We were lucky to catch up with Vanessa Maisonpierre recently and have shared our conversation below.

Vanessa, appreciate you joining us today. We’re complete cheeseballs and so we love asking folks to share the most heartwarming moment from their career – do you have a touching moment you can share with us?

There’s a misconception that esthetics is primarily about vanity, but my clients are a constant reminder that what I do is so much more. Yes, working with me can transform your skin, but it can also transform the way you feel in your body, and how you take care of yourself. One of my clients is the perfect example – she came to me with no skin issues but in desperate need of self care. She had a busy, stressful life, and a tendency to prioritize caring for others instead of herself. Her friend recommended that she book herself a facial, and she later told me that she was hesitant, because again – no skin issues! However, she decided to give it a shot and soon became a regular facial client of mine. Some clients like to chat, but not her… she prefers an hour of silence and relaxation. Once, she told me that facials felt like therapy. She got off the table feeling more at ease in her body and in her life, and that she’s started calling in this feeling when things get chaotic. She said – “when I’m having a bad moment, or when I’m stressed out, I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and remember how good I feel after your facials. I try to embody that feeling.. the calm and the confidence, and then I instantly feel better.” Talk about the power of self care!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

When I was in elementary school, I was gifted a DIY Skin & Body book, and instantly fell in love with skincare. That love led to me working in spas and for corporate skincare companies. Eventually, I wanted to take my knowledge a step further, and enrolled in esthetics school. I was working happily in spas, utilizing a general anti-aging approach, and then…. I developed cystic acne out of the blue. This changed the trajectory of my career and of my life.

I spent years struggling with my acne, both the physical manifestation of it and the emotional impact. I visited every specialist you can think of, tried numerous acne medications & products, and spent countless dollars and hours trying to heal my skin. My mental health plummeted – I cried every single day, avoided drawing attention to myself, felt like a fraud in the treatment room, and canceled numerous social plans due to my skin.

One day it hit me: despite the amount of specialists & doctors I had visited, nobody had asked me WHY I had acne. I was never asked about my diet, lifestyle, or stress levels. I was given antibiotics and prescription medications and products so harsh they burned my skin, but was never given suggestions of how to improve my digestive health, or how I could change my diet to best support my skin.

So, I took it upon myself. I enrolled in school and became a Holistic Nutrition Practitioner. I spent years researching nutrition, how our lifestyle can impact our skin, and how we can make small changes in our daily life to support our skin, but also ourselves. Skin care is self care. That’s the message I bring to my work with clients: when we care for our skin, we care for ourselves. The small changes we make to support our skin will support every other aspect of our lives. We will feel better, and we will look better. Win-Win!

Now, I specialize in acne and other skin concerns, such as hyperpigmentation, rosacea and psoriasis. I take a holistic approach – because I know skin care is so much deeper than just our skin. Part education, part discovery and part talk therapy, I offer the education, insight, support and accountability that I wish I had. You deserve to love your skin!

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Training and knowledge are important, but so is empathy. I know first hand how painful (both emotionally & physically) skin conditions are. Our skin is the first thing people see, and if we’re not happy with how it looks …. we aren’t happy with ourselves. I will never forget asking a fellow esthetician for advice on my skin. She rolled her eyes and said “clearly, it’s your lifestyle”. At that point, I was training for a half marathon and following a recommended/balanced meal plan. On paper, I was the healthiest I had ever been. And yet… with that comment, I felt dirty, like she thought I didn’t wash my face, or ate greasy chips in bed and never washed my sheets. Skin care is so, so vulnerable. When clients come to you, they’re trusting you with their self confidence. Empathy is essential to not only succeeding in this field, but in gaining your clients trust.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

When I was in the thick of my acne, I was embarrassed to meet my clients. I felt like a fraud – if I didn’t have clear skin, how could I help them? It took years to heal my self image and confidence. Now, I don’t shy away from showing up. If I have a pimple, I’m on social media letting people know exactly what I’m doing to help it heal quickly and safely. I’ve had so many clients mention their appreciation for this. As it turns out, clients struggling with acne actually prefer for their esthetician to understand the pain and frustration of breakouts. They want to look at REAL skin with REAL issues. They don’t want to feel self conscious about their own breakouts; they want to know that their professional gets what they’re going through. My advice: show up as your real, unfiltered self. Pretending to be perfect will only prevent your growth and success. There is so much power in vulnerability and truth – they’re what build loyalty and trust.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.vanessamaisonpierre.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toketic.esthetics/

Image Credits
Sterling Rose Art