Welcome to Milestone Moments, the show where we explore the journeys that lead to success.
I'm Sheila Slick, your host and founder of Five Milestones. In every episode, we will bring you
insights from the minds of entrepreneurs, leaders, and experts who will share not just their expertise
but the milestone moments that have reshaped their journeys and led to significant achievements.
So if you're looking for motivation, you're in the right place. Subscribe now and discover the
milestones that mark the path to success. Hi, thank you for joining us today. We have a special
guest, Anna Karina Arguello. Anna Kay is a medical esthetician with a passion for sustainability,
beauty, and a love for nature. Founder of Anna Kay Cosmetics, she found her calling from the
tender age of 19. Thank you for joining me today, Anna Kay. Hi, Sheila. Thank you for having me on
your show. Hi, everyone. It's great to be here. Tell me a little bit about what you do.
Well, I'm a medical and oncology esthetician. So I not only pamper people in the aesthetics room
doing a variety of different facials, but I also treat, perfect, correct, and educate
the client's skin to help them always have the better version of themselves. Then I also have
my skincare line, Clean Beauty by Anna Kay, which I formulated over 15 years ago, focused on,
in the treatment room, I was always asked, well, what should I use? And it was really hard to cater
to so many different skin types. And that's where Clean Beauty by Anna Kay was born. I reformulated
and rebranded a few years ago to focus more on the oncology part of the business, which today and day
unfortunately is growing vastly. But it's really important with or without the oncology part for
you, for a person to use Clean Beauty products, be it in the deodorant, the face wash, or the shampoo,
nail polish, et cetera. So that is where everything kind of aligned with my past education,
my passion, and my calling, which I truly feel is to heal, to heal and to pamper. And so I'm
very happy with our number one growth ba le goal as an flawless line. We were top three brands
And they are in the cleanest,olettest England by the''
And the beauty product is a clean line, and I think it applies to as gifts that you're
going to call BL By is that we're able to treat all different types of products
It's very abrasive and rough.
It dehydrates the skin.
So for example, if you use like a normal bar of soap that we're used to using, if you let
it out of water for two, three days, it crumps because it dries up.
So if it does that on its own, you can just imagine what it's doing to your skin, be it
your face or your body.
So those are harsh surfants.
You don't want in your cleansers or toners or exfoliants.
You don't want DEAs.
You don't want phosphates.
You don't.
There's a very large ingredient that you actually don't want.
It's the other way around.
It's easier to tell you what you do want in your skincare or in your body care so that
one can use clean ingredients.
So unfortunately, FDA regulations aren't very strict.
So if I put one drop of lavender essence in a product, I am clear to market the product
as if it is a lavender shampoo or a lavender body oil, when in reality it just has a tiny
percentage of the ingredient in the product.
So marketing makes it very tricky for the average consumer to actually know what it
is that they're purchasing.
And when you're purchasing a beauty product or a personal hygiene product, if you turn
the label, most of the times you don't even know what it says because it's like in a scientific
language.
So that's when you need an esthetician that's trained to decipher it for you unless you're
going to be Googling or going on the dictionary per se to kind of break it down for you, which
is frustrating.
And then you go on to the next step, which is, well, does this ingredient, this ingredient,
what do they do when they are mixed together?
So it's an entire world.
That's why there's cosmetic chemists that formulate everything.
And then you have your estheticians that truly just guide someone into what could actually
work for your skin type.
Because we all have different skin types and different needs.
So even though, for example, I'm normal to dry, perhaps be at the time of the month or
I went skiing or I went to the beach, my skin's going to change what it needs.
And so you should always be updating your skincare, not using the same products all
the time.
So plain ingredients mean just that, that they're free of chemicals and pesky things
that might actually dry out your skin and make it worse.
Wow.
Thank you.
That was a lot.
It's almost like when you're shopping for food, you don't understand all of the chemicals,
what you're putting into your body.
So I definitely see a need to have an ex-part-time.
I choose my skincare line, choose wisely.
So we have me.
So my next question is how did you get to where you got today?
Now you founded your company in 2004.
So this is a milestone year for you.
You'll be 20 years old, 20 years in business, not 20 years old.
Exactly.
20 years in business.
It's been a long but beautiful road.
So I started off with a passion in color and makeup and working in fashion shows and all
of that limelight energy.
I was a lot younger back then.
