Sphynx Spa Suite

✨ A message found you today. ✨

I pulled a card from my Angels & Ancestors Oracle Deck with the intention that whoever needs this message will receive it. 🕯️🔮

Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and trust what your intuition is telling you. 💫

🚨 PUT. THE. RAZOR. DOWN. 😂🪒

If you're constantly shaving and wondering why your bikini area or underarms are getting darker… your shaving routine could be contributing to it. 👀

Shaving can create repeated friction + irritation + inflammation, and for skin that's prone to pigmentation—particularly Fitzpatrick skin types III–VI—that inflammation can leave behind post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).

So we're trying to correct the darkness… while you keep irritating the area. 😭

And eventually you're going to be sitting on my table saying:

“Can we lighten this?” 😂

And I'm going to say, “I told you to put the razor DOWN!”

✨ Consider waxing instead
✨ Stay consistent with your appointments
✨ Follow proper aftercare
✨ Stop picking at ingrowns
✨ Treat pigmentation gradually and professionally

And if the pigmentation is already there? 👀

Welllll… I'll see you for your intimate bleaching consultation. 😂💕

📍 Sphynx Spa Suite — Downtown Chicago

Ready to ditch the razor? Book your wax. 🐈‍⬛✨

WaxingTips PostInflammatoryHyperpigmentation BodySkincare

Things I need my Brazilian wax clients to STOP apologizing for 😂👇🏽

✨ Having “too much” hair
✨ Not shaving or trimming — GOOD! Leave it alone! 😂
✨ Sweating because you're nervous
✨ Stretch marks, texture, pigmentation, scars or folds
✨ Simply having a HUMAN BODY

I've been doing this for 16 years. Trust me—I am not judging you. 💕

Come clean, come with enough hair to wax, and let me handle the rest.

This is a NO-JUDGMENT ZONE. 🐈‍⬛✨

Now stop apologizing and BOOK YOUR WAX! 😂

✨ TRANSFORMATION THURSDAY ✨

Before we treat the dark spot, we need to ask one important question: WHY is it there? 👀

Hyperpigmentation can be triggered or worsened by things like friction, shaving, picking at ingrowns, inflammation, and irritation. And if we’re constantly creating new inflammation while trying to correct the pigmentation… we’re working against ourselves.

This is why I don’t believe in just throwing the strongest peel at every client. 🚫

Your skin needs to be assessed, respected, and treated gradually. Sometimes that means a series of treatments rather than trying to force a dramatic change in one appointment.

Because the goal isn't just lighter-looking skin.

✨ It’s healthier skin.
✨ A stronger skin barrier.
✨ Less unnecessary inflammation.
✨ And a treatment plan customized to YOU.

Dark underarms? Bikini area? Inner thighs? Buttocks? Let's figure out what your skin actually needs. 💕

📍 Chicago
🐈‍⬛ Sphynx Spa Suite
✨ 16 years of esthetics experience

✨ WAXING WEDNESDAY TIP ✨

Ever wonder why you see a few little hairs popping up after your Brazilian even though you JUST got waxed? 👀

Your hair grows through different stages — anagen, catagen, and telogen — which means every hair isn't necessarily ready to be removed at the exact same time.

That’s why CONSISTENCY matters. 👏🏽

🗓️ Aim to come in about every 4–6 weeks, depending on your individual hair growth.

And between appointments:

🚫 DON’T SHAVE.
🚫 DON’T TRIM.

Let it GROW! 😂 If you trim too short, there may not be enough length for the wax to properly grab the hair.

Staying consistent and leaving the hair alone between appointments allows me to keep catching those hairs as they become available to wax, giving you more predictable results over time.

Your only job? Book your next appointment before you leave. 💕

16 years in the industry and I'm still making sure my clients understand the WHY behind their services. 🐈‍⬛✨

Hyperpigmentation is not one-size-fits-all. 🤎

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) occurs when inflammation or injury stimulates the skin to produce excess melanin, leaving dark marks behind. This can happen after acne, ingrown hairs, folliculitis, HS, or even an irritating skin treatment.

The Fitzpatrick scale helps us understand how skin responds to UV exposure, including its tendency to burn or tan. While it isn't simply a skin-color chart, it can help us consider how different skin types may respond to treatment. PIH can affect anyone, but it may be more noticeable or persistent in deeper skin tones.

This is why we treat hyperpigmentation gradually.

We don't know exactly how every client's skin will respond to a peel, especially during their first treatment. Starting aggressively can create unnecessary inflammation, compromise the skin barrier, and potentially make pigmentation worse.

A series of carefully selected superficial peels may be recommended because we want to encourage controlled exfoliation and healthy skin renewal over time—not force the skin to peel aggressively in one appointment. Each treatment allows us to evaluate the skin's response, adjust the protocol, and work toward a more even-looking complexion while minimizing irritation.

More peeling does not mean better results. Stronger does not always mean faster. And not every client needs the same number of treatments.

The goal is to improve the appearance of dark spots while protecting the skin's health. Consistent home care, sun protection when the area is exposed, and addressing the underlying cause of inflammation are also essential parts of the process.

Healthy skin first. Gradual correction. Long-term results. ✨

If you're dealing with hyperpigmentation, book a consultation so we can assess your skin and create a customized treatment plan.

