We recently connected with Jasmine Magee and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jasmine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I was working as an esthetician at a waxing studio for almost 5 years. New management made the work environment very stressful. At that point, I decided that I could either find somewhere else to work; but with that I could be in the same situation just with different people. Or just start on my own. Both options would require me to rebuild my clientele, so I decided to bet in myself.
Worst case scenario I know how to get another job.
Once the decision was made, I began searching different salon studio options and figuring out what location would be an ideal fit.
After deciding on the perfect place, I then gathered all the materials I would need to work with, and decorated my studio to fit my aesthetic. Once everything was set up, I quit and never looked back.
I absolutely made the best decision for myself. I can’t imagine ever working for anyone but myself.

Jasmine , 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?

My name is Jasmine Magee; and I’ve been a licensed esthetician since 2014. I can say outside of choosing my husband as a life partner, it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. Before esthetics, I was working in the corporate world feeling underwhelmed and uninspired. I soon discovered that I needed a change, and I must do something that I had a real passion for. At the time I didn’t know what that meant; so, I began thinking about what I enjoyed doing.

I realized that make-up and beauty has always been of interest of mine and decided to make it a career. After doing some research, I realized I needed to be more than a just a “make-up artist,’ since competition was fierce. That’s when I learned of Esthetics!
I had no idea what an esthetician even was but decided to enroll into school and see what it was all about.

Attending esthetics school was a really good experience. I made a lot of like-minded friends. The instructors all taught me so much and opened my eyes to all the possibilities to make money in the skincare industry. After graduating, make up was no longer my focus, skincare was. I knew in school, that my ultimate goal would be to one day own a full service beauty bar, there the name J.Vanity was created. (I would eventually get my LLC in 2017.)

I got my first esthetics job at a spa working as an esthetician full time for about a year. Being so knew into the industry I wasn’t making the money I was hoping for. By mid to late 2015, I left the spa and began working at a premier waxing studio in Buckhead. That’s where I learned all about full body waxing and sugaring and fell in love with the hair removal part of esthetics. I worked there for about 4.5 years, making enough money to take several continuing education trainings; where I learned new skills like microblading/microshading, medical grade tca chemical peel treatments, cavitation, I also was able to build a great clientele, and really developed my skill set and bedside manner.

Summer of 2017 is when I found myself in a familiar place of needing more from my work. The waxing studio ‘s work environment changed, and I was yearning to be able to perform other specialty services that wasn’t waxing and sugaring. Brow sculpting and microblading were my new passion, so I knew then the next step was starting business.

I left the waxing studio Aug of 2019 and started my business in a medium sized studio at Sola Salon Studios. J.Vanity Esthetics was born!! Specializing in all thing’s hair removal.
Being an entrepreneur has been so fulfilling; performing an array of beauty services for a diverse clientele. I’ve seen so much growth in the total 3.5 years I’ve been in business. Obtaining my laser practitioner license and partnering with a medical director to be able to purchase the only laser that’s painless, and can remove hair on all skin types in only 4-6 session And a second laser to remove hyperpigmentation and tattoos on all skin types; has been an exciting achievement.
I’ve grown into a larger studio, where I perform full body waxing and sugaring, laser hair removal, laser tattoo removal, dermaplaning, microblading/shading, brow sculpting and tinting. I also acquired a second studio at Sola to house J.Vanity Skin

I’m very proud of the growth that my small business has had at Sola, but it’s time to find J.Vanity a permanent home. I have plans to focus on more noninvasive results-oriented treatments, such as cool sculpting, micro needling, injectables, while still doing the things my clients love me for, such as eyebrows and hair removal. I’m also partnering with a longtime friend who I met in esthetics school. She is a brilliant Nurse practitioner, aesthetcian, and senior laser tech. Together we are bringing my dream of an eclectic, yet chic med spa to life!

There is so much more I plan to accomplish. I will feel forever grateful to not only to have survived a pandemic with no government funding; but thrive.

Building a business brick by brick has been the most challenging. It’s taught me perseverance and to keep focus on the goals at hand.
My next year in business will be my husbands and mines biggest accomplishment yet, J.Vanity the store. Since the beginning of my esthetics career I haven’t looked back, only forward and I love it here.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

I love the J.Vanity Product line! I can’t give away all of my sources; but I can tell you how I got started.
I’ve always wanted to have my own product line initially makeup.
As an esthetician who truly cares about her craft, after care is 80% of the results. I wanted to create products that would truly render the best results without harsh irritants.
Ingredients matter…. I’ve partnered with a dermatologist lab that I met at a beauty convention.
So far we have a 24k gold exfoliating sugar scrub, An ingrown serum that’s also a dark spot corrector, and face and body oil that has vitamin e &c and lots of other minerals that nourishes the skin without congestion. We are also in the works to create a skincare line. I’ve learned that as a women in business you have to be intentional about what you want. And don’t be afraid to think big.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My entire life has been about resilience. I remember at a very young age seeing my dad struggling with drugs and alcohol, which made him physically and verbally abusive.
My mom was forced to file for legal separation and custody of my sister and myself, and we moved from
my small Georgia hometown to Atlanta when I was 5..

Seeing my single mother work so hard, and it still wasn’t enough at times was very hard to process.
From our electricity being turned off (often), an eviction, and even my own health struggles with having lupus which it caused kidney failure.

I can go on and on about my personal hardships and journey. But even with all that bad I still never let anything or anyone limit me. I always picked myself up and continued on. I think it’s from watching my mom growing up. She never let things get her down. She just trusted God and did her best.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jvanity.com
• Instagram: J.vanityatl
• Facebook: j.vanityesthetics

Image Credits
@jaxonphotography for professional personal photos @carachanel for studio photos