Today we’d like to introduce you to Bre Morris.
Hi Bre, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My story is marked by serendipitous encounters, endless “projects,” and a lifelong passion for natural beauty that started at age 16.
It started when I was trying to heal my own troubled skin with medications, harsh products, and LOTS of makeup … which led to more medications, more drying products, and more makeup.
That same year, a natural skincare boutique moved in next door to my mom’s day spa in Missoula, Montana, and I was introduced to a whole new realm of beauty. The owner took me under her wing and showed me a natural way to change my skin. This natural approach to all things beauty changed my skin (and my life) forever.
My passion for this newfound confidence turned into an obsession. I recruited every person I knew into the boutique to help them with their skin. The owner eventually gave me a job, and my passion grew stronger and stronger. My start in the beauty industry showed me what it was like to help people feel beautiful and confident in their skin. I couldn’t get enough!
At 19, I headed to Colorado to open their second store in Denver, where I met Sally, an Irish transplant with a heart of gold and one of the most artistic women I have ever met. She was my first hire, my first Colorado friend, and a lifelong soul sister. Her love for art inspired my love for makeup & skin, and we knew we could create something amazing together. Being naive to what our future would hold was our best asset. We had nothing to lose and everything imaginable to gain.
Fast forward through the next 10 years, Sally and I moved to Hollywood to study makeup for beauty and fashion at the Cinema Makeup School. After school, we returned to Colorado and launched our first makeup business, and said yes to every wedding, event, and makeup at-home party we could get our hands (and brushes) on. Soon after I was introduced to Mary, a visionary woman and mineral makeup specialist whose role was to develop makeup lines for other companies. That was when our makeup line, Alchemy Minerals, was born.
Sally and I opened our makeup business and sold beautiful mineral makeup all over Denver and Boulder. In 2012 I went to esthetician school at the International School of Esthetics. Eventually, Sally decided to focus on her career in artwork and leave the business before the face bar concept is born. Her work is on the walls of Alchemy to this day!
It’s important to note that, during this time, “natural skincare”, “organic”, and many familiar terms hadn’t yet gained traction. So, while I had a polestar to rely on and the products were well received, Sally and I were charting our own course.
Coming out of esthetician school, I knew the importance of a good facial, but also knew that: 1) good facials were hard to come by, and 2) most facials were pricey and usually reserved for special occasions.
I wanted to create a new model—a face bar that offered effective, affordable, no-nonsense facials. The idea was to strip out the fluff so we could get to what matters, a lot like a good conversation. And, like a good conversation, I wanted people to feel comfortable and welcomed. I wanted them to get a little dose of magic en route to beautiful skin with clean products.
The first Alchemy Face Bar opened in 2013. What started in a tiny Victorian on Pine St. in Boulder has since expanded to 3 locations across Denver and Boulder and our 1st out-of-state location here in Dallas, Texas. We have more on the way, but the magic remains the same. Alchemy Face Bar is my heart, and I find alchemists who feel the same. We’re not here to force your skin into compliance; we’re here to nurture it into health.
Our services are highly personalized, not only because we recognize that your skin is unique but also because we know that its needs will change—with age, seasons, stress, hormones, etc. We rely solely on products that improve the health of your skin and will help you figure out the best way to uncover your natural glow and simplify your skincare.
In the nine years since Alchemy opened, I’ve seen numerous face bars open across the US, and the expansion of words like “natural,” “organic,” “green,” and “sustainable.” I’m grateful for the shift in how we think about our skin and how we select the products that we use. And I’m still busy chasing my polestars: to help people feel beautiful in their skin using safe, effective natural products.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I don’t think any business is created without struggles. One thing I love is navigating our business; not just through the good times but the hard times as well. I know that guiding this company through hard times should be done the exact same way as the good ones. When things get hard, we stay focused on the same things: positivity, upholding our standards of professional and clean products, leading and guiding our Alchemists with love and treating them like family, and working hard to find a way to make the magic of Alchemy shine above all else.
During the COVID Pandemic, Alchemy was suddenly shut down, as were many businesses, but we worked hard as a team to ensure the success and continued viability of Alchemy. Alchemy’s “facial-to-go” was created in the basement of my home. Today the facial-to-go is a top-selling product at all Alchemy Face Bars. Facial tutorials and parties were created on Zoom, and makeup classes and personal consultations were done virtually. During the pandemic, my team and I pushed forward and opened our third location in Denver in the Hale neighborhood in August of 2020. Opening during the pandemic was not ideal, but as a team, we made it happen and are successful today because we stayed the course and didn’t look back.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Our brand mission is to redefine the spa/salon service norm and create a new kind of experience for fellow women and men! At Alchemy Face Bar, expect fast, effective, no-nonsense services for all things face – makeup, skin, lash and brow, and medical services. At Alchemy, we are passionate about illuminating the beauty of you – in skin and spirit. Everyone’s welcome.
When it comes down to it, I think ultimately, it’s about helping people not only to feel good about themselves but to instill confidence and beauty so that they feel prepared to take on anything and everything. Empowering women and building a strong community – it’s so much more than just facials.
Everything we do at Alchemy Face Bar is “In skin and spirit.” It is a holistic wellness approach that is so much more than just a facial bar. It’s about creating a strong sense of community, empowering women, and being an educational outlet for spiritual wellness and holistic healing so that you are taking the very best care of yourself all around (inside and out), not just on your skin. We give honest and true advice, are never pushing sales onto customers, offer services that are affordable, and we take the fuss out of the facial spa experience but without removing that self-care, treat-your-self feeling. Alchemy is a beautiful and aesthetically pleasing space to receive these services. We expect all alchemists to be warm and welcoming, to share their love for helping others feel beautiful, and to give an experience that leaves each client feeling confident.
Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We LOVE to collaborate!! Bringing together women-owned businesses has always been important to me and finding businesses that we can work with and help promote and support each other is one of my favorite parts about being a business owner. Some of my favorite collaborations have been Leela’s Wine Bar Dallas, Grit Fitness, a women’s fitness studio here in Dallas, Hydrate IV Bar, and our favorite brunch, Snooze an A.M. Eatery.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alchemyfacebar.com
- Instagram: @alchemyfacebar
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alchemyfacebar
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.ca/biz/alchemy-face-bar-dallas
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/alchemyfacebar/
