing the same issues. I started learning the technique of Brazilian waxing in school even though it was not part of our curriculum. I outsourced to YouTube, instructors at school for extra help, and took classes with other professionals in the industry. Upon graduating from Esthetics school in December 2020, I had my business plan written out, all legal business documentation completed, clientele built from lashing while in school, and my very first salon suite secured!
When I started servicing in my salon suite, I offered everything on my service menu; Facials, waxing, brow tint, lash extensions, and vajacials. I have such a passion for beauty and possessed many skills, so I wanted to be known as THE one-stop-shop. Over time, I started to discover my niche/specialties and narrowed my service menu down to only lash extensions, waxing, and vajacials when I moved to Dallas in June 2022. I moved from Chicago because I simply wasn’t happy doing business there and there were too many laws restricting me from performing specific services that could enhance my clients’ experiences. I knew that I could offer so much more if I moved to Texas, which has always been a thought. I finally took that leap of faith, and I am so glad that I did it! I’m super excited for the potential that my business has growing here in Texas.
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?
Those who are entrepreneurs can agree that entrepreneurship is not a walk in the park. Every day is a learning lesson and we’re working nonstop. We take so many losses in business and still have to be strong enough to pick ourselves back up to try again. Most of us are wearing every hat of every department of our business and responsible for 100% of everything that needs to be done. So, it could definitely get a little crazy and overwhelming.
I believe that my biggest challenge thus far has been battling with imposter syndrome. If you don’t know what imposter syndrome is, it’s when an individual doubts their skills or talents in fear that they’re not good enough. In the beauty industry, there’s so many other professionals who does and markets the same services and products every day, especially with lash extensions and waxing. Being a beginner in the industry, I was studying those who have been in the industry for years and seeing how good their work was and how perfect their businesses were scaled. I then started to compare my business to theirs and started to feel that maybe I’m not as good as I thought I was. I often went into over-working mode because I wanted to learn so much more and appear to be as successful as these other businesses. Overworking always ended in a burnout and burnouts are NOT FUN. That’s when I’d be feeling the most unmotivated and defeated until I have a pep-talk with myself, remind myself of who I am, and regain my strength to get back to work. I was being way too hard on myself, but I had to remember that I was still new to business and to the industry, so I’m not expected to be perfectly scaled or fully booked yet. The more I understood that the more I started being comfortable with being in my beginner stage and continuously learning every step of the way. I learned to stop comparing myself to others’ success because we all don’t share the same story. I started to focus only on MY business, improving MY skillset and learning more about scaling MY business for greatness. Ever since I have been focusing on only my success, I’ve seen so much growth in my business and in myself as a business owner. Through this journey, I taught myself that everything that’s bound to be successful starts with a plan and your faith! The more time that you put into comparing yourself is less time that you have to focus on your own business.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Aureate Aesthetics?
My business, Aureate Aesthetics, was founded in November 2020 by myself, Adriana Keith, a Licensed Esthetician in the both the state of Illinois and Texas. Aureate Aesthetics is a beauty business dedicated to improving the confidence in other women while simultaneously improving skin health and enhancing their appearance. We offer many body and facial waxing services but specialize in Brazilian waxing, vajacials, and volume lash extensions. In case you’re wondering, vajacials are like facials but for your bikini area. This treatment helps reduce the appearance of dark spots, acne, ingrown hairs, and itchiness from dry skin which are common issues that many women like myself experience. So, we do it for the girls who want to wear endless bikinis in the summer without feeling a bit of insecure.
What makes me and my business stand out in this broad industry is my passion, professionalism, and the experience that I have to offer. I am determined to educate my clients on the healthiest ways to maintain their skin and lash extensions while providing the most comfortable pampering experience. I also believe that there’s more to providing a service than just the service. I make sure that my work environment has a calming and relaxing ambiance making it feel more inviting and homey to my clients. Everyone compliments my suite playlist because it definitely set the vibes in the room! As far as product selection, I’ll choose buying products that are high in quality and a little more expensive than buying cheaper products that are low in quality. I care too much about my clients to use anything low-quality on their skin or eyelashes. The feeling that I get when I see someone glowing from the inside out because they’re feeling like superwoman after receiving my services is a feeling that I cannot explain. I value satisfaction and quality and I’ll do overtime to make sure that I am providing my clients with the results that they desire and the best experience that they ever had.
What’s next?
I plan to expand my brand and add a full product line for lash extension professionals and also waxing aftercare products for clients. My full product line for lash extensions will include the highest quality of lash trays, adhesive, tweezers, bonder/sealant, mirrors, eye pads, drying fans, and shampoo/cleansing gel. Waxing aftercare product line will include products like exfoliating agents (sugar scrubs, brightening pads, etc.), serum, oil, and exfoliating glove.
Aside from the business I already own, I am also in the process of creating another business plan for a completely different business venture, which I am totally nervous, but super excited about! This business will be dedicated and created specifically for any and all salon professionals. I’m bringing something new and unique! I’m not ready to announce what it is, but in 2 years we will be celebrating our grand opening so follow me on social media if you’re interested in staying updated with what I have up my sleeves!
Pricing:
- Natural Volume Set- $135
- Full Volume Set- $165
- Mega Volume Set- $185
- Brazilian Wax- $55
- Brazilian Wax w/ Vajacial- $100
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aureateaesthetics.as.me
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/aureateaesthetics
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/aureateaesthetics
- Other: www.tiktok.com/@aureateaesthetics_
Image Credits
@cshareecreatives
@_ashtonty
@naharastudios
