207: Stop Settling, Choose Yourself (feat. Candace Marino)

Welcome back to this week's episode of Unlocked. I am super excited for today's episode, because you guys know I have people from all different locks of life on my podcast. Some people I know, some people are strangers, it's always fun. But today I have one of my dearest friends, Candace Marino on. Welcome. - Thank you. - I'm so excited to have you on. - I know, I feel like we can just talk about literally anything. - I know. - So God only knows where this is going. - This is gonna be a winding road and it's gonna be an adventure, so let's go. But what I do love first off, you're gonna have to go into how we met, but also you knowing my parents before, we ever even knew each other. So for those that don't know, Candace, everyone always asks about my skin and what I use. And I am the worst girl when it comes to skin. You can attest to this. And I don't even like go online to her website and order stuff, I just text her and I'm like, "Hey, can you send me a package?" And it's like, I get a little link and it's all the things that you put me on. And it's the most amazing thing ever. So the LA Facialist is Candace's Instagram, so you guys have seen her before. And we've vacationed together. She got my facials when I'm in LA, which I'm never there anymore, but who knows, she may end up in Nashville at some point. Who knows? So, but going back to how we met. So you did mom and dad's facials like so long ago, you were a teenager. And I remember seeing you come into the spy worked at Canara, which was like the place in LA and I worked there. And I remember seeing you like come in, but I don't know if you were getting facials or if you were just there with your parents, but I think I met your dad first and then your mom. And I'm like, I'm obsessed with these people. And of course, I had seen the show. So like I called my parents and I was like, "Oh my God, you're gonna never believe who came in." 'Cause they just, you know, your parents are hilarious, so easy to fall in love with. And then I don't know, time had passed. At that point, I think you guys were in LA a lot. - Yes, we were. - And then time had passed and you guys were here in Nashville, so I hadn't seen your parents in a while. And then it was through Charlie. - So yeah, so I've spoken about it before. Charlie go on us who I got my lipo from when I was super insecure and a little hefty. He did my lipo, obsessed with it, loved it. And then that's how you and I met because you were in his office at that time, right? - No, because that was during COVID. And it was, remember, like, it was locked down. - Oh, yes. - He connected us for some reason and I might have done a facial or he was just like, you have to know each other. You guys have like a fun personality of long story short. We end up, this was like during primetime lockdown. And if you were in Los Angeles, like you had to wear a mask, you couldn't go anywhere. - It's brutal. - And it was like the first day that a restaurant was open. - The only restaurant, I believe. - And it was the Ivy on Robertson. And I had just had surgery. So I was like not-- - Like fresh surgery. - I think I was like maybe two weeks out. Like I was still in like the-- - Garment, the garments. And I remember like, okay, the world is opening up again. I was just like dying to get out because we had just been there months and months of like, in LA it was like the strictest place. - Yeah, it was fun. - You know, 'cause you were like coming in for work stuff but you couldn't even leave your hotel. - You couldn't leave your hotel. I remember the first day they opened the patio at the hotel and I was like, oh my god, my god, I'm sitting out there. Then the manager comes by, it's like, hey, I'm gonna have to have you go up to your room this Christmas, 'cause that's when the riots started. Remember it was like the restaurant start opening, the riots started. - Yes, it was a mess. But anyway, I remember Samantha was like, the Ivy's open, should we go? And I'm like, see you there. So I come hobbling in. - We met for lunch. Let's preface this. - We met for lunch that turned into like a six-hour lunch. Like you couldn't get us out of there. - I think we were there till they closed. - We closed it down. - Yeah, we did. - But we met at like one o'clock. - Yes. - And we were, we made friends. (laughing) - We did. - We might have made enemies. I don't remember, like I, I blocked out. - Yeah, it was bad. And I think to keep myself from throwing up, remember I rescheduled my flight and took a flight out that morning. So I didn't go to bed. So I was like, if I go to bed, I'm gonna feel horrible. - Yeah, so you stayed late. - Yeah. - I had an obligation the next day that I had to cancel and I am a bad person and I feel horrible 'cause I am so on it. Like I don't do that. If I know I have somewhere to be something to do, I am like so punctual, but they overserved us. Like I know that we were ordering. - They're fault, not ours. - I know we were ordering the drinks, but at the end, remember we got the bill and it was like a bottle of gray goose. And we were like, who had a bottle of gray goose and they're like, you two. - You literally called them over. I was like, we did not order a bottle. And they're like, no, it was in your drink. - When you have 24 drinks, it's not being a bottle. So anyway, that was the first time we met and then we were like, litty-titty and we were like, let's go get into some trouble. - We did. - Did Charlie know the story? - No, he did not. - Should we tell it? - We should, that was hilarious. So at this time, like I had thought Charlie was like the hottest person in the world. Like, whatever. Now I don't. - Yeah. - Like, you just gotta get-- - You know too much. You know, so it's like, he's sweet and all and love him, but like, great at your craft, but that's it. - And you realize, okay, we're great friends. And there's nothing wrong with that. - There's yes. - And we had, he was, who, I forgot. - We're not gonna mention who it was. He was dating someone. - He was dating some girl. - Some girl at the time. - He was lovely. - She was a lovely girl. But we were like, we gotta figure it out. - Yeah. - We, 'cause I think we were supposed to do something with him and they canceled, 'cause they were having