We recently connected with Alexandra Mcclung and have shared our conversation below.

Alexandra, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

What sets my esthetics practice at Aura apart, and something I am very passionate about, is a commitment to nourishing my clients skin through quality natural products and a holistic approach. That means diving into health and lifestyle factors alongside skincare to understand what needs their skin is communicating. I’ve heard too many clients complain of painful or harsh experiences getting facials that made them averse to skincare. My goal is always first and foremost to create a deeply relaxing service for my client. If they’re in that parasympathetic mode, they’re going to reap the greatest benefit from their treatment. I believe that in using high-quality natural products and holistic modalities such as lymphatic drainage, buccal massage, and cupping, we give the clients skin and nervous system what they need to thrive.

Alexandra, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Sure! I’m Alex McClung, owner and holistic esthetician at Aura Skincare & Sugaring in Milwaukee, WI. I’m a Texas native, but I moved to California in 2015 and I’ve heard many say “you just can’t help but be healthy in California!” That was true for me and where my interest in living a more holistic lifestyle was born. I was a makeup artist at the time, but I had always been enamored with skincare and a resource for friends and family to ask advice. So, in 2017 I decided to get my license and pursue esthetics, but I knew I wanted to do things a bit differently. I wanted to lean into this field with integrity and feel good about what I was sharing with others. Conventional skincare did not resonate with me and esthetics school wasn’t going to teach me about a holistic approach, so in my downtime I was deep-diving into research learning everything I could and seeking out mentors.

I got my estheticians license and hit the ground running at a holistic skincare and wellness boutique, and up until last year when I moved to Milwaukee I have been working as a holistic esthetician for organic spas from San Diego to Portsmouth. When we arrived here I knew I was ready to open a space of my own, and thus, Aura was born.

I provide massage-focused, apothecary style facials that are customized to every client that walks through my door. I specialize in buccal and lymphatic massage. I am very intentional with selecting what products I carry in my back-bar and retail shelves, exclusively purchasing high-quality organic skincare. I think we have been collectively shifting into a new level of conscientiousness regarding what we are putting in and on our bodies, and I’m really proud to provide an option for those looking for more natural alternatives to skincare and wellness. I think it’s important to add here that I am never judging anyone, and I don’t believe in perfectionism. If there are conventional products in your routine or you love Botox – that is OK! Everyone’s needs and desires are different. I’m here to be a resource and a guide, not a critic.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When my fiancé told me he wanted to move home to Wisconsin from San Diego I was… unsure. I had lived there for nearly a decade (with a small Covid break, another pivot, but who didn’t during that time?) we had an established community and I was working at a gorgeous organic spa right on the beach that was aspirational for me for years. There was, however, a little voice in my head and my heart telling me I was ready to start my own space. I was doing a lot of research about Milwaukee and I recognized a potential opportunity for what I offer. It was a big bold choice to not only move halfway across the country, but also to open my first business. A massive pivot from what I expected 2024 to look like, but in taking a leap of faith I’ve seen what I am capable of, and have begun building a new community that I’m so grateful to be a part of.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Instagram and client referrals. I was truly, madly, deeply averse to Instagram. I have friends in the industry who are very successful and refuse to have an IG account, and wow do I respect and, at times, envy that, but in starting fresh in a new state with very few connections, that didn’t feel like an option for me. I have by no means been aggressive with Instagram posting, but I’ve done my best to portray a portfolio of what I do as best as possible and that’s brought a lot of wonderful clients through the door. Those clients tell their people about their experience and then they come in! I’ve met some truly awesome people through it and I love having another space to connect with clients. So, thanks Instagram, I’m sorry I doubted you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://auraskincaremke.glossgenius.com/
• Instagram: @aura.mke

Image Credits

John Gunn