My relationship with my skin over twenty years has been unstable, to say the least. After a lengthy battle with cystic acne in high school and many visits to the dermatologist, my doctor finally led me to consider the “ultimate cure” for acne: Accutane. Accutane, or isotretinoin, is a vitamin-A derivative pill that essentially decreases the production of sebum or facial oil. This process is incredibly gradual and painful, and as a result of the lost oil production, the skin becomes dry and prone to crack.
BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!
By the summer of July 2018, my skin was clear. However, that wasn’t the end of my skincare journey and, after my skin cleared up, I was left with the damage of what four years of cystic acne scarring had left behind.
Enter SkinFluence Miami, a skincare business created and owned by Miami native esthetician: Amy Rodriguez.
I first went to SkinFluence Miami in September of 2020 for a regular facial. I’d only had one facial previously in my life, at a dermatologist’s office, and it had left me wincing in pain. SkinFluence Miami’s introductory facial titled the “Get To Know You Facial” was heavenly. Amy exceeded every one of my expectations, from the actual treatments themselves to her attention to detail and aesthetics.
Since then, I’ve been attending SkinFluence Miami religiously every month and communicating my skin concerns to Amy. She’s been incredible at handpicking treatments for my acne scars and helping me understand what my skin truly needs. The service at SkinFluence Miami is also unmatched, and Amy even goes the extra mile to curate personal skincare routines for her clients at no additional cost.
I was lucky to be able to interview Amy for Her Campus on how she grew her business, products she recommends, and more! Read on to see her answers:
1. DG: What is SkinFluence Miami? Why and how did you decide on this name?
SFM: SkinFluence Miami the name…it was a tough one! For a long time, I would daydream about what my facial spa name would be. For five years, I went back and forth in my head with a name, as if it was life or death. About a year and a half ago, when I took opening my business more seriously, I thought of the name SkinFluence! SkinFluence was created because my goal is to educate and influence people to care and get to know their skin and how they can heal it. I added Miami because I’m a Miami native and proud of it; I love my city so much!
2. DG: As a licensed esthetician and small business owner, what would you say is the hardest part of building your own skincare business?
SFM: Building a business, in general, is tough! I commend every man and woman that dares to do so. The hardest part about building a skincare business for me was making sure I had the correct products and skincare equipment to appease all my clients. Studying is also a huge part of starting a skincare business. I was studying all the time and looking at equipment and product lines 24/7. Making sure these two things were done correctly was extremely important to me because I didn’t want a client of mine to come in and feel like I couldn’t help them. So to estheticians looking to start a business: study and strive to know more every day. It all pays off when you get to where you want to be; it took me 7 years to get here!
3. DG: When do you think is the perfect age to start taking care of your skin and what products would you recommend to a skincare newbie?
SFM: Sunscreen is most likely the first step into the skincare world, and many people fail to realize it. Remember going to the beach on a Saturday, and your mom would pour a gallon of SPF on you…it was because she cared about you, and that’s skincare! Honestly, I would recommend around the pre-teen age to truly begin with a routine just for consistency purposes. The entire goal of skincare is to maintain healthy skin because it is the largest organ in our body and protects us from numerous amounts of things daily. I ALWAYS recommend seeing a dermatologist or esthetician before randomly choosing a product. This is because the amount of skincare products on the market is overwhelming! Many products may not work or worsen your skin because it may not be the correct product for your skin type.
4. DG: What is your favorite part of your job? What is your least favorite part of your job?
SFM: My favorite part of my job is educating my clients about skincare products and tools. I love teaching about the skincare world in general, and it brings me joy to truly help people with beginning their skincare journey. It’s such a beautiful world once you learn and test out different things specifically made for you! When my clients become skincare junkies that means I have done my job correctly! My least favorite part of my job, although I love it all, is definitely having to remind my clients that they need to trust the process! Although it is extremely frustrating not having the skin you desire, results are not an overnight thing, and they never will be. With patience and consistency, your skin will truly improve and begin to heal itself.
5. DG: What are your most popular treatments at SkinFluence Miami? What do they seek to do?
SFM: The most popular treatment is the 90 minutes “Bye Bye Blemishes” treatment! Did you know that 85% percent of people between the ages of 12-24 experience some sort of acne? This treatment was formulated specifically for those people. The “Bye Bye Blemishes” is a treatment that not only deeply cleans the skin but nourishes it as well. Although the treatment itself is effective, I recommend my clients do it as a “starter treatment.” This will then lead them into deeper, more result-driven treatments depending on the skin condition they may have.
6. DG: What are some factors that contribute to healthy skin other than product use?
SFM: More important than product use is what you’re putting inside your body! We all love junk food. Trust me, this is an everyday battle for me! Unfortunately, foods that are horrible for you are also horrible for your skin. It’s ALL connected. The skin sees a huge difference when you change your diet and start drinking water. So, please seek a nutritionist or doctor to see internally what your body is lacking, then feed that and take away what it doesn’t need. When you blend this with proper skincare and skincare treatments, you will surely have the healthy skin you need!
7. DG: What is your favorite service that you offer at SkinFluence Miami?
SFM: I have two! First is the chemical peel treatments because when done consistently, the changes they provide to the skin are drastic and dramatic! They help with all skin types and tones, and I absolutely love that about them. From acne to hyperpigmentation and aging, you get it all with that one treatment. The second one is dermaplaning! Dermaplaning is such an amazing resurfacing treatment; it removes surface dead skin and unwanted hair. The removal of dead skin and hair brings forth beautiful smooth, and glowing skin!
8. DG: What one skincare product would you take with you if you were stranded on a deserted island?
SFM: SPF! Can you imagine being on a deserted island with burning hot sun and no sun protection? NOT happening! I’ll literally invent anything else on the island, but SPF is a must!
Check out SkinFluence Miami on Instagram.