like a movie night and I'm like, okay. - Whatever. - Movie night. - Yeah, we were like, we gotta see this. And he lived in this apartment complex. - Down the street from my house. - And we, you scaled the fence. - Yeah, like, two weeks post-op and I'm just like, I, okay, I think maybe the combination of like, the medication, post-surgery, and then the bottle of Gregus, I had superhuman strength. I can't do a pull-up to save my life. But like, you best believe I was up and over. - And we were crawling up the stairs. Do you remember that? - Yes. And we were trying to, we were like, army crawling, 'cause we were trying to make sure nobody saw us. I have photos of this in my phone. We're gonna have to pull the photos. - Stop, yeah. - Oh my God, we have to have those photos. - Yeah. - That is hysteria mess. - So we have been friends for a while now, like six years. - Which is crazy. We've gone, as you like to call it, 2D, 12D, 11D. - 47A. - Yeah, 47A. - For those that live in the South, you know what 30A is. That's what Candace refers to. - I can't get the numbers in the letters, right. We had a blast there. It was great. And then came an island's different story, that's all. - Well, we had a really good came an island trip, and then we had a one that went south. Well, actually ended up, that was, you know, it's so funny. I had, since the first time we went there, I'd been dying to go back. 'Cause I just had such a good experience. We did our scuba cert there. - Oh my gosh, that was it. - Getting that certification. Remember, I chickened out, 'cause that guy was like aggressive when I went for my thing, and I was like, I can't do it. - And you just didn't think you'd like it, but I was like, you're gonna love it, and we had the best time, but I had been wanting to go back. There was something that was so significant to me about Grand Cayman, and lo and behold, I go back the next time, and it ends up being a significant place in my life, but just not for the reasons I thought of it. - No, you were like, I think I wanna get married here. - I wanna get married here. - Yeah. - And then I went back and got basically unmarried there. - Basically, hey, it's not-- - I wasn't married, but I was engaged and, yeah. - Yeah, and we were all, guys, you know those stories of when you're, I mean, when you date someone, when your friends date them, obviously, it's like that thing, but when you're all on a trip together and then shit goes south, and it's like, we're all here, like, okay, it's not like we're going back to our houses and our everyday lives and work and whatever. No, we're engulfed in this. Like, we're committed to it where it was very interesting. - We should have been the next season of White Lotus because-- - That is exactly what it was. - So much happened. - Exactly what it was. - Yeah. - That was, yeah, it was brutal, but it's better. - Yeah, it's a decision in the entire world. - And honestly, I pride myself in, like, for-- - I will say, I don't know how you did it. - I made a decision. - You made that, yo, I've never seen it. I swear, it's like gay couples, right? Like, I'm friends with a bunch of gay guys and girls. And like, when they in a relationship, it's like, you're dead to them. Like, they've buried you, they've had your funeral, you're blocked. That's literally, I swear, like, what it felt like, how you handled it. - I was just like, all right, he's fine home. I'm staying and we're carrying on. And obviously, I was sad, but I'm like, I know that this is the right decision. So, goodbye, and I have to move forward. So, the thing that I realized too is like, if you're a busy person, going through a breakup is so hard and difficult and time-consuming and emotional. I don't know if I would have been able to do it had I not been on vacation. I don't have time to go through a breakup back home. I'm working, you know, I have things to do. So, and it's not, I wasn't planning, like, it wasn't like I was coming on this trip to do this breakup. Trust me, I wouldn't have paid all this money to go have a miserable time, but it just, the thing happened, we won't go into it. And it was nothing like horrible. It was just, I had a realization that this is not my person and I'm ending it here and not carrying on. And how were you able to just like, and not go back? I feel like going back is so common in today's day and age of just like that toxicity of like, but I love them. I see good in them. It may not be now, but like, love isn't enough. Love isn't enough. [BLANK_AUDIO] was things that I was seeing and feeling, and I know who I am, and I know what I want my future to be. And I just saw that this is not my forever. And why would I waste any more time? And why would I put myself in a situation to be stuck with this person and have to go through a legal situation? And like, God bless them. I think he's a great person. I really truly hope he's happy, healthy, and well, but it's not for me. - And what I love is you first off, you guys were like, you wanted to have your wedding on, what, 11, 10? - 11, 8. - 11, 8, yes, because my birthday's 8, 11. - We got engaged on your birthday the year before. - Yes. - Then we come to Grand Cayman to celebrate your birthday and our one year engagement anniversary, and then it lasted only one more day. - It lasted only one more day, and you wanted to get married on November 8th. - On November 8th. - And obviously that November came last year, and you were single, you had gone, what concert were you going to? - Okay, so I was in Vegas for a work trip, and I was upset by the breakup, obviously. - Yeah, you were very upset by it. - There was just a lot of things going on. It's not easy to go through a breakup, but to become unengaged. I remember hearing about a friend that called off her wedding, and I was like, oh my God, that's the most embarrassing thing. I would never do that. I would just get married, like I could never. But then when you're put in that situation, where you're like, okay, it's me or this relationship, I'm picking myself, and like, there's no way I'm negotiating with this, it's just me. So anyway, I end up flying SEMA, one of my best friends to Vegas, 'cause I had to speak, and I was just like, sad and lonely, I'm like, I don't want to be in Vegas alone. - You can't be myself? - Yeah, so I flew her in, we