We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jaime Carson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jaime below.

Jaime, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?

I feel very lucky in how I landed my first job out of school because it happened to be a position in a high end Upper East Side facial spa that I was definitely not qualified for at the time. I had taken a part time job working the front desk as a receptionist at this particular spa while I was going through school and was able to impress the owner with my work ethic. The spa owner was in need of one more esthetician and would normally have sought out a new hire who had at least 5 years of experience as a practicing esthetician, though lucky for me, I had made a strong impression which landed ME the job as soon as I graduated and passed my state board exams. Because the other estheticians were highly skilled at this particular studio I had to work extremely hard to polish my skills and build my clientele in order to keep my job. I worked there for the first 2 and a half years after finishing school, and I learned more in that one job than I ever could have in a lower level position. I still feel that this particular job molded me into the style of esthetician I am today.

Jaime, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am licensed to practice esthetics in both New York and Texas, and have been working as an esthetician since 2007. Before attending Atelier Esthetique in NYC to earn my esthetics license I was a theatrical makeup artist on operas for both the Connecticut Opera Company and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I also toured with RENT as the Assistant Wardrobe Coordinator. The world of beauty has always been a passion for me, and transitioning from stage makeup to skincare was an evolution I never saw happening, though once I started practicing esthetics I knew I had found my calling.

I started Carson Skin Rejuvenation, my boutique skincare studio in 2011 after working in a variety of spas and medical spas in New York City. When I went out on my own I wanted to hone in on my love of facials, specifically. Non-invasive skin rejuvenation with little to no downtime post-treatment is my area of expertise, and nothing brings me the same joy as watching my client’s skin look more and more radiant and youthful over time. Our relationships end up becoming more like friendship and I cherish each and every one of my clients. Many of them I met when they were single or dating and are now married with at least one child. I’ve been present for all of it!

If I had to describe my approach to facial treatments I would say that I layer classical European facial techniques with gentle skin rejuvenation technologies such as LED wavelengths, microcurrent and customized serums infused using ultrasound and oxygen. The goal of my treatments is to build the skin’s overall health over-time rather that assault it with heavy peels and strong lasers which have their place, but are not for everyone and are often overprescribed. I teach my clients how to care for their skin at home and tailor their home-care routines to their personalities and their lifestyles. This is one of my favorite challenges. Creating an effective skincare regimen that each client will enjoy performing on themselves at home is how I see optimal results. It’s a partnership!

My proudest moment is having uprooted my ten year old NYC facial practice and moved it successfully to Austin, Texas in 2020 after having spent the NY lockdown in our apartment on the upper west side. Needless to say, my upper east side skincare business was considered “non-essential” and was mandated closed for 5 months. This unexpected closure gave me the courage to start over in a city I had dreamed of moving to for years, but was too busy and fearful of change to do so. I was on the brink of turning 40 and suppose I had my YOLO moment. I closed my New York practice and moved to Austin in November of 2020. I reopened Carson Skin Rejuvenation in Ausin in May of 2021 and am very proud to say I have attracted an incredible batch of new clients whom I adore working with. I am also proud to mention that some of my NYC clients have flown to Austin to see me for facial treatments in my new studio, so these relationships remain strong!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I am naturally a shy person and found networking extremely intimidating, yet it’s necessary to grow the business. I had previously told myself that only extraverts are successful networkers which is absolutely not true. I find that for those of us who are on the shy-side a large in-person networking event is often not where we will shine so it’s important to place yourself strategically in situations where you can show off your knowledge and skills, and attract people into your business. I love answering questions, so creating social media content that answers specific questions has been a great way to connect with new clients. I also love how visually beautiful my facials can be, so I’ve started inviting clients in, with their permission, and making short films of me working on their skin. This has allowed my natural creativity and the love of what I do to be seen by others and has been much more effective for me than attending large networking events where I quietly shake people’s hands and try to describe what I do while battling nerves. I think a lot of people can relate to this experience. Networking and marketing yourself can actually be quite fun when you allow yourself to get creative.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

It is essential to find people who believe in what you are doing and “get it”. Not everyone will, and that’s okay! Move on and find the people who love recommending you and supporting you. Often you’ll find that you naturally feel the same way about them and the reciprocation feels natural.

I also recommend taking tips from people who currently purchase what you are selling rather than taking everyone’s advice who offers it to you. I’ve had many people who never purchase facials give me lots of business advice on how my pricing should be, how my website should look/function etc. What I realized is that these are not my clients so their advice is often a bit critical in ways that are not actually useful. I love asking my clients who are true “facial lovers” what their opinions are since they are my actual target market.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://carsonskin.com
• Instagram: @carsonskin
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarsonSkinRejuvenation
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jaimecarson
• Twitter: @carsonskin
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/carson-skin-rejuvenation-rollingwood

Image Credits
Allan Rayson and Robert Cameron Connelly