And as I continued on my makeup artist career, I noticed that a lot of women would come to
the counter.
I was working at Estee Lauder and then I worked at the Chanel counter.
And they were always so focused on foundation, like how can I conceal, how can I hide?
And I would just continuously find myself educating, you have to start with your skincare.
So makeup, I love makeup, but makeup is meant so someone can bring out the best in them,
be it your eyes or your cheekbones or your lips, your eyebrows, but it's not really meant
to conceal your entire face and your skin.
So if you have a good skincare regimen and good products that are working for you, then
you can accentuate your beauty with makeup.
And so from there, I found myself kind of like in Greece going back to school, but I
didn't drop out.
So I went to beauty school and I started my journey as an esthetician.
Awesome spot in Pasadena, California.
And that is when I realized that I was really good at what I was doing and I had a true
passion and I wanted to branch off on my own.
And so thanks to my big sister, I did, I got that push I needed.
And I moved to Nicaragua and I opened after a few years and a lot of help, I opened a
little spa boutique, which eventually became a full blown salon.
And that is when I truly, when I started getting my own clients being like, well, what do I
use on my skin?
And I would go to the trade shows and I would bring lines from US over to Nicaragua, but
I never felt that they were complete.
And so when you use a line from such brand and then another brand, then you also have
to start seeing how they interact together.
And that is where Clean Beauty by Aniket was born.
So I created six collections for all skin types that very seamlessly just go together.
It doesn't matter if you use the cleanser from oily skin and then the toner for hyperpigmented
skin.
Everything blends in together depending on what your skin needs are and at the time of
your life that you're using them.
And then due to some close family being diagnosed with breast cancer, I truly wanted to help
them in their very challenging journey.
And it really made me start questioning deeper into ingredients.
And my products were great and I found out that they weren't just great, but they were
also clean.
And so I rebranded and the name of the brand now is Clean Beauty by Aniket, which means
I tried to make it in layman's terms.
Zero chemicals, doesn't matter if, you know, what stage of life or how sensitive your skin
is.
These products are wonderful and they're safe to use and someone can use them regardless
if they're going through chemo or radiation or they're pregnant or they're breastfeeding
or they have sensitive skin or rosacea, eczema, it's a truly all-inclusive skincare collection,
if you will, because there are six collections in there.
So it's been a great journey and what I've been doing now is just adding to the line.
So now I have shampoo and conditioner and a biotin serum to help with the hair growth.
Came out with some more hydrating oil serum.
And as the time goes, like this year, I'm researching into a deodorant and into some
hydrating patches because a lot of what I formulated and create is based on my own personal
need.
So as a 47-year-old, I'm noticing, yes, hair thinning, really dry skin, regardless of how
many beauty treatments I do.
Obviously, it's hormones fluctuating.
Tiredness, so, you know, you always want to have this pumped up.
And so I listen to my clients, but I also base a lot of the things on the needs that
a woman needs or a person needs, depending on the stage of life that they're in.
That's awesome.
So I have a question for you.
Yeah.
Well, because you said a lot, right?
Like we started with how you began.
You pretty much began in makeup behind a Chanel counter, and then you moved overseas and you
began your own company, which that must have been, you know, a culture shock having to
open up a company in a different country.
And then the third time around, you focused on rebranding your line and you also have
a company in Florida, in the United States.
So those are three really big milestones.
And I'd love to know what was that one milestone that just really redefined your success because
you've evolved, right?
In those 20 years, you've taken various steps.
So if you wanted to give our audience that one milestone moment that just, that one thing
that made that significant impact in your journey, what would it be?
It was back in 2020 and it was when I saw my dream become a reality and it brings tears
to my eyes because it took a whole year to create the website.
And I want to be able to help as many people as possible on this planet, regardless of
where you are.
It coincided with the entire COVID pandemic, which has its pros and cons because it brought
all these Zooms together when we launched the website.
And so I'm able to do virtual consultations, which have gone really well.
And it helps me connect with people all over the world and they can purchase the products
if they want.
And it ships internationally from Florida.
So it makes it a lot easier, even though I'm based in Nicaragua.
So if anyone's ever visiting Central America and you're here and then I'm here, but you
don't need to travel to see me or to acquire the products.
You can have a one-to-one with me.
And just by questions and looking at someone's face, it's the same diagnostic I do when I'm
in the facial room.
So I actually don't need to touch a person.
It's great.
