An esthetician is a licensed skin care professional. While an esthetician can offer a wide range of services, most professionals in the industry act as a guide to help you with keeping your skin healthy both inside the treatment room and at home.

The skincare world can feel overwhelming, and having someone to hold your hand as you navigate choosing the best products for your skin can save you time, money, and stress in the long run. An esthetician can help you determine what treatments and products are best for your current skin needs and can stave off disappointment around purchasing treatments and products that aren’t well-suited for you.

I have been a Licensed Esthetician since August 2010.

My passion for skincare, and offering life-changing services to my clients has led me to further my education and skills in the services I provide. Here you can see a list of my certifications:

• BS in Resource and Environmental Studies with a double minor in English and Horticulture from Texas State University

• Diploma in Esthetics from Avenue Five Institute in Austin, Texas

• Certified in Cecily Braden Ecology in Motion Gua Sha Facial Level 1 + 2 and Gua Sha Facial Fusion

• Certified in Cecily Braden Thai Herbal Poultice

• Certified in ASTECC/Vodder Manual Lymphatic Drainage MLD: Basic Neck and Face

• Certified in Nina Connor’s Facial Sculpting and Buccal Massage

• Certified in Dien Chan Zone Facial Reflexology

• Member of Associated Skincare Professionals

I work by appointment only. I’m in the treatment room Tuesday through Friday and the occasional Monday and Saturday.

In an ideal world, everyone would get a facial every 4 weeks. However, I know that life happens, and how often people get a facial largely depends on time availability, budget, and skin goals. I encourage people to get some face time with a skin care professional at least quarterly. Many of my clients enjoy receiving treatments every 6-8 weeks.

For best results with your facial, stop using active products for the five days before and after your appointment. This includes any products containing acids, retinoids, and Vitamin C. Use a gentle wash and moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated. This will ensure we have calm, stable skin to work with and that your skin is ready for extractions if desired and necessary. For best results post-facial, plan to limit wearing heavy makeup and avoid activities that produce excessive sweating for 24-72 hours post-treatment.

If you’d like to discuss your current products, please bring them to the appointment or have a list or photo ready to share.

I do perform extractions if they are both needed and desired. Please note that the outcome of extractions is unpredictable and largely depends on how well-hydrated the skin is.

If you want extractions, please ensure your skin is well moisturized before coming in for a treatment. If the skin isn’t ready for extractions, we can make a plan to ensure you’re ready for your next treatment.

Everyone recovers from extractions differently. If you need heavy extractions, plan to avoid intense sweating or swimming for 72 hours after the treatment. It’s not uncommon to purge after an extraction session. This can look like an increase in superficial breakouts (e.g., small, pinpoint whiteheads) that come and go over five days.

Sometimes certain pustules and papules (e.g., more significant, sometimes painful breakouts) can refill after an extraction session. This is normal and not indicative of extractions being poorly done. I will let you know if I’m concerned about this happening, and we can make a plan for managing post-treatment.

Preparing your skin for a special event is an entirely personal process. If we are working on goals and concerns in preparation for a big future event like a wedding, then early preparation is key! Reach out as soon as you can so we can plan. If you regularly get facials at Botanica Skin, consider booking a treatment 2-5 days from your special event. We can work on gentle exfoliation to get a beautiful glow, and sculpt and lift the face with various forms of massage and microcurrent.

Absolutely! But remember that finding the right products for you can be a trial and error-process, and patience is vital. We have time for discussion around products during a facial treatment. If you feel your needs are more in-depth, consider booking a consultation to ensure we have ample time to dedicate to product exploration.

Much like my customized treatments, each and every recommendation I make for your skin is tailored to what I see and feel while working with your skin. I also take your goals and concerns into consideration.

After over a decade of working as an esthetician, I have seen, touched, and worked with hundreds of different skin types. I have seen people with all skin types react, adjust, and recover to countless treatments and products. While some aspects of skincare recommendations are trial and error, I’m confident I can help get you going in the right direction.

Yes, I offer both 60 and 30-minute consultations.

My 60-minute consultations are great for new clients. This is also an excellent option for established clients with new in-depth concerns or wanting to do a total home care overhaul.

30-minute consultations are perfect for established clients who need follow-up time after a 60-minute consultation or have new questions or concerns that need to be addressed.

Clients typically come in between 4 and 12 weeks for shaping and every four weeks to maintain the brightness and color of a brow tint.

Brow shape and frequency depend on how long you’ve been shaping your brows and how old you are (as we age, our hair growth slows).

Lash tinting is typically done every four weeks. Lash lifting is usually done every six to eight weeks. People who do both usually come in every four weeks for tinting and add on a lash lift to every other appointment.

I love working with teens and encourage booking the 45-minute facial. While a teen treatment can be an excellent opportunity to work with congestion and acne concerns, it’s always a good time to review the best long-term practices for healthy skin for life.

Yes, gift cards are available for purchase both online and in person. When purchasing online, you’ll receive a gift card that can be emailed or printed. You can buy an online gift card here.

When purchasing in person, you’ll receive a paper gift card to present to the recipient. If you prefer a handheld gift certificate, email Laura at laura@botanicatx.com to arrange pick up.

I currently offer a limited number of packages for services where a series offers the best outcome, such as Microchanneling.

If you are a new client, please have this form filled out prior to your first appointment.

If you have any medical conditions or known allergies that may influence or impact your appointment, please inform me as soon as possible—waiting until the day of your appointment could result in having to cancel or reschedule if a condition or allergy could potentially interfere negatively with the results of your treatment.

I am located at 1908 Koenig Lane, inside the Be Well Center, in Austin, TX. This is located between Lamar and Burnet, on the north side of the street. Be Well has two locations, side by side. My treatment room is in a single-story, tan house.

Parking is located both in the front and back of the 1908 house. A larger parking lot is located behind the 1906 house (two-story, white house) right next door. You can access this lot by turning onto Camino Real from Koenig. Just walk through the gate to the 1908 house.

If you are a new client, I will contact you that morning via text and give you instructions on how to enter the house. If you are a regular client, you are already familiar with the process and will receive a code day of to use when entering.

Arriving late cuts down on your valuable treatment time. If you arrive late, your treatment will likely still end on time. This is in consideration of my time, personal and administrative needs in between appointments, and the punctual start time of the next client.

For shorter treatments (waxing, tinting, and the 45 Minute Facial), arrival of more than 15 minutes late may result in an inability to perform the service. This is treated like a no-show appointment, and full payment is still required. If you know you will be late, please text me to let me know.

Please cancel/reschedule your appointment by 24 hours before your scheduled treatment.

For all late cancellations/reschedules, clients are charged 50% of the total cost of their appointment. All no-shows are charged 100% of the total cost of the appointment. While I understand that emergencies and unexpected illnesses happen, it is up to my discretion if the fee will be waived.

Gratuity is respectfully declined.

Because I am a one-woman operation and have a limited schedule due to being home with my small child part-time, I tend to book out around 4-6 weeks in advance. This scheduling time is further out if you have specific scheduling needs, such as weeknights or weekends.

If you are hoping to get in sooner, I suggest booking out for the first available appointment I have that works with your scheduling needs and reaching out to Laura@botanicatx.com to get on the cancellation list. When an appointment becomes available, I offer it to clients, working my way down the cancellation list. Because people book ahead, appointments often get moved around last minute, and it isn’t uncommon for people to get an appointment faster than their initially scheduled time.