Today we’d like to introduce you to Nathaly Restrepo.
Hi Nathaly, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Since I was a young girl, I knew I wanted to start my own business and become an entrepreneur. Born and raised in New York City at the age of 13, I thought I found my calling, future dream job, and career in fashion. I became curious about the Fashion world and decided I wanted to become a Fashion Designer. When I graduated High School, I moved to Virginia with my parents and boyfriend. I enrolled at Germanna Community College, aiming to transfer to a University later on to study fashion design. I graduated with an A—degree in Fine Arts in 2018. While finishing my degree, we moved again, this time to Florida. I continued with my focus on fashion and worked in retail to gain more experience in the business aspect of style. A year and a half later, while doing my daily skincare routine, I got this spark, a light bulb of sorts that told me this is what I am meant to do, becoming a Licensed Esthetician.
What made me become a Licensed Esthetician was my skin journey with acne. Since puberty and due to genetics, acne has taken over my self-esteem and confidence. I didn’t feel beautiful, and I always wore pounds of makeup to cover every texture on my face, to look “decent” and feel somewhat pretty. I spent so much money trying to achieve that “perfect” skin and getting rid of this condition in every possible way. Then I began seeing people posting unfiltered pictures of themselves on social media, showing their acne, scars, large pores, etc. Realizing that I wasn’t the only one going through this motivated me to go bare skin. My boyfriend also helped me by expressing that I’m still beautiful with acne. Finally, I accepted that this skin condition does not define me! I started wearing less makeup and getting the hang of being comfortable with going bare skin. I overcame a belief that if I went bare skin, people would stare at me, impacting my self-esteem but people didn’t care or stare! I learned that people are most worried about themselves, making me think, “you know what? Why should I care what people think of my skin?” We become used to unrealistic and unfair expectations of perfect skin, body, and looks from social media, in magazines, in films, etc. I decided that I did not want to be like everyone else. I was made different and learned to love my skin with these flaws and myself. When I started Esthetician school at Aveda Institute, the only knowledge I had about skincare was about my journey and makeup products. I was excited to learn about skincare and start my new career.
As I got further into Esthetician education, I learned how to handle the skin, work with different skin types/conditions, and learn about skin care products and ingredients. Aveda is a natural, botanical, plant-based brand, and learning the ins and outs of these products helped me see that we don’t need chemically made products to achieve great skin results. As I progressed, working with clients at the school and seeing results with their skin and mine, I realized that going bare skin, learning to accept my acne, and just going natural was a healthier option. This was the sign for me to embrace being different and to create an all-natural skincare brand and services to help empower others.
My experience working at a Med Spa in Ponte Vedra for a few months taught me a lot about different body treatments and medical facials like hydra facials, microneedling, dermaplaning, etc. It solidified my focus on Facials and Skin Care instead of body treatments. A week into a new job in August of 2021, my mom got sick with Covid, and from caring for her, I got Covid as well. For the following weeks and months, my family and I went through a very traumatic period navigating hospital care, hospital visitors regulations, the uncertainty, and seeing my mother’s declining health. I used to see her so full of life, and then seeing her fighting for her life was very painful. I kept going back and forth, visiting her, hoping she would recover, talking to her, and spiritually giving her my energy to keep fighting. Then I got a call at 4:30 one morning to see her as it may be her last day. By 11:15 am, a nurse told us the moment happened. She passed away. My mom is no longer here. I lost my mom, my best friend, my #1 supporter, and my other half. I was numb and didn’t know what to do, feel, or handle the fact that I couldn’t see, talk to, touch, or share my life with her. The most important person in my life is now gone forever. I didn’t know how I was going to continue life without her.
Having my family, friends, and boyfriend helped me tremendously through my grief and to think about what she would have wanted for me. I knew she wanted me to continue being strong, honor her as I always have, and continue doing whatever makes me happy and successful. One of my friends told me about the Small Business Administration (SBA), which helps small business owners and entrepreneurs pursue their dream of opening their businesses. After looking into what they do, I decided to take the opportunity and the risk to start that journey with my business and ended up being where I am today, a year after my mother’s passing.
You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
It hasn’t been a smooth road for me. As I stated earlier, my mom’s passing affected me hard. Knowing that a business requires so much physical, financial, and emotional stability but also passion and drive, and being in a new phase of personal crisis and grief, caused me to doubt myself and fear failing.
Before she got sick, my mom asked me, “why don’t you start your own business?” I told her, “mom, I wish I could. I would love to, but it’s not that easy, and I don’t have money or savings to start my business right now”. She always told me, too, “don’t kill yourself working so hard for somebody else,” This sat with me and gave me that boost to know my worth, believe in myself, and slowly retake the courage to be my boss. Most importantly, amid a grievous journey, I thought of why not take that different adventure of being an entrepreneur and hopping on for a fantastic ride!
Two months after my mother’s passing, I decided to start becoming an entrepreneur with the help of the SBA. My mom helped guide me toward this path of owning my own business. This feels like where I’m supposed to be in my life right now. My business wouldn’t be a reality if it weren’t for my mom. From being unemployed for months, worrying about not having a job or money, and being dependent on my boyfriend, I realized that one door closes, but another door opens. My mother made it possible by showing me that this all happened for a reason. Keep going on this journey, do the work, and let the answers reveal themselves.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about EsthiNat?
I am a Licensed Esthetician specializing in Facials, Waxing, Lash Lifts, and Lash/Brow Tinting. EsthiNat is a skincare brand that focuses on simple natural products, giving you the results you are looking for with ingredients you recognize. What sets me apart is that most spas and estheticians use chemically based products for their client treatments. I am using natural, organic food products in skin care to achieve the same or even better results. In addition, I have been on my skincare journey. I not only can relate to the need for safe skincare but as a promoter of wellness by empowering your beauty!
What I’m most proud of brand-wise is that I get to show and educate others on the power of food ingredients and what they do for skin care results don’t lie. What I want the readers to know about EsthiNat is that I’m working to elevate skincare so you know what you’re putting on your skin through natural food ingredients. I am still in the testing and development stage with my products, but I use tried and true products where you know exactly what you’re getting from the packaging and won’t have to read the labels for toxic ingredients. Less is more and better, especially when it’s significant to your wellness.
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
There are different layers to success and how you get to those accomplishments on the road to success. My layers of success had emotional and spiritual elements as I was getting through a traumatic, life-changing chapter in my life while creating new possibilities for myself. Other layers of my success are related to my mindset. While changes are happening, I’m finding resources, and learning how to become an entrepreneur, continue to have love in my life, and grow as a human being and businesswoman. I am starting my business, which is a success in overcoming obstacles. Short to long-term success will mean growing my customer base, for people to know my brand, and developing and staying behind my products as safe, cruelty-free, locally sourced natural ingredients that give results.
Pricing:
- Regular Facial $90
- Microdermabrasion Facial $110
- Naturalé Facial $120
- Waxing $12-$55
- Lash/Brow Tint $25
Contact Info:
- Website: esthinat.com
- Instagram: @esthinattt
- Facebook: EsthiNat
