Glowin’ Through It

10 years ago i was working at a bank.

one day a woman came in yelling that “mexicans were stealing her money.”

then she walked straight up to me…
looked at me… and said I took it.

because I “looked like one of them.”

I remember just standing there.
trying to stay calm.
waiting for someone to say something.

no one did.

my manager didn’t step in.
didn’t ask her to leave.

just let it happen.

I finished my shift…
went home…
and I quit the next day.

no plan. nothing lined up.

I just knew I wasn’t staying somewhere that would let that happen to me.

that was it.

everything I’ve built since came after that.

—

I think about that version of me a lot.

she didn’t have it all figured out…
but she knew she deserved better.

and she was right. 🤍

if something in you has been asking for better…
you’re allowed to choose it. 🌿

me: “it’s just a beauty appointment”
also me: turning my room into a whole healing sanctuary with an emotional support dog on staff 🐾

look at this…

this is where you come when your body’s been tense all week and you didn’t even realize it.
you lay down and everything just… drops.

your shoulders. your face. your thoughts.
your brain finally shuts up for a minute. 🧘‍♀️

some of you knock out cold like in a deep sleep, snoring and all… and i’m not judging you either 😂
others of you end up telling me your whole life story halfway through like it turned into a therapy session.

either way… you’re letting something go. 🌿

you can talk the whole time or not say a word.
either way, you’re getting taken care of.

you’ll leave looking good, obviously.
but the way your body feels when you walk out? that’s the part.

come lay down. i got you. 🤍

meet the assistant esthetician. 🐾

she greets you at the door, scans the room for good vibes, and immediately inserts herself into the situation like she pays rent here.

she also receives about 90% of the love while contributing absolutely nothing to the actual services.

no sugaring.
no facials.
no lashes.

just sitting there being cute, collecting pets, and eavesdropping on every life update that happens in this room.

honestly some of you walk in, pet her, obsess over her…

and then look up like
“oh hey Ashley.” 😌

leggings season really protected a lot of us. 👀

then spring shows up…
the sun comes out…
the shorts come out…
and suddenly everyone remembers body hair exists.

winter was a safe space. I too spent several months pretending leggings were a personality.

then the weather warms up and you have that moment where you’re like

“oh.” 🙈

that’s usually when you end up here.

look, I’m not here to judge.
I work in sugaring.
judging people would be a weird career choice. 🥴

you come in a little nervous…

five minutes later you’re like

“wait… that’s it?” 🤯

happens every time.

so if spring is starting to expose some situations winter helped you ignore…
come see me.

warm sugar. steady hands.
zero judgment.

also the only time I get nervous is when someone says
“I tried to fix it myself first.”

little business housekeeping today.

license renewed through the New Mexico Board of Barbers & Cosmetologists ✔️

just about 8 years in this industry and still doing things the right way.

turns out caring about your work never goes out of style. 😉

sometimes women come in thinking it’s just an appointment.

but over time it becomes something else.

a place to land for a little while.
a place to feel taken care of.

the skin work matters to me…
but the women sitting in my chair matter even more. 🌿

You’re never “just” a client here.

This week, someone sent me a message that stopped me in my tracks.

She said I’m more than her esthetician.
That this space feels safe.
That our time feels healing.
That it’s an honor to be part of each other’s lives.

And that’s exactly it. 🥲

What happens in this room isn’t just lashes.
It isn’t just facials.
It isn’t just sugaring.

It’s connection.
It’s reflection.
It’s transformation.
It’s trust. 🙏🏼

I’ve always believed beauty services can be deeper than appointments on a calendar. They can be moments where someone exhales. Where someone feels seen. Where someone processes life while laying on a treatment bed.

This business has never been about volume for me.
It’s about relationship. 🤍

The kind where we celebrate homes, babies, grief, growth, marriages, heartbreak, promotions, and everything in between.

If you’ve ever laid on my treatment bed.. thank you. 🤗
You’re the reason this space feels the way it does.

And if you’re new here?
Just know… you’re walking into more than a service. You’re walking into something built on connection.

That’s the glow. ✨