Today we’d like to introduce you to Marin Gourlay.
Hi Marin, 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?
It might sound surprising, but I didn’t originally plan on becoming an aesthetician.
My dream was to become a veterinarian. While I was pursuing my pre-veterinary studies, I enrolled in esthetics school with one simple goal: to perform lash extensions while I finished college. At the time, I had seen women online building successful businesses doing lashes, and it seemed like the perfect way to earn an income while continuing my education.
Then life took an unexpected turn.
While I was in college, I experienced a devastating personal loss. I missed three days of class to attend the funeral, and because of the school’s attendance policy, I was required to take a one-year hiatus from my program.
I was heartbroken, overwhelmed, and honestly felt completely lost. Everything I had envisioned for my future suddenly felt uncertain. During that year away from school, I leaned into esthetics simply because I needed a way to support myself.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that this detour would completely change the course of my life.
As I immersed myself in esthetics school, something shifted. For the first time, I found myself questioning everything—who I was, what kind of life I wanted to build, and who I wanted to become. Going back to veterinary school no longer felt like the path I was meant to follow.
Looking back now, what felt like one of the hardest seasons of my life ended up leading me exactly where I was supposed to be.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I quickly realized that lashes didn’t scratch the side of my brain that is a problem solver. With a background in science and a medical environment, I was craving more stimulation than crafting lash maps. I performed lashes full time for six months before finally saying, this is not for me.
I got my first medspa job offer and was thrown into the world of medical esthetics. What I found, however, was a greedy, manipulative business owner who made my life very difficult every day going to work. This was my first introduction to the toxic side of the aesthetics industry.
The following years carried the same theme. I worked in toxic environments, trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel of my passion for aesthetics and for people. I kept my head down, broadening my education, and my passion only grew stronger every day. I took every single course I could and soaked in every ounce of knowledge available to me.
But I could never find the mentor or leader I was looking for—someone who embodied the level of authentic care I knew I wanted to provide for my patients.
We’ve been impressed with The Jax Aesthetician Collective , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m the founder of The Jax Aesthetician Collective, a licensed aesthetician, and an acne specialist dedicated to helping people achieve healthy, confident skin through evidence-based, results-driven treatments.
We specialize in advanced acne correction, microneedling, corrective chemical peels, and personalized treatment plans designed to improve acne, pigmentation, texture, and overall skin health. Every treatment we perform is thoughtfully customized with one goal in mind: creating lasting results while protecting the integrity of your skin.
I created The Jax Aesthetician Collective to be the kind of place I always wished existed—a space where luxury meets clinical expertise and where every client feels genuinely seen, educated, and cared for.
What does success mean to you?
Success has never been defined by numbers for me.
Success is watching a client’s confidence return as they finally achieve the healthy skin they’ve dreamed of.
Success is seeing the women I’ve had the privilege of mentoring grow into confident, skilled professionals who build meaningful relationships with their own clients.
Success is watching someone walk through the doors of my spa, take a deep breath, and feel like they’ve entered a space where they are genuinely safe, seen, and cared for.
Success is the conversations that happen beyond skincare—the trust that’s built, the stories that are shared, and the human connections that remind me this work is about so much more than treating skin.
It’s the community we’ve created together—one built on authenticity, compassion, education, and trust.
At the end of the day, helping people feel confident in their own skin is the greatest reward I could ever ask for.
That is my definition of success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jaxaesthetician.com
- Instagram: jaxaesthetician
