Conversations with Melissa Robles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Robles.

Hi Melissa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in California but took a 7 year detour in Nashville.
I’ve been a licensed esthetician since 2013 and have specialized in acne management my entire career.
I started out as a client of Acne Specialists owner/founder, Julie Pruitt, and she had my acne clear in a matter of months. I struggled with painful lower face breakouts for over 10 years and couldn’t believe I could clear up long term from such simple adjustments.
Prior to becoming a client at A|S, I had tried everything l knew to try for my skin with no success (but a lot of rashes and a few chemical burns). Julie’s help with my acne inspired me to become an esthetician and treat acne.
I worked at Acne Specialists’ original Oakland location from 2014-2018. In 2018 I had to relocate to Nashville for my husband’s job and was devastated to leave my dream career.
In early 2019, Julie & I opened Acne Specialists of Nashville. We grew the team there and brought on the best estheticians who have helped that location grow to what it is today.
During my time in Nashville I honed in on my problem solving skills, and I take the greatest joy in troubleshooting tough cases. I take particular joy in finding long term acne management to individuals who have tried prescriptions without success – Accutane, Retin-A, Spironolactone, etc are not effective solutions for many of our clients and it can be disheartening when they don’t work.
My husband and I got homesick after 7 years in Nashville, and moved back home to Long Beach this past summer. Julie and I opened a new Acne Specialists in Los Alamitos in August of this year. We are so thrilled to finally be able to serve Southern California and help clients feel good in their skin!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest challenges in my career are keeping boundaries and protecting my time off. I absolutely love what I do, and I genuinely love working with all of my clients to get their skin clear and healthy. This can make it hard to keep a regular schedule, and I struggle most with overbooking myself because I want to get my clients in during their preferred dates/times. This can come at my own expense – missing valuable time with my son, my family or just recharging.
In the last few years I have worked very hard to establish boundaries for myself and stick to them. It’s not perfect, but it allows me to show up as my best self at work and in my personal life.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work for Acne Specialists and have helped grow all of our locations – Bay Area (specifically Oakland), Nashville and now Long Beach/Los Alamitos.
At Acne Specialists, we deep-dive into what’s causing acne for our clients. That’s going to be something different for everyone, so we use a questionnaire form to ask tons of questions about product use, lifestyle habits, health history, etc. We curate a personalized plan for our clients so they can manage their acne for life. Everyone’s plan is unique to them, and we make adjustments all along the way to clear skin depending on how they are responding.
I’m most proud of thinking outside of the box and not getting hung up sticking to a set protocol. I look at the whole person – what their daily life looks like, what types of skincare products they enjoy using, haircare and makeup habits, etc – and adjust their treatment schedule and homecare plan accordingly.
What sets us apart from others is out unwavering and genuine care for our clients. We want their skin to clear up just as much as they want it. Every skincare recommendation we make is based on what’s going to get them the best possible results while still working with their lifestyle.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
This isn’t one specific memory, but my favorite times as a child were when my dad would get excited to show me something he loved. For example, once he took a prickly pear off a cactus and spent the day tweezing needles out of his skin because he wanted me to have a fresh prickly pear so badly. Another time he realized I had never had a pastrami sandwich and instantly ran out to get one because he thought I’d love it so much (I did). He would show me music he loved and made sure to turn it up loud so I could feel the bass in my chest. I have such great memories of all these experiences, because sharing what you love with someone else is such a good bonding experience. It made me feel special and loved. I carry that with me and try to convey my love for skin science with my clients. I think it’s a way for us to connect as well as a way for them to learn more about their skin and how to care for it.

Pricing:

• Acne Consultation and Treatment – 165
• New Client Package of Products – 215
• Existing Client Acne Treatment – 115

Contact Info:

• Website: https://longbeachacne.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/longbeachacne