go out, we have a fun time, we did not drink a bottle of gray goose that night. However, we were on one, and we had a blast, and we end up at XS, which is a nightclub, which I'm not really into that, but I was having a great time, and then I met, nobody knows I have a boyfriend, so, I guess we're, I guess we're unlocking it. - You know, you met a friend. - You met a friend. - A gentleman. - But that's a suitor. - I've always said how Candace is. Candace has always been like my friend, that's kind of like that. She just, there's some shit she believes in, it's just like this, Voodoo, like stars, and this stars in the moon, and the sun. Like, I don't, the sun's position is not gonna change my day. - It does. - Exactly, but the fact that it, like, you met someone on the day that you were supposed to get married, is wild to me. - And we, it wasn't like at a wedding set up, that was the ideal date that he and I talked about wanting, and then a cousin of mine was getting married on that day, so we couldn't have that wedding date, which thank you cousin Taylor, like love you, save me from having a horrible decision. But then we were like, okay, maybe we'll just see like a courthouse saying, and then next year, we'll have a wedding. So yeah, I ended up meeting my now boyfriend on my wedding night, which is like the funniest thing that we joke about. - I love that, but that truly is like such a God thing. Like I look at situations like that, and I'm like, okay. Like God's got a funny way of kind of playing, you know, playing games. - It's true. - If you know me, I am the queen of saying, I'm gonna get my life together, and then completely falling off by Wednesday. The part that always trips me up is food. I get busy, tired, and suddenly it's 6 p.m., and I've got nothing figured out for dinner. That's where tempo has honestly saved me this fall. Fresh, chef-crafted, dietician-approved meals delivered right to my door, and ready in just two minutes. The chimichurri grilled chicken, and the spicy carnitas pork rice bowl. They are the two that I just keep going back to. And they don't taste like sad, reheated diet food. Over 20 recipes a week, real protein, gut support, and, listen here, the part that I love, even GLP1 smart meals. So no matter what your goals are, there's a tempo meal for you. It is the one thing keeping me consistent right now in the insanity that I like to call life. 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Progressive casually insurance company and affiliates, National average 12 month savings of $946 by new customer surveyed who saved with progressive between June of 2024 and May of 2025. Potential savings will vary. And there's been so many things in my life and in relationship and things that I really wanted. And God was like, this is not for you and I'm steering you off of this path because there's something better. And I have to say like the hardest times in my life, I look back on and I'm like, thank God for these lessons because it brought me closer to myself and helped me develop my relationship. And now it's like, you want to come in my life and leave, I'm good on my own. I don't need anybody to help me stand on my TV. I am so sure of who I am. And of course, I want amazing people in my life. But if there's a reason that you decide to leave, I'm gonna be fine too. - Well, I think what I love, because I feel like I've seen a little bit of a transition in you, of like a softness with you. - Yeah. - 'Cause before it was like that just super strong, like I don't need you, I don't need anyone and you still have a part of that. Like you are successful. You don't need someone. But I feel like you want someone. And like there is definitely a softness to you that is different. - It's so funny because I always joke about how I'm like, you know, I have a business. I have to have like this masculinity about me. And I don't wanna do that. And I need somebody to like tone it down for me. - Yes. - And now I'm in this relationship where I'm like respected and cared for. And I'm just like naturally falling into this. - It's the greatest thing ever, isn't it? - It feels amazing 'cause I've never had that. I've always had to like steer the ship and be the provider and the, you know, the height man. And you know, it's just, it's so nice to be able to like after work is done, turn off that part of my brain and just be like a silly girl. Like I feel like I'm 12. It's so weird. - I love that. But that's what I say. Like about the person that I'm with now. Like I was in this, like I am woman here, me roar. Like I don't need anyone. I don't, whatever. And now it's like I get so babyed and just like, I'll take care of this for you. I'll make your water. I'll go grab that whatever it is. And it's like, it's the most amazing thing in the world. And I'm like, all right, I'll cook dinner. I'll do whatever it may be. - There has to be polarity in relationship regardless of it's the same sex relationship or, you know, a woman and a man. But without polarity, you are clashing, right? - And there's times that you have to be in your masculine and he might be in his feminine. That's normal in all relationship. Like we both have both roles, right? But I like to have a traditional gender role where a man is a man and I'm a woman. And yes, I make my own money. I'm not dependent on anybody for any reason. But it's just so nice. - But like to feel taken care of. - Yes, like it's great when you go out here and you like buy my dinner. Like you should. Like you open a door. - All right, but my dad has always said, if your effener, your feedener, like if you're effener, you need to be able to feed her. Like that's just like a thing. And it's like if I'm sitting here doing your laundry and doing all the things, like a wife would do, like, what are you doing? - Totally. - And it's, I love that. I just love that for you. It makes me so happy. - It feels good. I like it. - It's like fun being a girl. - Who would have thought? Who would have thought you would have said that? - I know. - That is. - Cause I'm like, I know I'm like in this whatever, LA, glamorous world or whatever, which is such BS, but I'm like down and sore you. That's what people don't know about you. Like you and I get down and dirty. We're both like into sports. We will like jump off things. We want