Student Spotlight Series: Maggie Harmon
Student Spotlight Series: Maggie Harmon
This month for our student spotlight series we chose Maggie Harmon, a 21 year old Office Assistant whose hobbies include writing and sewing.
Q: Why do you wanna become an esthetician?
I have been interested and enjoyed skincare and esthetics since I was a child, I just didn’t know I could make a career of it. When I learned about estheticians I did a lot of research and was hooked. I had felt so directionless and not confident of my passions but since I’ve discovered esthetics and attending EEI I really feel like I’m coming into myself and owning my life.
Q: What is it that drew you to Elise Esthetics compared to other schools?
When I started looking for schools I had no idea what I was looking for. I have always been drawn to high-quality, small setting environments, so when I started poking around the internet, researching different schools, EEI stuck out to me like none other. I requested for some more information from EEI via email and Tessa, the founder and director, called me and invited me to tour the school. When I came in, she had a casual conversation with me about what I was looking for, why I was interested, and my goals. From our 20 minute conversation, I had the sense that EEI was the place for me. I felt the intentionality of investing in students and providing the best education for up and coming estheticians.
Q: What are your goals within the esthetician world in the next 5 years?
This past month I’ve really been getting specific about where I want to be in five years. I’m weighing between focusing on specialized treatments and facials at a local spa and accelerating my knowledge by working under a physician in med spa or derm office when I graduate. Once I get some time in the industry under my belt and grow my clients I will be opening my own business, ideally a wellness and treatment spa.
Q: How has going to Elise Esthetics changed you or helped you in your career?
Attending EEI has been one of the most exciting, scary, and rewarding endeavors of my life. It has helped me find a passion, a confidence, and independence I never thought I could. I have met some incredible women and learned things I will take with me through my entire career and life. I truly feel that EEI is the first step towards some great things for myself and my family.
Q: Who or what are your top 3 beauty influencers?
Shani Darden. If you don’t know who Shani Darden is and you love skin care you need to do some research. She is an LA esthetician with a year-long wait list and she’s so good Jessica Alba convinced her to open shop in Jessica’s house at the beginning of her career, but how much convincing does that take? She’s a powerhouse that has built an empire, and she has one of the BEST skincare lines on the market.
Second is the one and only Jellaine Dee of Cherry Bloom. Her first big break wasn’t even in skincare- it was a bag. She made a bag organizer that changed lives and then she made the Cherry Bloom Fiber Lash product which is basically a mascara that gives you faux voluminous eyelashes in 5 minutes. Her mission is to develop products that people NEED, that will greatly help individuals and it has made her massively successful. She has a skill for seeing a need and filling it.
The third is Jeffree Star. He is the epitome of unapologetically being yourself, defying molds, and has blazed the trail in the modeling world, fashion design, music, and makeup. He started his journey as a gay nonconformist Cali kid. He first gained a following on MySpace through his music building a multi-million-dollar career and now has a cosmetics line and YouTube worth millions. Most people know who Jeffree Star, he’s an icon and honestly his style is so different from mine but I am in love with his resiliency and sticking to what makes him happiest. He’s truly himself and it’s a good example.
Q: Best skincare advice?
Keep it simple and use effective products
Q: What would you say to someone indecisive of going to Elise Esthetics?
It depends what they’re indecisive about. If you love skincare, learning, wonderful environments, and being around great people I highly recommend EEI. EEI really gives you the tools you need to be successful in this industry, whether facials, make-up, waxing, etc. You definitely have to be determined and ready to do the work but it is so worth it and rewarding. Personally, this is the kind of hard work I’ve been looking for for a long time.
