We were lucky to catch up with Mikayla Hodge-Mills recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mikayla, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Our mission is to provide our customers with genuine, knowledge based, professional level skin care advice and establish a long lasting relationship of trust and commitment with each of our clients. The reason this mission is so meaningful to me is because there was a time in my life where I was searching for answers to help me clear up my acne and I was never guided in the right direction. In my younger teenage years no one told me how important my diet truly was and how it could be a factor in the very issue I was struggling with. We are always told what we can apply to our skin to help “clear” it on the outside, but never address the inside issues. Everything begins within! So it is our mission to not only service our clients but to make sure they walk away with proper education on how to treat their skin care concerns and bring their bodies back to homeostasis from within.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a Licensed Esthetician who specializes in facials and skin care treatments. I am also a Certified DMK Skin Therapist who specializes in corrective skin care treatments. I help people with skin conditions such as Acne, Hyperpigmentation, Rosacea, Psoriasis, Fine Lines & Wrinkles, etc. I offer a variety of services for all areas of the body including face, armpits, thighs, back, legs, etc. I also offer advanced treatments like microneedling, dermaplaning, high frequency, and enzyme treatments. What sets me apart from others is that I take pride in educating my clients. I help customize treatment plans based on their skincare goals or needs. I bring awareness to what could be their triggers starting with their diets to the products they’re applying on their skin. I am here to serve my clients in the best way possible. I don’t just take your money, provide a service, and say goodbye.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I want to first start off by saying we don’t know, what we don’t know. Growing up I loved to be outside, ride my bike, play in the pool, or even go to the beach. As I got older, I noticed that I was starting to get sun burnt! To add some context, I am an African American woman who some would consider “light skinned”. So in the African American community we are told that “black people don’t get sun burned” or that we don’t have to wear sunscreen. This is entirely false! Yes, our darker pigment does provide some protection but we can just as easily get burned. Everyone should wear sunscreen daily! Not just when you go to the beach or the pool. Sunscreen should be a part of your daily skin care routine and you should be reapplying it throughout the day. Depending on the sunscreen coverage you have, you may have to reapply it every 1-2 hours technically speaking. Also unprotected sun exposure leads to premature aging. Some effects it can have on your skin: wrinkles & fine lines, sagging skin, pigmented spots or age spots, dryness, and rough textured skin. I can’t stress this enough: Everyone should be wearing sunscreen daily!

How did you build your audience on social media?

I’ve personally built my audience on social media by posting reels, videos, and before/after photos of my work. I find that posting relatable content works the best as well as showing up as your most authentic self. Make sure you add personality to your content if you are a service or product based business. Don’t be too “sales” focused. The money will come but truly focus on reaching your audience. Ask yourself: Who are you marketing to, who are your ideal customers or clients, what do they like to do, how do they dress, etc. Being able to visually see who your customer is will help you reach them.    

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vagaro.com/kskinfacials
• Instagram: kskin_facials