to have fun. We're adventurous. - Yes. - And that's like, I think what we bonded on. Cause like guess we like all of the nice things we like to get glammed up and all of that. But at the end of the day, we're like tomboys. - Yeah, and it's like, let me go get some chicken fingers. Like show out or whatever it may be. - Yep. - I also think too what's really funny is, and it kind of just clicked now. All of my friends are older than me. - I know. - Every single one of them. And obviously my single ever can't other is older than me. And what do you, like when you and I became friends, was it kind of a shock of like, oh shit. Like this girl is usually older than me. - All of my friends are older around my age. But you, and it's funny because I was joking. I don't know, one of my friends I was joking about. I'm like, Savannah is 10 years younger than me. But this girl is like, she's a woman and she's an adult. Like I'm the kid in the relationship. Cause I remember hearing you on the phone and you were talking about like insurance in this. And I'm like, I'm 10 years older than her. I don't know what she's talking about. Like why is she talking about insurance? She's like 25, like what is she talking about? Like I, and I think also just like the life you've lived. - Yeah. to you've had to grow up way earlier and so like you're reaching these adult milestones well before I am and I'm like I can't believe I'm turning 40 I feel like I'm a child. I but also too so like your business you have what you've been in an esthetician for 20 years over 20 years yeah which is insane and so you have like mastered your trade and building your business it took a lot like I sat and watched you pour everything into it yeah like all of your savings and all of your time and all of your energy and you want it to be absolutely perfect and do you feel like that kind of set you back like relationally because I feel like there's probably so many people listening whether it be a man whether it be a woman that they're like so career driven that their personal life is kind of fallen to the way side probably I mean I I when I think back to being a child I was never the girl it was like one day on my wedding day or one day when I have a baby it was like one day when I have something that I that I that's mine that I've worked for yeah I've always been an entrepreneur like I used to go door to door as a kid and sell my art and I'm not an artist like I was selling I was selling rock I was ready to be an entrepreneur like that five years old so that's kind of all I envisioned and so I think that I've always kind of prioritize relationship to self how I want to feel every single day my non-negotiables for like what I want to do and how I want to live my life and then of course the business so yeah like I think people have come and gone because they see I don't need them I'm gonna I'm hell bent on getting what I want and achieving my goals and I think that that does intimidate people or they feel like they're competing with you and in your field like you are I will say like I will fight with anyone and say you are at the very top of your field it just how I have never gotten a service like yours before because I don't just do a little high-difacial suck I do a real facial I hate a hydra I will play devil's advocate I'm not a huge fan but it's a good tool in a toolbox however what other tools do you have because so many people enter this industry and that's all they know how to do they're a one trick pony they rely on a device I could do a facial like right now we could bust it out and like I'm gonna wow you with like a couple items in my hands yeah and so I think that when the trend went towards people doing these quick facial devices I stayed true to what I always did which is like a true facial where I massage you I extract you by hand and I wasn't relying on one thing to make me good at my job yeah so that's kind of what differentiated me and I think that that's why I've been able to build because I don't need any single device to make me good at what I do and so when you first started because I feel like people can go look you up on social media now and see like this glamorous life and you're doing every celebrity and star known to man your store is absolutely gorgeous like it's easy to look at that and be like oh this is perfect this is like she's got it easy yeah but when you first started what what was that like I mean I lied to get my first job stop made up a fake resume my best friend owned the spa that I was the best employee at got me my first job I mean you go to a statistician school and you get your license but you don't know what you're doing like it really takes time to perfect the craft and to actually understand because it's not just beauty right there's a science behind it is medical at the end of the day we're dealing with a live organ so you get out of school and you really don't know what you're doing yeah it's kind of fake it till you make it unless you're able to get somebody to put you under their wing and really develop you so when I first started I remember I was like yeah I know how to do that I remember they booked me like a leg wax client it took me three hours I had walks everywhere it was a nightmare but I learned because I wanted to be good at what I do and so I just dove in and perfected it and just kept going and going and when did you decide that like you were gonna reach out to Olga and so I got fired from a spa that I worked at why did you get fired please tell me this in my opinion it was because the owner was jealous of me because her clients all wanted to see me because I'm really good I'm really good at what I do I I give people a lot of you massage and attention and people like that do you have your hands insured I was just thinking about that see back to insurance insurance broker over here I should really find a policy let's do you know like I'm pretty sure Taylor Swift has hers insured yeah yeah and like some models have their legs insured yeah you should do that I probably should look into that okay sorry but you got fired I got fired yeah yeah she was jealous and also I'm like really not a good employee I was meant to be my own boss well I didn't do anything wrong but like I probably you know you probably were like don't tell me the time