Today we’d like to introduce you to Zayna Sholaja.
Zayna, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
BARE the brand and how it came about was due to being in a really low place in my life. So BARE was “in a way” unintentional and found it’s way into my world. BARE is an acronym for “by a real esthetician” which actually without realizing it, is a play on my previous business name byZayna because that’s how people knew of me and my work when asked “who does your brows” the response was “it was done by Zayna” which came from my very first business name browZbyZayna. So any information, service or product I provide, whether on social media or in person it was “byZayna” and backed with knowledge and research from being a licensed professional. I started in the beauty industry solely waxing and shaping brows and decided to enrolled in esthetics school off the strength of what” someone else” wanted for my life (the worse yet ironically best decision I made). All and all, I’m blessed to have found my path by way of a 16 year old talent… Shaping eyebrows. Throughout the years, I’ve discovered interest that brought me so much joy and passion especially during the lowest time of my life. I discovered my true love for fashion and swim design and became a skilled licensed skin care specialist, still adding more credentials to my name.
BARE defines who I am and who I had to grow to be, someone who is uncovered, open, and vulnerable. BARE is every single person who has struggled. Whether that struggle was emotional, physical, mental or all of the above. BARE embodies the strength of vulnerability, defeating struggle and rebuilding ourselves to complete the journey of being our best selves.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It hasn’t been easy at all. I went through a really difficult and painful divorce in the process of first opening BARE Spa (July 2017) which I ended up ending the lease on a year later because I wasn’t in the head or heart space to give my clients what they needed from me because I couldn’t give myself what I needed at the time. Plus I’m a one WOMAN show operating every machine needed to make BARE the brand run. And the majority of the time, I want to tap out and quit, but the universe always sends me some sign or reminder of my “why” and a nudge to chin to help me lift my head back up and adjust my crown. I’m so passionate about BARE because it defines who I am and my journey.
We’d love to hear more about your practice.
As a licensed esthetician, I educate my clients on the importance of skin health because I know how trapped I felt in my own skin by lacking the confidence that was hiding under insecurities that I had from my own skin issues five years ago. Through my swim line BARE Swim and offering skin care services, my goal is to show women how to love their BARE bodies. As a skin care professional, the two go hand and hand to me. There has never been a brand where a skincare professional created a swimwear and body care line (BARE body) that catered to women’s confidence by not only educating women about skin health but creating a product that can be purchased with their swimwear. Finally launching BARE Swim after working on it since March 2017 along with BARE Body, is what I’m most proud of because people will be able to use a results oriented product and feel sexy and confident wearing my swimsuits. There has been no other swimwear company that is operated by a licensed esthetician who’s sole purpose is to ensure its consumers are fully confident and comfortable wearing sexy swimwear that doesn’t have to be covered up by way of skincare health and education.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
What’s next for BARE the brand is the launch of BARE Swim and BARE body. I’m looking forward to the success of the brand and witnessing it flourish. I am truly passionate about BARE and I pray this brand is my legacy and the universe allows myself and this brand to tough the lives of many people. I aspire for people to feel confident and comfortable being BARE. It is so much power and strength in vulnerability and I want to continue experiencing that power and growing in that space and sharing that strength with others. The proudest moment of my career I would have to say telling people that I’ve been a brow expert for 16 years because back when I was 14 years old I got a lot of questions and turned up faces for shaping and filling in my brows and fast forward six years from then it’s been the hottest beauty feature for the last decade, I’ve been on trend…
I’m sure my next proudest moment will be seeing BARE Swim on all body types and people loving the results they receive from BARE Body, I’ll go ahead and manifest that moment. The success of BARE the brand will be so monumental for my life. I can’t wait to say, “I did it, I made it happen “…with so much gratitude, joy and conviction.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.barethebrand.com
- Phone: (678) 632-5139
- Email: zayna@barethebrand.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/zaynasholaja
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/barethebrand.z
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/barethebrand
- Other: https://msha.ke/zaynasholaja
Image Credit:
Professional photo (white top/jeans)
Mike Murray @m.v.p.photos
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