Welcome to my blog! It’s January 4th 2018 and I’m sitting here at my desk contemplating all that I will be creating in my business this year. It’s interesting. I’ve been in the beauty industry since 1994 and I feel like I’m starting all over again!!! It’s a long story but thought some of you might benefit from it seeing how lot’s of times we need to “start over”.
In late spring 2017 my husband accepted a position with his new company in Florida. We’ve contemplated moving here for over 20 years. I always thought that my kids would be moving with us but alas they’re all grown up and opted for the choice to do their “adulting” on their own and stay behind in Utah. Much to my sadness we packed up and moved to Florida and arrived here officially on July 7th 2017. My husband started work on July 10th. Me, well that’s and even deeper story.
So, like I said, I’ve been in the beauty industry since 1994. I was doing facials and teaching makeup classes before there were any esthetician courses. I apprenticed under the experts in the field from whom I wanted to learn their skills, attended master classes, bought and studied books, etc. When Utah finally decided to start licensing estheticians I was grandfathered in as a master esthetician based upon my experience. I actually had been a guest trainer at most of the cosmetology schools so my experience was accepted and I became licensed in 2001. Over the years I’ve done facials, microdermabrasions, body wraps, lash extensions, lash and brow tinting, brow shaping and lots and lots of makeup.
As a makeup artist I’ve worked on many independent films, commercial ad campaigns for corporations, social media work, runway work for Utah Fashion Week, fitness competitor show makeup, makeup tips and training videos, sports television, etc. I’ve partnered with many photographers and models on creative avant garde shoots and editorials. I’ve loved my craft and I have studied it in depth. You could imagine my disappointment when I arrived in Florida and learned you can’t practice what you’ve done for the past 24 years because your grandfathered license isn’t accepted here in Florida. OMG! What?! You’re kidding right? No, they weren’t kidding. I had to find a school that was in my budget to get re-licensed so I could get back to what I enjoyed doing so much. Well that led me to the next chapter of the story.
After searching through many esthetician schools which seemed very pricey and frankly didn’t have the best of reviews (two schools had actually closed down in the past year) I found Alpha School of Massage. At first I couldn’t believe it…it seemed too good to be true. It was just $199 to sign up and then $99 a month till you graduate to cover supplies. You paid for your schooling by performing services instead if incurring a huge tuition bill. It was awesome! I got such a good energy from the school owner, Adam Driggers. They recognized that I had previous experience and gave me the opportunity to start with a class that had started the end of June as long as I could pass off on my treatments. They said I would catch up on the lessons I missed with the next class that started. I went home and discussed it with my husband and decided to go with Alpha. I started school August 14th. I have to admit I was a little skeptical as to how much more I could learn. Then I was blessed to meet my new instructor.
Candace Barker, my instructor was one of the most knowledgeable estheticians I had ever met. She had years of experience as a medical esthetician, med spa administrator, etc. Her insights were invaluable. Alpha’s program lasted a little over five months, 500 hours. I spent as many hours as I could quizzing her on the effects of different variations of the treatments we did. Everyday was more exciting then the next and each day I grew more eager to get back out into the field to get started with everything. I finished December 22nd, an early Christmas present. I’m so grateful for their program and would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to study esthetics. The wonderful part was that I learned so many new skills, treatments, and advances in esthetics that have recently come out that I fell even more in l love with what I do! That’s the final chapter of this blog!
It’s with great excitement that I am offering these wonderful treatments as well to my makeup clients. You see, makeup can look even more beautiful if you are starting with an excellent canvas, beautiful skin. Facials, microdermabrasions, chemical peels, electrical current treatments, etc all add to the toolbox an esthetician/makeup artist has to help you with your skin. Along the way I was introduced to Image Skin Care an awesome line with at home skin care products that make a big difference! They also have esthetician only products that help me as an esthetician to help you improve your skin in a way you can’t do at home!!! Yay! Win! Win! So here I sit January 4th 2018 ready to take on Jacksonville and all that’s happening here and make my mark on this beautiful city of sunshine! And that is the first chapter of my blog for my new business here in Jacksonville. Alias Professional Makeup and Spa Services by Nicholle Roberson. Let’s roll!