to show up yeah like I'll be there when I'm there but like I I am a punctual person I take you seriously yeah I just I was never meant to work under somebody and it seemed as though she was like getting a little salty because people like me and like I was I was getting all the bookings visit goodgirlrx.com and use code unlocked 15 to get 15% off at checkout medical care is provided by licensed physicians not all patients qualify good girl rx is a female focused health and wellness company built around the belief that women deserve better access to care and better conversations about their health through our telehealth platform women connect with licensed medical providers from the comfort of their own home during your virtual appointment a doctor reviews your health history and goals and if clinically appropriate may discuss prescription treatment options as part of a personalized plan those options can include GLP1 medications like tricepatide as well as wellness therapies such as NAD depending on what your provider determines is right for you every treatment plan is individualized medically guided and based on your specific needs not trends or one size fits all solutions I'm the founder of goodgirlrx and this is my personal experience for me the biggest shift wasn't just physical it was finally feeling heard supported and honestly cared for without shame everyone's journey is different results vary and not everyone qualifies but access to real medical guidance can be life changing visit goodgirlrx.com and use code unlocked 15 to get 15% off at checkout medical care is provided by licensed physicians not all patients qualify anyway I get fired I'm like shoot I got to find a new job and I'm walking my dog at the time ripina my baby girl and I passed canara which is like the place yes in west hollywood and I lived on that street and I was like I wonder you know what'll happen if I go in and just introduce myself and I went in and she's like I actually need somebody I gave her a facial you know because that's part of the interview process as an institution and she was like all right when you starting stop yeah and that is amazing and she she's how I met your parents yes at the time that was the place in LA every celebrity was in and out of there and I remember I really just gained her trust and I was good at what I did so when she went out of town I remember I think it was Halle Berry had to come in for a facial and she said Candace you're up and what year was this this was gosh I don't know I'm so bad with the years 2016 oh gosh so that's like 2015 or 16 okay so you did Halle Berry's facial yep and then she went on watch what happens live and she was glowing and she talked about the facial stop which was Olga's products it wasn't she wasn't like oh Candace you know because Olga had what the red carpet facial which is iconic facial it's still available it's amazing we carry it I love it I still use it on my back bar it's genius product but she went on and she talked about it and I remember Olga had just packaged it as a retail product and we sold thousands it was nuts and I was there overnight with Olga packing it up so I really do credit her to like giving me an opportunity trusting me with her clients not competing because the industry can be tough like it's yes it can be very very tough yeah I feel like it's that way and like what you do in hair and makeup people don't ever want to see you do better than what they're doing exactly and as somebody who's an employer a lot of times it's like okay like I'm gonna support you and I'm gonna lift you up and let you see my clients but I'm gonna keep you under my wing and so being in this environment where I was supported and she just championed for me she wanted to see me succeed and even when I left to go because I was a nursing school while I worked for her and when I left oh yeah that's hilarious I forgot you were in nursing school and they were like this is not for me I don't want to do this I went to work in a Durham's office and when I told her I was so devastated because I just felt so supported by her so so sad to leave but she was like babe you've worked so hard like you need to move on to the next chapter so she not only helped me in my career but I've modeled a lot of how I run my business and treat my staff because I want everybody to win and I'm living proof that if you put your mind to something you can create any life for yourself and see and that's amazing because I feel like so many people have the opposite of that story right to where it's like they had an employer who just ruined their you know love and joy for whatever their expertise is well I did have a couple of those after all God but but she I feel like what she gave you set a good precedent for this is how I want to feel or this is how I want to treat my own people exactly which is awesome and so then how did your career when did you start like working at Charlie? of these office, what you just, you rented a spot in his office, right? - Yes, so basically I walked out of my last job after Old Guy worked for like a big fancy plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, walked out of that job and I leave and I'm like, oh shit, like, what am I gonna do? So I called Old Guy and I'm like, I need help. I was like, I walked out of my job. I have clients like, what do I do? And she's like, babe, come take a room, like rent a room for me. So I always say she took me in like a stray cat, gave me a place, gave me food and water. - That is awesome. - And she was like, you will always have a place with me. And so she had an empty room, she let me rent it. And I remember getting on social media and be like, I'm working for myself now, I have a little space and I've never felt more support ever. Like, 'cause you always doubt yourself. Like, can I do it? Can I rent a business? And at the time I had no idea that I would ever be where I am now and this was literally only, this was in 2019. So things have kind of happened quickly. - Yeah. - But she took me in and I just, I got on social media, I said what I was doing and people were like, we've always wanted to support you. Like, even when you were at those doctors offices. Like, now, more than ever, I saw people like what I did and they wanted to come and be a patron of my business. - Because