SkinHealth ChicagoEsthetician SphynxSpaSuite

That bump you keep calling an ingrown hair… might not be an ingrown. 👀

Not every bump on your buttocks, bikini area, or underarms is the same. Ingrown hairs, folliculitis, acne, and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) can look similar, but they have different causes and may require different approaches.

An ingrown hair happens when hair grows back into the skin. Folliculitis is inflammation of the hair follicle. HS is a chronic inflammatory condition that can cause deeper, painful, recurring lumps, drainage, and scarring.

If you keep getting a painful bump in the same area, especially if it drains or leaves scars, don't assume it's just an ingrown hair. A dermatologist can help determine what's actually going on.

As an esthetician, my role is to assess the skin, ask the right questions, and recognize when a cosmetic service is appropriate—or when it's time to refer. We don't diagnose medical conditions, and we don't extract or aggressively exfoliate active, concerning lesions.

When the skin is completely healed and intact, we can discuss appropriate cosmetic care for concerns such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and uneven texture.

Not every bump needs an extraction. Sometimes the best treatment decision is knowing when not to treat. 🤍

Save this video and share it with someone who keeps dealing with recurring bumps.

BodyFacial Hyperpigmentation SkinHealth ChicagoEsthetician SphynxSpaSuite

HS Awareness — Part 2: How can estheticians support the skin? 🤍

When a client has hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), our priority is to calm the skin, minimize irritation, and protect the skin barrier—not to aggressively exfoliate or attempt to treat the underlying condition.

If HS is currently active, with painful nodules, swelling, open lesions, or drainage, we do not perform cosmetic treatments over those affected areas. Active HS requires medical management, and a dermatologist can help create the appropriate treatment plan.

But if the skin is completely healed, intact, and controlled, we can discuss supportive cosmetic care based on the client's individual concerns.

For example, if a client is dealing with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation—the dark marks left behind after inflammation—we may be able to help improve the appearance of that discoloration through a conservative, customized treatment plan.

This may include gentle cleansing, carefully selected exfoliation when appropriate, calming and hydrating masks, and barrier-supportive products. Home care also plays an important role in maintaining the skin's comfort and supporting gradual improvement.

The goal is not to do the strongest treatment possible. It's to choose what the skin can safely tolerate while avoiding unnecessary inflammation that could create more pigmentation.

As estheticians, we do not diagnose or medically treat HS. We can educate, recognize when to refer, and provide appropriate cosmetic care for healed skin while the client's dermatologist manages the condition.

Calm the skin. Protect the barrier. Address pigmentation conservatively. ✨

SphynxSpaSuite

That recurring “ingrown hair” might be something more. 👀

Hidradenitis Suppurativa, also known as HS, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that can cause recurring, painful bumps, boils, and abscesses in areas where skin rubs together—such as the underarms, groin, inner thighs, buttocks, and underneath the breasts.

HS begins around the hair follicle. The follicle can become blocked and inflamed, and repeated inflammation may lead to drainage, scarring, and even tunnels beneath the skin.

What causes it? There isn't one single cause. Genetics, immune-system inflammation, hormones, and other factors can all play a role. Some people notice flares around their menstrual cycle, while friction, smoking, and metabolic factors may also influence the condition.

HS is NOT contagious, and it is NOT caused by poor hygiene.

If you keep experiencing painful bumps in the same areas, especially if they return, drain, or leave scars, don't assume they're just ingrown hairs. A dermatologist can properly diagnose HS and help create a treatment plan.

As an esthetician, my goal is to educate you, recognize when skin needs medical attention, and provide supportive cosmetic care when appropriate. Active HS is not something we should scrub, extract, or exfoliate away.

Your skin deserves understanding, not judgment. 🤍

Save this video, share it with someone who may benefit, and stay tuned for Part 2, where I'll discuss how HS is medically managed and how estheticians can support the skin barrier.

🚨 UNDERARM PSA: DROP THE RAZOR. 🪒🚫

I just finished a Transformational Underarm Facial, and when we examined my client’s skin under the Wood’s lamp, we could see pigmentation that isn’t as obvious to the naked eye.

One of the biggest contributors? SHAVING.

Your underarm skin isn’t a perfectly flat surface. Repeatedly dragging a razor across it can create friction, irritation, tiny injuries, and inflammation. And for skin that is prone to pigmentation, that inflammation can trigger post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)—leaving your underarms looking darker over time.

And ladies… this matters if you’re considering intimate bleaching for your underarms.

🚫 You cannot continue irritating the area with shaving while we’re actively trying to correct the pigmentation.

Think about it: I’m working to calm the skin and fade the pigmentation while the razor keeps creating new inflammation. We’d be working against each other.

So if darker underarms are bothering you, don’t automatically assume you need something stronger. First, we need to figure out WHY your skin is darkening.

That’s exactly why my body treatments are customized to YOUR skin.

✨ Underarm Skin Reset
✨ Underarm Skin Transformation
✨ Intimate Bleaching for stubborn pigmentation

If you have underarm darkness, bumps, irritation, ingrowns, or uneven tone and you’re ready to actually treat the skin instead of hiding it…

Come see me. Let’s figure out what your skin needs. 💗

📍 Sphynx Spa Suite
Chicago
16 years of esthetics experience • No judgment • Customized skin treatments