Hidden Gems: Meet Alecia Smith of Skin Alchemy 22 Skincare + Sugaring

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alecia Smith

Hi Alecia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
This southern girl, in the LA world who would’ve thought. Not me! Today, I am Founder and Master Esthetician of Skin Alchemy 22 Skincare + Sugaring in Los Angeles, CA. A proud Nashville native, some years ago I packed my bags with a little southern charm, a lot of passion and a lot of plans. Unlike most I know, college was not my happy place and certainly not where I blossomed; however, I maximized every opportunity afforded to me and graduated directly into a career in hospitality management. A career that quickly relocated me to Charleston, SC. Here is where we insert brown girl dreaming – BIG DREAMING. Although still a southern city, the culture was vastly different from anything I had ever experienced. It was the first time I saw a community purposefully and intently supporting local small businesses. Where small businesses were recognized as an integral piece of economic stimuli. Charleston’s normal was a striking contrast to the corporate haze under which I was raised. Aside from the hair salon and the local “meat and three”, my every need was fulfilled through massive corporations. Charleston became my own personal love letter. I have two loves in life: music and beauty. I confidently stepped out of corporate hospitality and pivoted into not-for-profit through the world of music, specifically Jazz. A beautiful intersection between the first love of my life, my professional operations skillset, and my desire to contribute something meaningful to the community of which I lived.

My ideology around community and contribution has never stopped evolving and it wouldn’t be the last pivot. Surprise! I enrolled in Esthetics school. As divine order would have it, a phone call from a previous acquaintance who needed help scaling their business is what brought me to Los Angeles. A city I’d never even visited prior to moving cross country. Charleston helped me connect dreams and community. Los Angeles has helped me illustrate my collective experience and build a burgeoning skincare business. Yes, the second love of my life is where I have sewn my next seeds. Today, I am still excited, inspired and grateful that this is the space from which my story continues.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
That was a nice story, right? So just how much time do we have? Because, challenges-challenges – oh my. Occasionally, I get the opportunity to speak with teens and young adults who are deep in their early dreamer era. Each time, a roadmap of specificity to greatness is requested. And every time, I tell them that they’ve just uncovered the first obstacle to entrepreneurship. The road is curvy and there are no linear paths. It took me a very long time to accept that every pivot was not a distraction that deterred me from success. That every misstep was not a representation of personal ineptitude. My journey to entrepreneurship is the definition of humble beginnings en route to self-made. I’ve been told “NO” a myriad of times, been fired, without mentorship, faced an abundance of gender, age and pay discrimination, combated colorism, been denied financial business resources of which I was aptly qualified – you name it. Each of these perpetuated examples of adversities systemically experienced by women in business. Disproportionately so being a black woman. Despite, challenges stop no show ‘round here.

Skin Alchemy 22 is a business in a niche market and with that are inherent challenges. While beauty is a billion-dollar industry, sugaring hair removal and intimate wellness are still burgeoning. As women’s health is vastly understudied, heavily taxed and overtly sexualized. Skin Alchemy 22 opened just as extended Covid closures were lifted in Los Angeles. Closures that rendered my business sector inoperable for 6.5 months in 2020, a challenge of epic proportions. Skin Alchemy 22’s first year of operation was full of uncertainty, restrictions and community small business closures – the course was stayed. On the heels of a very successful 2nd year in operation in 2022, BAM! I experienced a debilitating health emergency that coincided with the Actor + Writer’s strike of 2023. What was the result? Unprecedented clientele loss and paused business expansion. My clients were bankrupted and for many, it was their last straw. They left California for good. The economic ripple effect felt by the halt of Hollywood was a triggering reminder for consumers and small business owners alike. The challenges were outpacing our collective recovery efforts and again another round of small business closures. Just shy of Skin Alchemy 22’s 4th birthday, our community is faced with the devastating Altadena and Palisades fires. The effects deeply resonating with the loudest echo. The economic effects of which have yet to fully be seen and will certainly have long term consequence. Frankly, the depth of obstacles and challenges faced in entrepreneurship is impossible to quantify.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Skin Alchemy 22 Skincare + Sugaring ?
Skin Alchemy 22 Skincare + Sugaring is a natural skincare studio with a focus on intimate wellness. Our offerings include, full body sugaring hair removal, intimates facialing + treatments, brow + lash laminating and skincare education. My brand was born of necessity and a deep desire to make well the previous poor skincare experiences communicated to me by my clients. The goal? Create an accessible space for everyone but especially women (and those who identify as women) to receive safe, effective, fair, and equitable skincare and wellness. Often, the beauty industry does not have an accessible space to educate on and care for the intimate areas of the body. I have spent the past 10 years identifying skin care concerns that are not openly discussed, having candid conversations with an endless number of clients about the physical and emotional traumas associated with having skin challenges they cannot heal. Why hasn’t this been mindfully addressed? A question I asked myself often…I realized that as a masterfully studied and practiced Esthetician and Sugarist, I’ve got the power to grow these conversations into meaningful change. The intersection of skill, conscious study and pure intention is where I can set us apart from all the rest.

What am I most proud of? Rising to the occasion and creating a brand crafted in love. A brand rooted in social and ethical responsibilities. And most importantly, having the vision translate to my clients effectively. As a member of the Skin Alchemy 22 family, they have a better relationship with their skin. They are more educated, more empowered to make decisions that will support not only their skin, but their overall health and vitality. And they are spreading the news of women’s wellness. They are holding their healthcare providers accountable. They are putting themselves on the list.

What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most? Perspective. As an entrepreneur, my commitment to staying growth minded aids me greatly in finding solutions to challenges without stagnating processes that are effectively working. This mindset also provides a pivotal element for my strategic planning: you do not have a viable plan if you have no expectation that the plan will evolve, fast and often. Again, perspective. Creating a client-centered landscape has been essential, especially in intimate skincare. I consider every aspect of my clients well-being and experience. From their initial discovery of my services, their certainty that they will receive effective and equitable skincare regardless of their ethnicity or orientation, their care while in service, their opportunity to glean skincare education from me and the consistency needed to keep their trust as their skincare practitioner.

Another, “what matters” is me. I am an entrepreneur, a leader, a black woman, a small business owner and each aspect is woven into the fabric of the brand that I’ve built. My clients expect that this authenticity will radiate. They acknowledge, support and value the importance of its representation. Social equity is another hallmark of authentic representation as it matters greatly to me to educate the Estheticians to come. Educating and being in community with students is incredibly rewarding. I am fortunate to have created a space as an entrepreneur within an industry of which I have passion. Passion, however, is not a necessary component to successful entrepreneurship as we are often taught. It will not aid a person in mitigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. And with that understanding, passion will not be a priority consideration for any of my future entrepreneurial endeavors. Commitment, willingness and an identified need, less egoism and rapacity, is a fair place to start. Clarity in what matters will come, and passion will unveil within that journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.skinalchemy22.com
• Instagram: skinalchemy22
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/skin-alchemy-22-beverly-hills-2

Image Credits
Solange Aurelio @sa_media.la – Videographer, Photographer + Content Creator