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In a world overwhelmed by social media filters, this week’s guest cuts through the noise with her unfiltered perspective on skincare and beauty.
Angel Martinez, founder of Angel Aesthetics, is a nationally recognized skincare expert and podcast host. After creating her medical spa, she has founded the Single Mom Strong Foundation, an organization that uplifts busy single moms, and the Skin Academy by Angel Aesthetics, which provides training and resources for aesthetic professionals.
Martinez joins us to share her thoughts on beauty and skincare. Check out the full episode to learn how you can alter your relationship with the beauty industry and your own self-image!
With 17 years of experience in the skincare industry, Martinez has a lot to say about things like Instagram filters, influencers, and movie stars’ modeling of trends for young girls.
After several people in her network encouraged her, Martinez made the jump into podcasting with “It Hurts to be Pretty.” The podcast’s title references Martinez’s journey to get to where she is as well as all the things we do for beauty that quite literally hurt!
Martinez talks about her life and all things skincare on the show, addressing trends and what we’re teaching women — especially young girls — about what it means to be beautiful and how to achieve it. After seeing so much body dysmorphia and a wide array of unrealistic expectations, Martinez wanted to deepen the conversation. She even took a vow in 2023 to never use filters on any of her photos!
Martinez hopes to show people that it’s okay to enjoy aesthetic treatments and skincare, and “it’s okay to age and do it gracefully.” She sees some hope for this among the younger generation, who are “more accepting of their skin conditions, whether it be acne, asthma, [or] rosacea, and they're learning to deal with it, but also treat it in not such an invasive way."
Even when her business was still small, Martinez says “I always felt like you have to keep giving, no matter how big or small.”
That’s why she started the Single Mom Strong Foundation. As a single mom herself, she understood what it was like to feel alone in a community of so many families. “I wanted to just get a group of women and say, ‘You're not alone.’ And shower them and take them to dinner. [W]hen was the last time a single mom dressed up and got to feel very pretty 'cause she's always worried about her kids?”
Many single moms don’t have partners or family members who can spoil them from time to time, so Martinez decided to do the "spoiling" herself, helping moms build a sense of community and find time to learn about who they are as individuals aside from their roles as mothers. Martinez tries to teach these women and her podcast audience how to discover their true selves and put themselves first so they can be in an emotional space to help those under their care.
Not everyone knows how to treat all skin types. That’s why Martinez urges listeners to choose their aesthetician or spa carefully.
That was part of the drive behind creating the Skin Academy by Angel Aesthetics. “I wanted to be able to teach some of the younger estheticians or skincare people that I didn't get here overnight. Treating all skin types is not easy. I just pour out what I've learned so that way they can be better and greater.”
Martinez readily shares photos of her past work with clients, and she urges consumers to request real photos from prospective aestheticians. She trains her employees to truly listen to what clients want, rather than trying to sell them products.
In the end, Martinez tells clients “I want you to feel beautiful in whatever you do throughout the day. And it's my job to sit and listen rather than push on what I feel like you need.”
Tune into the full episode to learn more about Martinez’s work with single moms and her advice for future leaders!
We’ve learned from other skincare and beauty greats this year on Motivational Mondays. Check out how one guest healed her skin and made business beautiful.
Tune into the Members Only episode to hear Martinez’s advice for aspiring skincare professionals.
Resources:
Check out Martinez’s treatments and services to help people feel beautiful.
Learn more about the Skin Academy by Angel Aesthetics.
Learn about skincare and Martinez's podcast on YouTube.
Listen to other Motivational Mondays episodes.