STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Like many teenagers, Alexa Viegas suffered from acne. And her mom, who was a single parent of four, couldn’t afford high-end expensive creams to heal her skin.
For this reason, the now 29-year-old Great Kills resident took an interest in skincare from a young age, and eventually turned it into a career.
“We didn’t have the money for treatments or products. I began experimenting with items I found in my mom’s cabinets, creating face masks from natural powders, spices, honey and more,” said Viegas. “These homemade masks helped soothe and heal my skin. Now, I apply that same approach for my clients, offering custom facials where I create personalized face masks using high quality natural powders, extracts, gels, and herbs.”
Launching her own business
And Viegas was so excited to launch her business, she didn’t waste anytime. After graduating esthetician school, she upstarted her business from a room in her mother’s house. From there, she moved into a small space in a hair salon while juggling other jobs.
“I only earned enough to cover the rent, but I believed it would pay off in the long run,” said the single mom of one son…