Today we’d like to introduce you to Araya McNeary.
Hi Araya, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My passion and love for beauty and cosmetics began at a very early age. Growing up, I was fascinated with press-on nails. I would always beg my mom to buy them for me until I was only enough to get them done at an actual shop. Once I made it to high school, I did vocational classes for cosmetology while attending White Station High and Bolton High.
I originally only wanted to go for manicuring but unfortunately, the courses were not divided so everything that falls under cosmetology is what I had to learn. I was VERY uninterested in doing hair and makeup but I started to get into both of them more after the class. After graduating high school, my sophomore year of college I began doing nails on campus out of my dorm for a short time. Until I became more involved around campus.
Before graduating, I was interested in learning how I could service people throughout the community more while also providing personal grooming and self-care services. I did my research and esthetics fell into my lap. Once I graduated from Grambling State University in 2017, I immediately enrolled in the Memphis Skin Academy where I started my new journey and business.
Things have been flourishing since. The smiles and feedback, I receive from my clients and supporters let me know that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting a business or even just beginning a new chapter in something will always come with obstacles. I’ve faced a few struggles along the way. Not only am I being an entrepreneur but also a student, a full-time employee as well as a dog mom to a 4-month-old puppy. I have been stretching myself to fulfill all these roles and I would be lying if I said it is not challenging.
Starting from the bottom and building something from the ground up is something that I have struggled with since I started. I have so many tasks to handle from actively running my business page, researching techniques and helpful things to enhance my services, and maintaining a healthy relationship with all my customers while trying to bring in new clients.
All behind-the-scenes the scene jobs that come along with being an independent service provider. But the support I have received from my family, my classmates, my clients, as well as my instructors had made this journey worth the struggles.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Array of Esthetics is a skincare business that focuses on the promotion of healthy skin and ravishing beauty. My business is open to all people of age, color, and gender. My services range from facials, makeup, waxing, brow tinting, and laminating. I am not only limited to those services, I am constantly keeping up with beauty trends and researching different ideas to implement within my services and business as a whole.
I believe what sets me apart from other estheticians is my ability to effectively educate my clients on their skin and the benefits of the services they receive. I enjoy servicing my clients and I put dedication into everything that my name is attached to. I am proud that I can provide help for those who need it and make someone’s day by just enhancing their beauty. It is true when they say if you look good, you feel good. All services are specifically made to target each client individually for their true needs.
I go through client consultation forms and assess what I noticed during appointments and what ingredients or instruments I can use to eliminate any inconsistencies within the skin (i.e., hyperpigmentation, sinus and allergy issues, in-grown hair, acne, and dehydrated skin). My thoroughness to give clients what they need and my ability to reflectively listen to them are what make my business stand out.
Pricing:
- Basic Facials $35
- Brazilian Wax $25
- Brow Tint $20
- Brow Lamination $25
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/arrayofesthetics?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/araya.mcneary.9?mibextid=LQQJ4d
