Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Dench.
Samantha, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I started my business in 2010, I wanted to offer clients more than just a basic facial. After suffering on & off with my own adult acne for 7 years, I accidentally cleared it up when I did a cleanse to lose the last of my baby weight. During the cleanse, I eliminated gluten, dairy and sugar and within 2 weeks my skin completely cleared up. After that, my mission has been to treat my client’s skin from the inside out.
Over the years, clients have enjoyed the knowledge I obtain by reading trade magazines, joining esthetician business groups and attending trade shows to have the latest knowledge to share. I am also an avid researcher about ingredients, products, treatments and have learned how to navigate through the noise in the beauty industry.
Last year, I turned my knowledge of skin into a book, which is a guide for consumers who want to bust through the noise of the beauty industry, understand how to properly care for their skin, heal their skin from the inside out and know how to find an esthetician who will work with them and their skin as they age.
We all have skin, which is our largest organ of the body and the most important thing that clients need to understand is how to take care of it to. Everyone deserves to look and feel beautiful through all stages of life. You can achieve that by using products that work for your skin’s specific needs, working with a trusted esthetician and caring for yourself inside and out.
Has it been a smooth road?
When I started my business in 2010, it was in the basement of my home in Elmhurst. At the time I only had a 2 year old, but it was always tough juggling work and balancing that work/life balance around my 3 kids’ busy schedules. It’s still not easy and it never will be. When you’re successful at work, you’re missing out on your kids’ activities and lives. When you’re busy being mom & shuffling your kids to all their activities, your business is still there and needing you to care for it, but it has to wait. There have been times I’ve had to turn away a new client, but I’ve learned that being present for my kids when I’m outside of my treatment room HAS to be #1.
Another huge obstacle I overcame was last summer, the kids and I moved to Austin, TX because I had always dreamed of moving away from our cold winters. I tried to start a business there, meanwhile, I continued to fly back to Elmhurst and treat my clients every 4-6 weeks the entire year.
I was fortunate that my business in Texas failed, because my business here continued to thrive. June 1, I re-launched Skin Deep in Oakbrook Terrace and I’m truly grateful because I have the most amazing clients who are happy to see me back.
Moving away was such a challenge, especially as a single mom, but it made me appreciate my clients more than ever. The best part is that I get to nurture my business and have the ability to help more clients’ look and feel beautiful.
Writing a book was also a huge challenge, because you have to really open yourself up and push yourself beyond your limits. Fortunately, I found a dream team to help me along the process, which I am forever grateful for them. I highly recommend that if you are someone who has always wanted to write a book, to just do it, because it is an amazing & rewarding process.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Skin Deep story. Tell us more about the business.
My focus is on customized facials and microcurrent treatments and everything I do in my treatment room is completely customized to each client. I’m also studying to become certified as a Holistic Esthetician.
My facials are different because of the holistic approach. The products used are natural, but results-based, so my clients see results when they come in regularly for facials and use customized skin care products at home. During each facial, the skin is gently exfoliated and extractions are performed, but the remainder of the facial is using customized serums, masks and add-on’s to ensure each client leaves the room with glowing skin.
Microcurrent is a treatment that’s gaining popularity and teaches your facial muscles to tighten. Microcurrent requires an initial 6-8 weekly treatments to engage the facial muscles (like your muscles would during a workout) to lift sagging skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Microcurrent is safe and non-invasive; many of my clients end up falling asleep during the treatment because it’s so gentle & relaxing.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Medical esthetics is never going to go away, there will always be a need for injectables, laser treatments and surgeries.
Over the next 5-10 years, more clients are going to be seeking out alternatives to the invasive treatments, especially with the increasing popularity of microcurrent – there are safe, alternative options to keep your skin from aging without potential side effects.
We will also see a shift in how our diets affect skin. I feel that we are already seeing more consumers doing research & seeking out alternatives to medicine and health care options. That is also going to tie into the skin care field. We will find naturopathic doctors, chiropractors, functional medicine doctors and estheticians work hand-in-hand with the body and skin to help our clients’ look and feel beautiful.
The most important thing I want to emphasize about estheticians is that you need to do your research & find someone who is truly passionate and knowledgeable about the skin. Our training in school gets us to take the state board exam, so our true education comes after. An esthetician’s ability to understand the skin, how it functions and knowledge of ingredients, products and treatments gives us the ability to truly help our clients improve the conditions of their skin.
If you ever leave a facial feeling red, raw or irritated, you need to find a new esthetician! Your skin should be glowing and feel amazing when you walk out of our room. Facials are supposed to boost your confidence, not make you run & hide for 2 weeks.
Lastly, with the influx of smart phones & technology, we are losing the human touch. Facials, massage, or any pampering-type service is even more important now and will continue to become important. Humans need touch to survive and thrive – if you want to be happy and live a life where you feel and look good, self-care should be as important as brushing your teeth!
If you feel healthy & beautiful on the inside, you will look beautiful on the outside!
Pricing:
- Classic Facial $95
- Vitamin Infusion Facial $145
- Microcurrent Facial $175
- Microcurrent packages 3 for $350 or 6 for $600
Contact Info:
- Address: 1909 Meyers Rd.
Suite 124
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 - Website: www.skindeepIL.com
- Phone: 630-863-6153
- Email: samantha@skindeepIL.com
- Instagram: skindeepIL
- Facebook: skindeepIL
- Twitter: skindeepIL
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/skin-deep-oakbrook-terrace
Image Credit:
Bob Briskey Photography
Book cover design – Carrie Keppner
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