Push Through, Beauty!
It feels so weird even writing this given the fact that my last blog post was back in 2021. I’ve attempted to produce on so many occasions yet I finally had to come to the realization that I just wasn’t ready.
This has been a tumultuous past few years for me, to say the least. Starting with the pandemic which made it nearly impossible to do the things I loved - from simple gatherings with friends and family, to spending most of my time with my beauties at the salon, and traveling. The uncertainty of it all made those four months of shut down feel like an eternity. After finally reopening LUXE Lashes | Beauty | Body in July 2020, I felt like I could breathe again. It was our busiest month ever and my beauty team and I were able to welcome our beauties back with open arms, pickup up right where we left off, spreading positivity, one beauty transformation at a time. The energy was infectious.
Now there’s some irony in feeling like I could breathe again. For several months of being back to work I was having difficulty breathing, mostly while wearing my mask. Due to daily Covid testing, I was always able to rule out the virus after consistently receiving negative results so I honestly didn’t think anything of it. I started experiencing excruciatingly sharp chest pains one night while driving to pick up my daughter and instead drove myself to the emergency room. I could barely make it from my car to the emergency room lobby, walking, without losing my breath. I was immediately admitted and diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. There was a large blood clot on my lungs that doctors stated would have killed me if I had not made it to the hospital when I did. I’m just thankful to still be here.
You know that saying “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?”. I didn’t think anything could prepare me for what would happen next. If things hadn’t already been crazy enough, I was also hit especially hard when my daughter’s father passed away a few months later. It's been an incredibly difficult time for me, and it's been hard to find the strength to cope with this heartbreaking loss, especially for my princess who is soon to be 6 and missing him dearly.
I’m feeling like a living testimony at this point. Through it all, I’ve been determined to make something positive out of all of this. Not many understood why LUXE relocated to the tiny office building (aka the basement lol) location. While we lost some beauties along the way, I sincerely appreciate each and every one of my beauties who have been on this journey with me, and still are. While the “new” temporary LUXE location was only a fraction of the size of the original, I knew that GREATER was coming. I had not told a single soul, my staff included, that I would be building my very own 6,500 sqft. salon suite business. LUXE Salon Suites would house 22 beauty and wellness business, in their own private, customizable salon suites, with LUXE Lashes | Beauty | Body as its anchor. Although it was quite a challenge (okay, that’s definitely a bit of an understatement) to get it up and running, I DID IT. The tears are falling as I type, but I'm so proud to have successfully navigated everything needed to make it all finally happen in August 2022.
I’ve experienced so much over the past few years, and I honestly feel like a completely different person than when I started this journey. Each day I grow stronger as I continue to grieve but also find ways to tap into my newfound determination. I take it one step at a time and remind myself that anything is possible when you are willing to put in the work.
If you’re still reading this, just know that you are also one of the reasons I’ve been able to keep going. I sincerely appreciate all of the love and loyalty over the past 9 years as a business owner, and 11 years in the beauty industry. I just want to continue to be an example for anyone who’s ever felt like they’ve had no more fight left. Push though, beauty. There’s someone who needs you to make it through.
My beauty team and I are back and better than ever and ready to service your beauty needs. I’ve officially returned to my old Carytown schedule (my Day One beauties know EXACTLY what that means ), so book now, beauty!
Xo
Arielle