Today we’d like to introduce you to Robyn Tolliver.
Hi Robyn, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Robyn, I’m a licensed esthetician and the owner of Karen Elaine Skincare in Houston, TX. I was raised in a family of strong beautiful women who showed me that I could be and do anything that I wanted to be. My mom instilled a work ethic in me that has helped me to be disciplined and structured which are skills that have helped me be successful today.
As a young girl, I was taught by my aunt Karen to take care of my skin. I would sit in the bathroom with her and watch her treat her skin. She would cleanse and moisturize her skin and I remember it would just have this beautiful glow. I would watch her organize her oils, creams, and lotions while wondering, what is this and why do you need it. She could tell I was curious, so she started teaching me to take care of my skin and that is how my love for skincare started.
From that day forward I started taking care of my skin. I remember we took a trip to Walmart, and she helped me pick out some skincare products that were gentle enough for me to use on my skin. At that time, I was between the age of 9-10 so I didn’t need much. The first products I used were by Nivea. I can remember when people started complimenting me on my skin and by the time, I got to the 7th grade my friends were asking me about my skincare routine. Over the years women would stop me (as a child) and compliment me on my skin and ask me to help them with there’s. At this point, I knew I wanted to help women feel beautiful.
Towards the end of high school, my mom started asking me about my plans for college. I introduced the idea of beauty school and at that time she was not open to the idea. She desired for me to attend college, get my degree, and find a career. As I started down that path, I knew that one day I would revisit my dream of working in the beauty industry. I went on to attend Houston Baptist University where I received my bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications. I went on to have a rewarding career in Human Resources and obtained my MBA with an HR focus from Liberty University. Even though I had a successful career, having a skincare/beauty business was still in the back of my mind.
To try and satisfy my longing to work in the skincare/beauty industry I decided to work on the side as a makeup artist. For 10 years I provided freelance makeup services and worked at MAC Cosmetics part-time for 4 of those 10 years. While I really enjoyed providing makeup services, I still wasn’t completely satisfied. I found myself teaching my clients about taking care of their skin so that their makeup would look better on their skin.
In early 2020 life through me a bit of a curve ball and then two weeks later the pandemic hit. Dealing with the changes life had dictated to me along with being confined to a small space during quarantine I felt myself falling into a depression. I decided that I was not going to be defeated and I started thinking about things that would make me happy. It was during this time that I decided to enroll in beauty school to get my esthetician license.
After successfully completing my program, I took my state board test and obtained my esthetician license in May 2021. By June 2021 I had started working as an esthetician and began taking clients. I have since been able to move into my own studio space and Karen Elaine Skincare was born!
My aunt Karen passed away when I was in high school so I wanted to honor her memory and contribution to my journey by naming my business after her.
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?
The moment I decided to pursue my passion things started to fall into place. However, entrepreneurship comes with its challenges. Some challenges I have faced along the way included finding a space for my business that made sense financially and logistically. A lot of the salon/spa suites require around $300 per week. When you are first starting out you may not have the clientele to justify that amount.
Another challenge was determining business structure, products, services, pricing, accounting practices, etc. For me, it wasn’t about the knowledge around these topics it was more so realizing everything that you need to be successful and legitimate in business. That can be overwhelming! If you are thinking about opening a business, it may be a good idea to start thinking about these things now.
Finally, the greatest challenge is not allowing social media to dictate who you should be and what your business should be. I believe they call it the “imposter syndrome”. This is a real thing and people will always try to tell you what you should and should not be doing. I recommend moving at your own pace and doing what works for you. The good news is you don’t have to be like anyone else!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Karen Elaine Skincare specializes in treating the skin according to its needs for a youthful glow. We offer a variety of skincare treatments and products. We are trained and certified in hydra facials, microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, nano infusion, and chemical peels.
We strive to create the ultimate spa experience by providing exceptional services in a calming and lavish environment. Each client’s experience will be uniquely curated to help them achieve their desired skincare goals. Some of the skincare concerns that we treat include acne, hyperpigmentation, aging skin, dull dry dehydrated skin, melasma, skin tags and DPN removal. We are in growth mode right now so in the near future we will be expanding our services to include waxing, body treatments, massage, and wellness.
We try to approach skincare treatments from a wellness perspective. We want to treat the skin, body, and spirit. At times people can focus on the surface issue without thinking about the bigger picture. Whatever is going on internally will eventually show up externally. I believe this is what sets us apart from others.
Our clients don’t just include women, we have a diverse clientele that includes men as well.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I have such a passion for skincare. It brings me great satisfaction to help my clients achieve their skin goals. I enjoy being able to analyze the skin and curate a skincare regimen and treatment plan to help each client with their specific needs. It brings me joy when I finish with my clients’ service and they have this look of pure satisfaction on their faces. Hearing them tell me how much they enjoy their service or how confident they are in me helping them is one of the reasons I do what I do.
I recently received a text from a client that said, “I just want to give you your props! I was washing my face this morning and just really noticed how smooth it is since starting treatments. You are amazing and very knowledgeable.” Seeing this message confirmed that I am going in the right direction.
Pricing:
- Signature Luxe Facial $115
- Nano Infusion Facial $130
- Hydra Facial $145
- Men’s Facial $90
- Anti-Aging Facial $160
Contact Info:
- Website: www.karenelaineskincare.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/karenelaineskincare
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/karenelaineskincare
Image Credits
Jaio Photography
