June 1, 2023
Vegan Luxe Esthetics Spa Owner Shares 5 Reasons Plant-Based Products Are Best For Black Skin
Vegan beauty and self-care are less of a trend and more of a lifestyle choice. And yet, 70% of Vegan Luxe Esthetics’ clientele are not vegan. The Black woman-owned spa’s five-star Google rating invites all to indulge in a guilt-free pampering and pleasurable experience demonstrating why plant-based products are best for Black skin.
As the founder and CEO of Vegan Luxe Esthetics, the first and only vegan spa in Houston, Brooke Young is architecting the embodiment of entrepreneurial spirit, female empowerment, mindful luxury, and an unwavering commitment to a vegan lifestyle.
“Opening a vegan spa space in a town where barbecue reigns supreme was bold. But being bold is what makes a successful business,” Young told BLACK ENTERPRISE in an exclusive interview.
“I saw a need; a need for a place where women and men who sought clean and effective skincare services could learn how to get their skin glowing in the right direction. This is how the concept of Vegan Luxe Esthetics came to life—and still is—the only cruelty-free spa experience in the city of Houston.”
But her success didn’t take place overnight. In runway and fashion makeup artist and management, Young was determined to build and self-finance a brand synonymous with her cruelty-free lifestyle. For her, Black skin deserves to glow in knowledge and skin care.
Prepared to pledge her own $5,000, the vegan entrepreneur began distancing herself from companies that did not align with her ethical goals for the beauty landscape. These intentional disassociations brought her closer to veganism and enlightenment through fasting and prayer.
“Budding estheticians should take note to where our industry is heading and what clients are seeking. More clients are wanting safe, effective and cruelty-free skincare. So definitely invest in product knowledge as a relates to the vegan beauty landscape,” Young advises.
“As a vegan myself for almost 10 years, I understand how my decision-making in the beauty retail space affects my skin, hair, nails, and the environment around me, Young explained.
“Vegan ingredients are the safest and highly effective for holistic health. Too often consumers shop trend and not for their skin, thus leading to a cycle of unused products and erratic skin conditions.”
Vegan Luxe Esthetics consists of the passionate and charismatic mother-daughter duo of Young and her 18- year- old daughter and COO, Kaori Adams. After overcoming marketing strategy challenges, the team makes it their business to light up social media feeds with luxe spa facial and waxing experiences. With the ethical consumer in mind, Young offers Black skin rejuvenating facials, body treatments, and waxing services within the walls of her elegant boutique. She also creates products designed to enhance your skincare routine beyond spa visits.
The boss lady is proud to use her Vegan Luxe Esthetics Skincare exclusively alongside her favorite sunscreen, the Black woman-owned brand Black Girl Sunscreen. For oily/combination skin, Young recommends her detoxifying gel cleanser, AHA/BHA fruit acid toner, Niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, essential Neroli oil serum, and Rosehip oil and hibiscus face cream. If you have dry/combination skin, check out the Tea Leaves cream cleanser.
“I wanted to design a skincare brand that directly spoke to the needs of almost every client I had met over the course of my 20 years in the beauty industry,” Young recalled. “We all seek bright, even, smooth, clear skin. It was important for me to harness the efficacy of ingredients that would provide real-time results and not overcomplicate the time one had to invest in their routine.”
Now get into these five reasons why plant-based products are the best for our royal melanin skin, thanks to H-Town’s only vegan spa CEO.
- Chemical-based products that are tested on animals may have an adverse effect on melanated skin tones. This can lead to uneven tone, texture, and erratic skin conditions.
- Plant-based sunscreen is essential for beautiful Black skin. Cases of skin cancer, like melanoma, may be harder to detect in deeper skin tones. So it’s always advised to wear an SPF of 30-50 year-round. There are many on the market that do not leave a “white cast” on the skin.
- When treating hyperpigmentation, consider the plant-based ingredient Licorice Root and Rosehip Oil. Both help to brighten and smooth areas of the skin that have signs of Hyperpigmentation. This is a better alternative compared to Kojic Acid. Large percentages of Kojic Acid are very popular in Korean beauty or “K- Beauty” skincare routines. This is because, culturally, most K-Beauty brands seek to suppress the melanocyte, thus hindering the production of melanin to create fairer-looking skin tones.
- If you want to fight the signs of aging, try the plant-based ingredient Bakuchiol. Derived from a plant native to India, Bakuchiol is a wonderful alternative to low-grades of Retinol. It leaves the skin balanced and properly hydrated.
- Fruit enzymes found in toners, masks, and serums are a safe and gentle way to exfoliate your skin. It will leave your skin smooth and glowing.
Young tells us to look forward to a company expansion this winter, 2023. Clients have been raving about her products and services and want more. From body massages to additional serum and eye cream offerings, Vegan Luxe Esthetics will be leveling up.