Today we’d like to introduce you to Elyris Villa.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story starts as a student at Boone High School in Orlando, Florida. I was in their Academy of Law Magnet program, dual-enrolled with Valencia College, and very involved in the community as a volunteer for the Juvenile Justice Center and intern for the Orlando Center for Justice. My schedule was all over the place, and between school and home life, at one point, I became very stressed out. It didn’t help that I struggled with acne, and to be frank, my weight too. In fact, stress only made it worse. This is when my passion for skincare and health and wellness was truly born. I was done letting my skin affect my confidence and made it my mission to heal my body. I learned everything I could about skin health and wellness and tried every trend on the internet. When I found what worked for me, I stuck to it, and eventually, other people started to notice the results before I could! It felt amazing to be more confident in my own skin and appreciate this body that has carried me through life. After graduating high school and getting my A.A. degree, I was unsure of the direction I was going in. I loved law and psychology but could not see myself thriving in that kind of lifestyle. Self-care has always been a priority, but only until the COVID-19 pandemic turned my life upside down did I realize I could make my passion a career. My family was considered high-risk at the time, and we personally could not take any chances of getting COVID. We had to say goodbye to family and friends for months on end, and ultimately life as we knew it. I had to quit my job, move back home, and had so much free time on my hands that I couldn’t function sometimes. Looking back, it was all such a blessing in disguise. I used all that time to reconnect with myself and explore different hobbies. I painted, made candles, did yoga, and most importantly, spent time with my family. Eventually, I started working from home and one day came across microblading, which is a form of permanent makeup, and decided I wanted to try it out. I sat at my desk practicing for months, exploring different aspects of medical esthetics online. One idea led to the next, and suddenly I found myself willing to risk it all for a future in esthetics. Every bit of my savings went towards my tuition for the Hollywood Institute and other certification classes I took outside of that. Then in February 2022, I graduated as a dual-licensed Medical Esthetician and Laser Technician. I also got the proper licensure as a tattoo artist to provide permanent makeup services. Today, I am the Managing Director of Bela Vida Med Spa and Wellness and am committed to helping others look and feel fabulous through skincare and other rejuvenating treatments.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of my favorite quotes by Theodore Roosevelt is, “Nothing in this world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.”
It has not been a smooth road, but I can say it has been a journey to get to where I am today. I previously worked full-time as a receptionist during the day, and every night was in school as an esthetics student. I had no time to go home in between, and I was out from 8:30 am to 11:30 pm, only to do it all again the next day. I even spent every Saturday in class, so really, for 7 months, my only “day off” was Sunday.
My biggest challenge was time management. I was not home for family dinner most nights and found myself stretched thin, trying to be everywhere at once. I would even try to squeeze in a morning workout before going to work.
Now that I’ve settled into this role at the med spa, some of my challenges here have been finding my voice as a Managing Director. Thankfully, with the support of my medical director, marketing team, and physician consultant, we are able to get our name out there.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a skin therapist, I work with all skin types, colors, and conditions. Specifically, I specialize in acne-prone skin and sensitive skin; however, each facial is done with products custom chosen to your skin. One facial is a treat, but four facials is a treatment if you have concerns with your skin you want to address. I incorporate services like dermaplaning, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion into our sessions. I use LED Light Therapy and/or High-Frequency Therapy to treat acne, even skin tone and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
If you have acne scarring or dark under-eye bags, one of my favorite treatments to help minimize the appearance is microneedling. After numbing cream is applied, tiny needles are used to create micro-injuries to the skin triggering it to produce collagen and elastin, ultimately forming new skin and healing itself. We can even take your blood and use your own plasma to expedite the healing process leaving you with nice, glowing, and plump skin.
I perform laser hair removal and can treat scars, sun damage, and hyperpigmentation with the laser. I also do Electrolysis, which is permanent hair removal by individual hair follicles using a small electrical current to damage the hair growth tissue. As a tattoo artist, I specialize in Microblading, Ombre Brows, and Combination brows, a service I am most proud of as brows can really enhance someone’s face. At Bela Vida Med Spa, we also do Botox, Body Contouring, and Lip Filler. What sets us apart is not only the variety of services we offer but also the dedication to providing real results without wasting anyone’s time or money.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Risk-taking is only smart when you have a plan and a backup plan. I took a major risk going to school for aesthetics. I paid out of pocket and used up every last bit of money I had in my savings, not knowing exactly where I would find myself at the end. But I had faith in myself, knowing I would do whatever it takes to see my plans come to fruition. Plans change, and that’s another thing I was risking. I wasn’t sure if I was going to further my college education after getting my A.A. All I knew is that I needed to see it through in beauty school and see where this path takes me. Today, I couldn’t be more grateful that I took that risk. I am thriving in my career, learning new things every day, and again find myself as a college student.
Pricing:
- Bela Vida Signature Facial- $110
- Get 30% off Facial packages
- Up to 70% off laser hair removal package
- First 20 units of Botox are $8 each
- Microneedling with Plasma – $550
Contact Info:
- Website: www.belavidamedspa.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/villavanity/
Image Credits
Elyris Villa
Bela Vida Med Spa
