We were lucky to catch up with Priscilla Torrance recently and have shared our conversation below.
Priscilla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
In 2020 the world shut down. A worldwide quarantine meant people weren’t working and earning income. I was among the many that were let go from small business companies that just couldn’t afford to hold on to their employees. I worked at a lovely Facial Bar in Downtown Salinas doing what I love to do when COVID hit and I was devastated to lose my job. I had a choice make, look for a job that I may not be happy in just to make ends meet, or take the risk of starting my own business journey in the field that I am happiest in. I chose the latter. And living in the state of CA amidst a pandemic that was especially restricting for individuals in my line of work made the start of my small business journey very challenging. When businesses started to open back up again, businesses like mine, were still restricted from opening. Estheticians, Cosmetologists, Body Workers and the like were all allowed to come back to work in the states EXCEPT FOR CALIFORNIA. And when the restrictions in CA finally did lift, I got pregnant. Which presented new challenges among starting a new business. There were many times that I just wanted to give up. And sometimes I still feel that way. But I won’t. I have this image of what I want to create for my business and it’s not somewhere I can get to overnight but I know that if I remain patient and committed, I will eventually get there. I’m not just in the business of “beauty”. I’m in the business of wellness. It’s not superficial, what I offer to my clients runs so much deeper than an eyebrow wax or gua sha facial. I’m giving them a guidance in self-care and a sense of peace when they come through my doors. I don’t offer fancy modalities and the next big skincare trends, I specialize in a more holistic and natural approach to skin health. I eventually want to expand in the services I offer taking skin health and overall wellness even deeper. It requires returning to school and learning more on my part but I will get there. :)
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?
My name is Priscilla Torrance and I am a licensed Esthetician and Certified in Gua Sha Facial Fusion. I didn’t know that I was going to wind up in the field of Esthetics, I was actually working as a cleaning person at The Spa at Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley when I first started to play around with the idea. I really enjoyed the environment at Bernardus and preparing products and set up for the professionals who would perform skincare services and massage therapy. There was a skincare class for one of the product lines that the spa carried at the time that I really enjoyed. The Spa Coordinator at the time said she could see me in the line of work for an Esthetician and that planted the seed. The following year I joined the Esthiology program at the Aveda Institute in Provo, Utah and fell in love with holistic and organic approach to skincare. The field of Esthetics is broad and there are soooo many specialties within the scope of practice– waxing, chemical peels, etc. I followed the path of holistic and natural care with less modalities but diving deeper into promoting healing from within. I eventually discovered Gua Sha and Facial Fusion under Cecily Braden.
I help clients who don’t know where to start on their skincare journey develop healthy routines at home and educate them on what is best for their specific skin type. I incorporate Gua Sha into the massage portion of my facials and help move stagnation in the face to help flush out impurities and toxins from the body which in turn may alleviate some skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, dehydrated skin and even pigmentation. I also provide facial waxing and specialize in sensitive skin.
I am most proud of taking a chance on myself. Of pursuing a field in holistic aesthetics and being able to help individuals feel good in the skin they’re in– not just in the physical sense but on a mental level as well. When my clients come to see me, they’re not just receiving a service, they’re practicing selfcare and leave feeling well-rested and happy. I’m happy that I can do that for people.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
There is a quote, it goes like this, “Comparison is the thief of joy”. This rings true with all aspects of life and especially in business. In whatever line of work you specialize in, there will always be competitors. Social media plays a big part in the content we are taking in and how we are viewing ourselves and constantly comparing ourselves to others. Biggest advice to succeed is to remember that your journey is your own. The steps you take to get to where you are and where you are going will be different than steps of competitors. If the grass seems greener on the other side, water yours. Nurture yourself. If success comes to a competitor, be happy for them. Success will come to you as well. Don’t look at other companies as “just competitors”. There are soooo many people on this plant. There is room for all of us to thrive in success. Don’t lose heart if what you want doesn’t come as quickly to you as you’d like. Be patient. Seek council from those who came before and trust in your abilities and your vision and work with intention and honesty. Success will follow.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
There will always be challenges. It’s like once you’ve overcome one hurdle, life throws you another and you level up! The challenges of the pandemic and bringing a new baby into the world definitely are testament to my resilience. But also in 2023 during the atmospheric river in California. My first location was in a beautiful ocean town called Pacific Grove, CA. When the atmospheric river hit and all of CA was experiencing severe flooding, it made it hard to get to work because I commuted from a neighboring city 40-minutes away and many roads were blocked off. There were also many power outages from trees falling and the power would be out for weeks. I lost a great potential of revenue from being shut down. I then chose to relocate from the beautiful PG to Salinas, the city in which I live. Relocating meant that I’d lose a few clients and essentially be starting over again. I could’ve given up then but instead I kept on treading forward. And I’m still treading forward, resilient against all the challenges thrown my way.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.skinbycilla.com
- Instagram: @skinbycilla
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skinbycilla
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ptorresthetics/
- Twitter: @skinbycilla
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/skin-by-cilla-salinas?osq=skin+by+cilla
Image Credits
Oliva Bernal Photography (images of service), Nori Rose Photography (image of myself.)