you saw people following you too. - Yeah, from place to place. - And I never solicited a single client and never reached out to past, you know, clients at offices. The only thing I did was get on social media, say this is what I'm doing, this is where I'm at, if you want a facial DM me. And at the time it was just me like answering my DMs and booking the appointments that way. - I remember like that first celebrity that DM do that for like a facial and you're like, oh shit. Maybe I've like got myself in the circle. - Yeah, it's funny. I don't, I do remember having situations like that but I just had a really funny one. I'm not gonna say who it was. And she was like, hey, when I come see you and I was like, oh my God. And I see that she'd been DMing me for like six years and I've been missing it. - No. - I think I've been ghosting this. This person who's like so famous, I cannot believe it. I felt like such an asshole. - Stop it. - Yeah. - That is hilarious. That's a very you thing. It's like I didn't mean to, I didn't see it. - No, I'm so bad with my phone. - Stop, okay. So 2019, then 2020 and COVID. - Yep, so I was like, all right, sink or swim 'cause now I don't have, like I can't call an employment or I don't work for anybody. So I'm like, okay, gotta figure it out. So got on social media, said I'm doing virtual consult if you've ever struggled with your skin. This is like a great time to start a new routine. So I was working with people five days a week and that's actually what catapulted my business. - Yeah. - Because from whenever we got locked down, which I think was in March until November, I did like half a million in skincare sales from my apartment. - That's crazy. - So that was what kind of got me going. I was like, crazy. - I probably gave you like the confidence that opening up your own place was the right move. - For sure. So then Charlie was building an office and he's like, why don't we do this together? And I always say we were office roommates. I was in a partner in his practice. I basically, I just rented the room in the office. We shared the space but we were running individual businesses and that was just a blast. Like I got to do that with my friend and be there together. And then my business kind of grew. His business grew so it was mutual. He needed more space. I needed more space and then low and behold because of all my son and moon and stars. This place right across the street opened up. - And it is gorgeous. - Well it looked like a meth lab before I got my hands on it. It was really scary. It was. - Well now you would never know that it was a meth lab. - Yeah, it's stunning now. It took two years to build. But in 2022 I signed the lease there. We were in construction until September 2024 and now we're there on Bedford. - That's insane. So do you remember like when you finally got there? Like when you when you finally opened your store, like what it felt like? - It's really funny you ask that because I am so goal oriented that I'm like, okay this happened, I'm on to the next thing. And I still haven't had a grand opening. - Candace. - And it's going on two years in September. I think I'm going to have one for the two year anniversary because I want to do the ribbon cutting. - Yes, you have two. - I do have two and that's something that I need to work on is like recognizing the winds and celebrating them. I'm always just like, okay cool, we did it. Like, you know, spin around, let's work on the next thing. I remember the first day, it was just me and my mom and I got to peel the plastic off the window 'cause it was a construction zone and I was just like, this feels wild 'cause I never anticipated having a big team and having this retail space and this spa. I never really saw it. And then things just slowly started to build organically. Like it wasn't any, it wasn't a plan. And like if any business coach, here's my story about how I started my business. We're like, this girl is an imbecile or she's just very lucky but I didn't have any savings. I had nothing. I was just like, this is what I'm doing and I will stop it, nothing to get it. - And here we go. - Is your mom still helping you? - Yeah, my mom works there. - Stop, okay guys, that's like the best part of the whole thing, no offense can't us. But like, going in and her mom first off, she looks like she's like 30 years old. - She's the cutest. - She is the cutest woman in the entire world but she's so bubbly and so sweet and can I get you anything? - Yeah. - How are you and like just all of the, she's just amazing. - It's just so fun to have her there and obviously there's no one you can trust more than your own mom but it's nice too to have someone of older age because at the end of the day, it can be really unrelatable for clients to come in that are older that are like, well, what do you know? You don't have this going on with your skin. You know, and all of my staff are younger than me. So I'm the oldest and then my mom. And it's just, you know, it's nice to have another perspective from somebody who's lived through their 40s and 50s and now they're in their 60s so that we can kind of cover all territories of age and skin concern. And so, and she's like, she's the cutest and she's always loved product and she's really the reason I became a statistician. - I love that. And so you open up your store front and then the LA wildfires, obviously in 2025. Or was it, yeah, it was in January, right? - Yeah. - So you offered free facials to displaced residents. And I absolutely love that. What was it that made you be like, all right, I need to do this. - Well, I mean, a lot of our clients lost their homes and I'm like, these people are the reason I have a business. These are the people that come and they spend money in my office and not only did we do the facials for free, but if they lost their homes and we knew what their skincare routine was, we were like, what's your address and we sent them their routines, which was really nice. And then we also acted as like a donation center because Beverly Hills was kind of in a bubble where we were able to still drive around. But Palisades is, it's not too far, but you have to go through Brentwood and it's not the closest area, but we had people in the local area if you have anything that you wanna donate, bring it here