Tracey Copeland is an Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics, (AIA), graduate and fellow classmate. At 24-years-old, she’s wise beyond her years. Always looking for light and positivity in any situation, and with a quote or thoughtful word always on hand. It seemed only natural to sit down with the former life coach, fitness enthusiast, and recently liscened esthetician to find out how she conquered her fear of waxing to become a full-time waxing specialist.
It could be said that Tracey grew up in the skincare world. Her mother is an esthetician and Tracey remembers accompanying her mother to skincare events and Mary Kay parties as a child. Despite her early introduction into the field, esthetics wasn’t on her mind when it became time to choose a career. Instead, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications. It was only when searching for a job in that field that she realized that the earning potential was not quite what she expected. As a result, she set her sights on fields in which she could be an entrepreneur. In her search, esthetics came to the forefront for her. She stated, “It was like a light bulb went off.” The field in which she had always been surrounded, surfaced as a viable pursuit for her and one with which she hoped to merge her communications background.
Tracey choose the Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics because of its 100% state board pass rate and reputation as the top esthetics school in Atlanta. She came to AIA with her interests planted solidly in facials and body treatments, and set about the business of mastering those skills. However, Tracey found another love that she hadn’t expected…educating clients. Tracey explained, “No matter what service I performed, I loved educating the clients about proper homecare and how that ties into making the services that much more successful.”
Although Tracey learned that she loved educating clients, she also learned that she did not love waxing. When waxing was introduced to Tracey, the thought of causing the client discomfort scared her and she believed that causing the client discomfort was a disservice to them. Waxing was the total opposite of the soothing and calming nature that she had always associated with skincare.
So how could one pursue a career in the area of esthetics that they feared the most? Tracey explains, “I always strive for perfection. I already knew I was very strong in facials and body treatments, but not so much in waxing. So, I decided to turn my weakest into my strongest.” Tracey, a self-proclaimed over-achiever wanted to ensure that she was a well-rounded esthetician, and to be well-rounded, she had to conquer waxing. Tracey used the acronym AWARE to help her get over her waxing anxiety.
A – Accept It. Accept the anxiety, accept that you’re nervous. Before you can fix anything, you have to accept the problem first.
W – Watch your anxiety. Don’t let it overtake you. Don’t let it get you down.
A – Act normal. It’s normal to be nervous about something you’ve never done or are intimidated by
R – Repeat the previous steps. Repeat the steps until you feel comfortable
E – Expect the best. Strive for excellence. Don’t put yourself down. Be your biggest critic, but your biggest fan, as well.
In addition to using AWARE to reframe her thoughts and control her anxiety, she also watched YouTube videos and researched waxing, in an effort to constantly educate herself. “Education doesn’t end when you leave school” she stated.
Now, Tracey works at Waxing the City in Alpharetta. She’s been there almost three months and loves it. She enjoys the quick, upbeat, and fun environment. Although she loves it now, she admits that she was nervous on her first day, especially about doing a Brazilian wax, something she had never done before. However, she’s thankful that she had the support of the studio manager, who made her feel very comfortable. According to Tracey, “Waxing the City really cares about their employees and invests in their employees. I didn’t have to perform any service until I was comfortable doing it.” Tracey also appreciated the added benefit of Waxing the City’s thorough training program. Every Waxing the City Cerologist, as they call their waxing specialists, trains for one week at company headquarters. Everyone is trained the same, so all services are performed in a uniform matter, employing the use of mag lamps and the company’s innovative, “mapping” technique of waxing.
Tracey’s waxing advice for students and fellow estheticians: “Don’t focus on the timing. Focus more on getting your technique down. As you focus on your technique, your timing will get better.” She also advises, “After you’re done with school, the learning doesn’t stop. Continue to be in the spirit of learning. Continue to educate yourself and be knowledgeable about your craft because as skincare specialists, we have to be well-rounded. The skincare industry is constantly evolving, so should we. She added, “It’s said that after you do something 10,000 times or you put 10,000 hours into something, you master something. So, master your craft.” One of Tracey’s favorite quotes is from St. Jerome. It says, “Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best.”
Kina DeWitt graduated from the Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics in October 2016. A Hampton, Virginia native, she has resided in Atlanta, Georgia for 3 years, after having left her mark in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD along the way. She’s a self-proclaimed foodie, movie buff, fashion lover, and water baby. A country girl with a love for urban life, she enjoys exploring the city for festivals, shows, concerts, and exhibits. Kina also loves to read; hike; spend time on the water; make natural body products; and, of course, write. One of her great passions is skincare and she enjoys “transforming faces” through her work in the skincare field. Kina is an esthetician at iwi fresh Garden Day Spa in Castleberry Hill. You can follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
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