Meet Flower Spirit Natural Beauty's Founder

Skin Specialist, Medical and Holistic Esthetician, Certified Aromatherapy Health Professional (CAHP), Aroma Psychology Certified

What got you into skincare?

I have been interested in the natural world, for my entire life, starting in my childhood. Colombian culture  puts a big emphasis on natural healing and herbs and I grew up learning from my Grandma and Aunties. As a child my grandma would use herbs to make these incredible and exotic smelling perfumes, that enthralled me. When she travelled home to Spain for visits she would also bring back capsules of body oil. I remember sneaking into my mother’s things to try them and loved how rich and luxurious they felt. These experiences have stayed with me, and I'm inspired to recreate them for my clients.

When did you start making your own products?

I started learning specifically about skincare products after becoming a mom. My daughter had severe eczema and it was so hard to see her uncomfortable and in pain. Every few months she would have a bad flare up and I would go back to the doctor. Every time they prescribed some type of corticosteroid. She used them almost every single day until she was 5 years old. When I learned more about steroids and how damaging they can be over the long term, I started to read about natural ingredients that could help soothe the skin. I began with soap making and it grew from there! I found a passion trying to make as many natural products that I could for my family. They helped to manage her eczema better and we had to use less and less of the steroid creams!

 

What is your favourite thing about your job?

Education! It’s my passion and my  purpose! It’s an honour to get to meet so  many different people and really connect with the essence of each of them. I love giving people the tools they need to care for their skin and guide them to create a good skincare routine. For me it’s not about the treatments themselves but about empowering clients to take control of their skin conditions. I have a particular passion and interest for acne conditions as they have such a significant impact on people’s mental health. Being able to really help and change people’s lives through skincare is a privilege.                      

                                                                             

 Flower Spirit Natural Beauty. Smell training therapy.

If you weren’t doing skincare what would you be doing?

I’ve always been fascinated by the science of Neuropsychology and the brain. The research around aroma psychology is particularly exciting! I think I might be a neuropsychologist.

Tell us about some of your training and certificates?

In Colombia I completed a university degree in financing and then spent many years working in sales. That is probably what got me interested in entrepreneurship and owning my own business. I was self taught for a lot of my early knowledge. After coming to Canada, I completed college training to improve my English but I was still learning to listen  and speak in English. My skills for reading English, however, were strong and so I went to the library and would take out as many books as I could about how to make soap and natural products. There is a lot of this type of natural teaching in Indian culture and so I studied everything I could find. I watched so many YouTube videos about soap making!! From there I wanted to add essential oils to my formulations but I knew I needed some formal education. I took my aromatherapy training with Joyessence and became certified with the Canadian Federation of Aromatherapists. My passion led me to start making skin care products and selling them at the St. Albert Farmers' Market.

My Esthetician training was slow because I took one course at a time, in evenings and weekends, raising my girls during the days. I got certified as a skin specialist in 2014 and then started taking esthetician courses to become trained for specific treatments including chemical peels, microdermabrasion and microneedling. I love learning and take at least one course every year. Recently I have taken two of the three Bach Flower Essence Certifications, and I just  finished my Aroma  Psychology certification.

Where do you want to go from here?

I love Flower Spirit Natural Beauty and the clients that I work with but I want to do more! People often tell me that my approach to skincare is so unique and they wish there were more people with my training. The emphasis on holistic care is hard to find in the skincare world and I have clients from across Canada. Ideally, I would love to share my experience and knowledge to help train more skincare providers. I strongly believe:What is knowledge if it’s not shared with others?

What makes your practice different than other skincare professionals?

I truly believe in a holistic approach to skincare. Everything in our bodies is connected and everything that a person puts in or on their body has an impact on the skin. The world of esthetics and dermatology uses a lot of harsh and aggressive treatments, and often people need to keep getting treatments over and over again to continue getting results. I have always wanted to provide a more gentle and holistic option for people and rely on using organic and natural ingredients. Simple practices are sometimes the most important ones and you will often hear me say “I don’t have a magic wand” (other than SPF!) I have all of the esthetics training and certifications but like to combine that with natural products and holistic routines to heal the skin and keep it healthy!

Pictures By Trina Wetter.

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