and we'll take it. So me and my staff who all wanted to help as well, we were driving around the city, we were taking things to the fire department, food, clothing, you name it. We had my store for like a month look like a storage facility. - That's amazing because I feel like unfortunately, you don't see a lot of that kind of behavior in LA. - Yeah, it just is what it is. Like I've lived there, you can find some decent people, but a lot of people are really just out for themselves. - Yeah. - And so to see a very successful, prominent business owner who's like, nope, I am, you know, I'm gonna step up, I'm gonna help when you really didn't have to. - I just can't imagine not wanting to do something to help people that are going through, I mean, that was catastrophic and there's, we could go, this could be a whole another episode. I got opinions. - Spencer Pratt, exactly. We need him so badly. But I was just like, these are the people that have helped me. I'm not from LA and I have this brand, the LA Facilist, but these are the people that have patroned my business who have got me to where I am today. And like, whatever I can do to help them, whether it's delivering a box of, you know, skincare or getting them close to where while they rebuild, like I had to do it, I'm just not somebody that can sit back and watch people suffer. - Yeah, well I've always said that too, just about like my, you know, just being on TV for as long as I was. And people are like, does it not get annoying for people that come up to you or this and that? And I'm like, you know what, there are times, sure, to where it's like, if I'm mid-bite and someone comes up and I'm like, huh, I'm great if you waited. - Yeah. - But it's like these people built us. Like these people are the reason we're at where we're at. They're the reason we have the following stuff we have. They're the reason that people even know who our name is. So you can't sit in like for people who are just assholes to the people who made them. I'm like, it's just, I've never understood it. - You have to operate from gratitude, because if you aren't acknowledging that, that's when it ends. Like you have to continuously be in that state of gratitude in order to continue living a life that's happy and beautiful. - And also, what I love is like you, like you were just saying, all the girls that work for you are younger than you. You talk about your experience with Olga and then you also have your retreat that you do, the radiant retreat, right? Or is it radiant retreat or is it radiant AF? - It's radiant AF, but then we took out the AF, it's whatever you want it to be. - The OG, OG is radiant AF, and that's in Costa Rica. And basically, I was sick of the industry, 'cause my industry, I love it, and there's so many great things about it, but at the end of the day, it's very posturing, and we go to these conferences, and girls are dressed to the nines, and it's like handbags. And it's like, I'm like, I'm not here for a fashion show, like I'm here to learn about skin, or I'm here to speak about skin. And it just felt like we were all in this industry, where we know each other on social media, We can bring it back to you. recognize a face in a room, but we don't know who each other are. So I wanted to take people to my favorite place in the world to Costa Rica, strip it down. You can't bring makeup, you can't do your hair, you can't do anything, but show up, raw, organic, and real, and have an experience together. And of course, I train them in my massage technique, but then we do a lot of wellness. We do a lot of deep work. I mean, every single person that comes to this has had like a mental breakdown, a download, something crazy that has shifted their life. And I've had people come that hated their job, hated their boss, was in the same situation I was before I started my business. And two months later, they're like, "Can't I quit my job? "I started a business. "I'm making more money, or I hired my first employee, "or the employee that was causing me all of this stress. "I finally got the courage to fire them." So it's not just about the facial massage and the technique. It's really about being real people who are all entrepreneurs or on this career path that are supporting one another. And it's become so much more than just the skill set. And it's actually my favorite part of my job right now. - See, I love that because I do look at you as such, just like obviously you're a badass business owner, but the way that you lead and the way that you have other women who are looking up to you being like, all right, I wanna do what she's doing. And you're actually helping people and teaching people how to get there. And it's so fun to watch. Okay, see you all the time. You'll post people who have come to your retreats and their businesses that they've started. And you're like, all right, if you're here, try them. If you're there, try them. And I think that's the most amazing thing. - I just feel like people who don't support others are never gonna get their win. They're never gonna get the data celebrate. And I don't do it for any other reason. Then I genuinely want us all to win because I can't imagine my life. Like everything just happened so quickly for me. And it was obviously there was a method and there's things that I did get here. But I have to share that because at the end of the day, I'm a service provider. I was never meant to have a huge career or, you know, like estheticians, I think it's like $50,000 a year is like a normal wage. And I've kind of figured out the secret recipe and I'm like, I need to share it with others and what I want for myself. I should want for every other human on the planet. So I really do pray for everybody's success in the industry. I want us all to win. It's wild, you're like that. Even with people that you don't necessarily care for. Oh, yeah, I pray for the people that want to see me fail. Yes, because at the end of the day, if everybody's happy and successful and in love and abundant and having all of the things that they want for themselves, there's less people bickering, fighting, worrying about you, getting in your business, trying to sabotage, starting rumors, starting drama. If everybody was just like their best, most happy self, if everybody lived their dream life, we wouldn't