The treatments I do are great, but I also take it to the next level.
So I will help find a local esthetician and I will contact that esthetician and in representing
the customer that wants to use my brand to make sure that she understands what I'm thinking
that they should do.
Because it should be an alliance.
That's how I think.
And by far that has been, I think, the greatest achievement that I've done.
It was a lot of work.
Creating the line was huge, took many, many years.
But when I saw it all come together in the website, that just like...
So what is that website so that we can all visit and get that consultation and buy some
of these products.
www.annikatecosmetics.com.
Well, I'm afraid to ask for that consult right now, right?
Because I don't know what the skin looks like.
I'm sure it can improve.
So that's wonderful that you are able to offer that virtual consultation.
So everything has a positive.
The COVID ended up pushing you to have to focus on how can I serve my clients?
And you built the website and you offer the consultations.
You're shipping from Florida.
And do you ship worldwide or only to specific countries?
No, we ship worldwide.
We've shipped all the way to Australia, France, Australia, Canada, all over the world.
All over the US, which are Australia by far.
Australian brands are very challenging with their rules and regulations.
Australia being under Australia, obviously it's very far, even shipping wise.
So those, it's great to know that, yes, the products got there.
The person loved them.
So no, we ship worldwide.
That is wonderful.
So what are the next steps, those next milestones for Annikate Cosmetics?
I'm coming out with new, well, this is the first, six new products are coming out right
now.
And I'm always investigating coming out with new things.
So like I mentioned before, I want to do deodorant and eye patches.
I'm coming out with candles as well, which I'm super excited about because I love candles.
I burn candles every day at home.
And then my next milestone is to penetrate the aesthetics community.
I would really, really love, especially with the young aestheticians coming out of beauty
school.
One doesn't really know what skincare line to use, how to use it.
So you always need training and that you want to put your own little shop up, be it just
like how I started.
I started with one room and I'm actually back into what, well, I have two rooms, but I only
work one room.
And to help guide the younger aestheticians, because I truly believe in giving back and
paying forward.
And so I started a wholesale program, but I haven't really pushed it.
That is, it's a huge, it's completely different than selling retail.
So that is what I, that is my next milestone that I want to reach is penetrating the aesthetics
and the professional community, especially also in the oncology department.
Because unfortunately, as we age, we're starting to see that a little bit more, everything
that our cancer diagnosis is.
And I'd really like to help those individuals in overcoming their battle of cancer and to
make sure that they can always feel comfortable in their skin, especially undergoing those
extremely harsh treatments that cancer requires.
That's so on your website, someone wanting to learn more about how they can partner with
you or become a distributor that's available on your website as well.
Yes, it is.
They will go under the whole still talk.
And so whether they're just a normal store or a new aesthetician, or they just want to
sell wholesale on their website, because I also am affiliated, I have an affiliate program
with share sale.
So there's different ways that you can acquire the products or sell the products.
I vet all the applications.
So I do do a pretty good screening.
But yeah, everything's found on the website.
And that took, when I launched the website, it took about two more years to kind of get
everything together.
So now I feel like, okay, I'm ready to embark on this next milestone and really let the
public know that this is available.
Well I congratulate you on 20 years of achievements.
And I see that you still have a lot of room for growth.
And what one advice would you want to give either to the estheticians or to the listeners,
right, that you've learned from your 20 years on how they can take that next step?
Leap of faith.
It comes to mind because when I was in my sister's store, and I had so many customers
coming to just pluck their eyebrows and buy some skincare and cosmetics products, she
kind of kicked me out and said, it's time for you to do this on your own.
And I cried and cried and cried because I was so scared.
And between her and my mom, they told me, you know, you just have to know when to take
the leap of faith.
And it was really hard.
And I did it.
And I'm very happy that they pushed me and that I had their support.
But if I wouldn't have done that, I wouldn't have gone through the journey that I did.
And so even though sometimes one has fear, if you have faith in what you do, do it.
Because that's your calling.
There's a reason that you have that idea.
Not everyone has the same idea.
So I would say that.
Don't be scared.
Well, thanks so much.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Don't be scared.
Trust yourself.
Well, thank you, Anna Kay.
Once again, her website is Anna K cosmetics.com or clean beauty by Anna K.com.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Have a great week.
Thank you.
Likewise, have a wonderful week.
Thank you for listening.
And thank you for having me on your show.