Today we’d like to introduce you to Jazzmin Heath.
Hi Jazzmin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Throughout my life, I’ve gone by many names but today, you can call me BARB. Also known as Beauty By A. Barb (an acrylic nail artist) & Creator of Barb Essentials.
I was born in Brooklyn, NY & I currently live in Jacksonville, FL. I’m a Licensed FL Full Specialist & upcoming Beauty & Fashion influencer. I currently create content centered around all things beauty, fashion, nails & anything (BARB)ie related. (And before you ask, Yes I’m a NICKI FAN, the biggest!) I’ve always had a love for fashion & beauty. Even though at a young age, I was told I would never be able to model on the runway. Despite feeling rejected, I always looked to other creative outlets to express myself. Especially in the beauty/fashion department. I had a brief tomboy stage, but I’ve pretty much always been a girly girl since I was a kid.
Fast forward to about 3 1/2 years ago (2019) (at a point in my life where I was trying to figure out WTF I was doing) I decided to go to beauty school. Originally I wanted to go to become a lash tech, but honestly once I started learning and practicing hated it. Luckily, I learned about way more than just lashes. In a matter of months, I was a licensed Full Specialist. (An esthetician & a nail technician) It was one of the proudest moments of my life. I had finally finished something of importance and had something to show for it.
Becoming licensed made my love for beauty grow even stronger, it gave me a sense of purpose & direction I felt I was missing for a while. After graduation, I had a lot more time to practice my new skills and thankfully, a lot more time with my family after being so busy with school. I tried waxing & facials; I became fascinated with make-up & I even started my own lash line. (That is now available on my website) BUT I poured myself into nails. I practiced every day, I tracked my progress with photos, researched products, techniques, and new designs. I was in love with the idea of working hard towards something and being able to see myself grow through the whole process. Yes, I still worked on other beauty and skin-related projects here and there, but nails became my life. Thus, Beauty By A. Barb was born!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course, learning a new skill is always a slow struggle, and perfecting nails sure took me a minute. However, I would say that was cake compared to the some of the other unique challenges I faced after becoming a nail tech. Some of which brought me to where I am today. 2020 was a hard year for many, and I was a part of the “many”. Lockdowns, opening and closing back up, canceling and rebooking clients, the list goes on. But the events from 2021 truly changed my life. Just getting through an awful business year with the COVID protocols in 2020 was stressful enough, & to top it off my dear aunt was diagnosed with late-stage cancer just months before the outbreak and passed away shortly after in 2020. What could be worse? I walked into 2021 with optimism & fresh start vibes but nothing could’ve prepared me for any of this. On January 22, 2021 (at My 25th Birthday brunch) I found out my high school best friend Jonathan was shot and killed the night before my birthday… I got the news as I was sitting there wondering why he hadn’t shown up yet. I was devastated on my birthday at a restaurant full of people. I wished my mom was there, but she had called days before to tell me she wouldn’t make it. She contracted COVID from her job. I couldn’t help but stop and tell her what happened anyway, but she understood. She knew him so well; she knew he was the type of friend you only meet once; you were lucky if you met him. So, there I was starting off my year with another loss.
Although I was upset, I knew my aunt and my best friend wouldn’t want that to stop me from doing nails. I was doing what I loved. I had so many people rooting for me and supporting my brand that I had spent so much time building up. I tried to use those thoughts to fuel me to keep going. I used my creativity as a distraction, and it was ok for a while… Until not even a month later, I received a call from my younger brother. It was my mom, she had stopped breathing… she was cold he said. At that moment, I knew she was gone. I stopped everything. There wasn’t any amount of acrylic that could distract me from what was happening, my whole world went quiet. I was numb. I immediately stopped working, but this time I didn’t return for months, I was depressed and broken, I wasn’t myself at all. Losing her has been the hardest life experience to date. Followed by some of the most trying times in my young adult life. It has been a journey to say the least, but somehow, I always manage to pick myself up and keep going no matter the obstacles I may face.
I feel like when you love what you do, your work can sometimes be therapeutic. Since I have had a significant amount of time away from doing nails, I have had time to explore my other talents, like creating other types of content. (Make-up, hair, skincare, etc.) In addition, I now run an online press-on nail/Accessory business (Barb Essentials) that I have recently launched following a SERIOUS hand injury. As some may know, the injury has now completely stopped me from doing traditional acrylic nails. BUT it has also simultaneously allowed me to focus on launching my newest beauty venture, (Barb Essentials) which is slowly growing every day.
Although at times, I get down and discouraged, my mom’s memories & the love for my brand and beauty keep me going. These past few years, I’ve been through so much in my life while still pursuing my career. From suddenly losing my mom to Covid to randomly getting stabbed in my dominant hand and the many, many, many other obstacles in between. I feel like if I can push through all of that and still have some motivation left to keep following my dreams, I can do anything I set my mind to! One day at a time.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As I became obsessed with perfecting my skills and started to find my groove in the nail world. I found out my strengths and what I liked to do most. Ironically, what I liked to do most was what I became known for. FREESTYLE SETS! Freestyle sets are my absolute favorite to do because they give me the chance to bring whatever ideas I have in my head to life. I am thankful to have found clients that connect with and appreciate my nail art. Being able to bring your creativity to full circle is truly an unmatched feeling. My clients loved the idea of having a one-of-a-kind set! As in, no one else will have your exact set because of the uniqueness of the design. As I started posting my work regularly, I was surprised to find out how many OTHER people from all over liked my work as well. I mean, A LOT of people. People were even reaching out to book me from other cities because they had found my work on Instagram. This is when I really started taking content creating/YouTube seriously. I started my YouTube channel first, but I focused mainly on Instagram when I started out. As my audience and clientele continued to grow, I started to post detailed nail tutorials on YouTube, daily mini process videos on Instagram, and eventually I created a TikTok account to show a sped up version of my in-depth process as well.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Honestly, I don’t see nail art, or even nails in general going anywhere anytime soon. Acrylic nail enhancements have been around for so long! (Since the 1950s) I think the nail industry will just keep evolving. For a while acrylic nails were the only thing people were talking about. Things are so different now. A lot of techs are trying quicker methods as far as nail enhancements these days. In addition to traditional acrylic nails, Gel X & Press-on style nails are extremely popular and the market seems to be growing rapidly. Although Gel-X nails are still usually done in a salon, they are a much quicker option for some people. Press-on nails allow for a quick and easy DIY install. As well as the connivence to switch up your nails more often, whether that may be color, length, shape or design. Be sure to check out my website (www.barbessentials.net) if you are ready to start your Press-On collection! The nail industry can’t help but keep growing and glowing if you ask me.
Pricing:
- Mink Lashes Starting @ $8
- Custom Press-on nails starting @ $25
Contact Info:
- Email: beautybyabarb@gmail.com
- Website: www.barbessentials.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbessentials/, https://www.instagram.com/amandathebarb/, and https://www.instagram.com/beautybya.barb/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarbEssentials/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jazziec22/featured
- Other: https://allmylinks.com/beautybyabarb
Image Credits
(MAIN IMAGE ONLY) – Ava McQuay @Photosbycloudz
