CuyBella Esthetics

Have you used or heard of Mandelic Acid? Perhaps not. I don’t normally hear people talk about this one when they discuss skincare.

So what is Mandelic Acid? This ingredient is found in cleansers and serums (I actually retail/have access to BOTH forms from a few different product lines, so let me know if you’re interested). Mandelic acid addresses various concerns, including signs of aging, acne, enlarged pores, and pigmentation issues. This is suitable for all skin types, however is it particularly great for oily/acne prone skin and hyperpigmentation. Mandelic acid also has anti bacterial properties and regulates sebum production, which is what makes it so great for acneic skin!

Unlike a lot of other active ingredients, Mandelic Acid is gentle enough to be used once daily. I recommend clients work up to this by using it a few days a week to begin with and adding more days as appropriate. It can also be helpful to omit from your routine once or twice a week, just to give your skin a break.

Now that I’ve added Mandelic Acid to my routine, I’m definitely NOT going back!

Notice the differences from the before and after?

These two photos were taken on the same day, with the same client, using the same light. In the before photo, this client’s skin looks lifeless and dull.

For this particular facial, we used a gentle pineapple enzyme boosted with a lactic acid peel. The lactic peel is great for hydrating, exfoliating, softening, and lightening the skin. We followed this up with a dermaplane treatment and a firming mask. You can see how the skin glows beautifully in the after photo. It’s bright, hydrated, happy. This is always what we want to achieve with a facial!

Again, home care is the MOST important part of your skincare routine. Coming to me for monthly facials is a great way to keep you accountable and on track. It’s also a great way to figure out what products to add to your routine or to give your skin a little boost—like with this client!

CuyBella Esthetics has a new look!! I’ve been busy updating my treatment room. It’s been an exhausting week—I’ve literally been working nonstop, but it was soooo worth it! I’m so excited for my clients to see my new space. I worked so hard and I’m really proud of what I accomplished. Everything is finally coming together and this is my DREAM space. I’ve been in this space for almost a year now. And I could not have dreamt of this a year ago when I first moved into this space. It’s been through several changes in the last year and I think this is finally IT. 🥰

Posting this for a reminder of where I am and inspiration for where I want to be…

I have worked 2 jobs since January 2020. That’s when I began my esthetician apprenticeship. I have worked 6-7 days a week the majority of that time, while juggling my esthetics business and my nursing career.

Currently I work full time nights as a labor and delivery nurse and I manage my esthetics business. I used to say my business was part time, and while might only spend “part time” hours working with clients, this job is definitely full time!

Going into it, I totally underestimated how much time and physical and emotional energy I’d put into this—from serving my clients to perfecting my craft to growing the business. I don’t regret it, but I started this journey in 2020 so that I could one day be a full time esthetician. I have never worked so hard for something.

I worked all weekend at my nurse job—Friday through Sunday night. I’ve slept less than 10 hours COMBINED since Saturday morning when I got off work. Saying I’m exhausted is an understatement. I had business/marketing meetings yesterday and today between working both jobs. I had a meeting at 1pm today (after working all night) and had my first client of the day at 3pm. And I’m just now done for the day. I’ve raced from job to job and dealt with one responsibility after another all weekend. I haven’t had any time to myself. My “free time” has been spent working on my business and (unsuccessfully) trying to sleep in the meantime.

Again, I love my business/being an esthetician and I have no regrets! However, in the midst of dealing with sleepless days I haven’t been able to take care of me, and that included putting gas in my car! I got in the car today after putting this off all weekend so I could try to get some sleep and also manage to get to each job on time. I had JUST enough gas to get to my esthetics business and the get up the street to get gas after work.

I decided today that I don’t want to live like this anymore. It’s put everything into perspective and I’m more determined than ever to grow my business. It’s my passion, it’s literally my EVERYTHING at this point. I want this to be a reminder for this time next year of where I was. I want this time where I’m running on fumes and missing out on life to feel like a distant memory. I want this “dream” that I’ve been working on since 2020 to finally come to fruition.

I don’t really believe in New Years Resolutions and I’m a little late anyway. But I guess this is as close as I’ll get. So here’s to making sure that I get to where I want to be. ♥️

I see and hear it all—people using bar soap on their faces, dermaplaning at home, trying out a concoction they found on TikTok. 😬 yikes. But I get it, it can be confusing knowing which products to use when. The biggest piece of advice I have is not to blindly follow social media trends if the info isn’t coming from a professional (dermatologist or esthetician). Non professionals might have you trying some crazy things! Look up the ingredients in the products that you are using and make sure that they aren’t too harsh for your particular skin type. And remember, you can have too much of a good thing! Regular exfoliation and certain active ingredients (glycolic, retinol, vitamin c) can do wonders for your skin (in moderation), but using these everyday can dry out your skin and damage your barrier! #skincareroutine #skincaretips #healthyskin #kansascityesthetician

Confession: I have sebaceous filaments and I hate them. And I have to constantly remind myself that they’re normal. I’ve also had clients ask me about them! They are annoying, but common. I notice that they get better in appearance when I am diligent about my home care. They appear much less noticeable when I exfoliate regularly and use my Skin Script glycolic cleanser and glycolic pads a few times a week. Products with active ingredients can help with the appearance of blackheads and sebaceous filaments. These ingredients include salicylic acid, retinol, and glycolic. These ingredients are helpful, but it’s important to not use them daily. Daily use of actives can dry out the skin and lead to a compromised barrier. It’s a work in progress, but the better I care for my skin, the less I notice them. Just know that it’s normal and nothing is wrong with your skin! #blackheads #sebaceousfilaments #healthyskin #kansascityesthetician

Yes. I am addicted to Dermaplaning…and so are my clients! It’s definitely the star of most facials! Many estheticians will charge extra for a dermaplane add on, but it’s part of the Maxi Facial! It’s a great way to exfoliate the skin, remove hair, and it will leave you with an instant glow. For best results, repeat every 4-6 weeks! And don’t try this at home! I’ve seen several horror stories online from people attempting to dermaplane at home. You can over exfoliate, cut, and damage the skin if you don’t know what you’re doing! #dermaplane #kansascityesthetician #smoothskin #healthyskin