have fights, we wouldn't have war, we wouldn't have men. You know what I mean? Yes. So I want everybody that hates me. I wish them well. I hope they're getting laid and getting paid. (laughing) I'm done. That is amazing. That seems like such a time-crisley comment. I know we should trademark though. Yeah, we should. You should definitely go ahead and get that done. You've got a little time. So in the midst of all the craziness and madness of running that lay facialist and your online presence and brand and everything, how do you stay just grounded and who you are and making time for your personal life? I mean, I really do prioritize myself. (laughing) I don't shy away from my treatments and my massages and all of that. I do a lot of self-care. I'm very grounded. I'm very into all of my woo-woo stuff that you think is silly. I listen to my- Stars, moons, sun, east, west, shit. All of it. I listen to my hypnotherapist every night as I sleep. I have, like, what? Yeah, I get hypnotized. What do you mean, like? Yeah. I'm not like with a watch. (laughing) She never pulled out a watch, but I could ask her. So why? This isn't real, like, this isn't a real person? It's a real person. Yeah, Sasha, she's amazing. She left L.A. though now she's in Florida, but I went for specific things that I was working on and she records them so that you can then listen to it as you go to sleep because you're in a different brain waves state where things, like, subliminal messages will integrate and then what you think is what you end up doing. Like, thoughts and words are so powerful and it really is what shapes your reality and that's how I built my business, like- There's maybe some voodoo shit that I actually try. You should try it, I'll give you her number, but I program myself for the things that I want in my life. So I listen to that at night. But truly, like, just so everybody knows, like, I think that there's, like, a misconception 'cause it's kind of wild to have, like, a story on Bedford and Beverly Hills and all of the things that I've done. I didn't have investors, I didn't take loans. I started my business with a 500 credit score. I was a degenerate. - 500 credit score. - Oh, girl. When I first got a credit card at 18, I thought it was free money. I was like, "Well, yeah." Who wants to go to sushi and I would just buy all my friends dinner and then be like, "Oh, shit, I have to pay for this." And I work at Hollister and I'm like, "750 an hour." "Oh, my God, I'm paying for this." Like, "I'm gonna pay for no, though." - Yeah, exactly. I wasn't in L.A. at that point. I was eating at a local sushi joint in Temecula, but yeah, I just, I wasn't financially responsible. I didn't know how to be an adult and I wanted to be an adult so bad. Like, I just wanted to move and do my own thing and I just had this vision of myself. I've always just wanted to be an adult so bad. And that's funny 'cause I'm like, supposed to be one and now I'm not. - Yeah, you're like, but also, I feel like, again, that's kind of where we're similar. I went through that same phase and I feel like I lost, like I missed out on so much of just like being a kid and being young and useful and whatever and now it's like almost 30. I'm like, wait, I'm like getting to be a kid again. - Well, it's 'cause you have an amazing partner who lets you just like take a deep breath and sit back and have fun. - Yeah, it's so great. - It's so fun and I'm like, everyone should experience that. I hope everyone gets to experience feeling like a kid again at some point in their adult life. - Yeah, and then it's friendships like ours. Like when we get together, it's like, we're literally like seven year olds running around. - I know, I'm like, I'm super excited for the future and all the fun things that are happening in life. And it's so fun to have like friends who've seen you in different phases of your life, right? - Yeah. - I'm trying to think of who I've like dated since you and I've been friends and it's been-- - There's been a few. - There's been a few, yeah. There's, do you still send my ex skincare? Does he still buy it? - I think he does, stop. - We can look on Shopify. - I love you, I love you, that's, see, you know what? But at least-- - But thank you. - Yeah, exactly. - Yeah, I'm like, at least, it's at least he's still paying someone, you know. - Yeah, like great, we love it. - We love it. - Yeah, thank you. I love that. Okay, so we're gonna play a fun little game and it's a rapid fire skin solution. - Okay. - Okay. - So 10 questions. - Okay. A $5 drugstore product that actually works. - Dental floss. (laughs) - Oh wait, was it supposed to be skin care? - Skin care. - Well people need, okay, let me tell you something. Okay, sorry, I know this is a rapid fire but I work on people and I see their mouths when they open and some of y'all have some like tartar inside your, like you need floss. Like people, I just wanna go out and say like, I should have a dental floss sponsor shit because I'm the biggest advocate of floss. - Oh no, but it really is true. Like you carry that shit around with you everywhere. It's in my bag right now. - I don't go anywhere without it. - Okay, any dental floss companies, this is your girl. - Girl B, who else we got? - No, there's this really good brand. I love it. Comes in this pink bag. - Cute. - I have to send it to you. It's the best little dental floss picks in the entire world. - All right, I love it. - Okay. - Yeah, that's my answer. - Okay, well. - 'Cause what else cost $5? - It's a drugstore. I mean, you've got-- - Lip balm, oh actually the Neutrogena Hydroboost lip oil. Don't sleep on that, it is so good. - Okay, the single most overrated skincare ingredient. - I'm gonna say hyaluronic acid, not because it's not a good ingredient, but because brands are charging way too much for it. - Yeah, there's like a brand that charges $250. - $350. - $350 for something that should not be-- - No, no. - I don't think that they should be over $125. - One thing every woman should be doing tonight before bed. - Please wash your face. Just please. Can I elaborate? - Yes, elaborate. - So many people do not wash their skin or do a routine at night. At bare minimum, if you're wearing makeup, it's gotta get taken off. - Yes, it has to. - It has to. It ages you, it creates oxidative stress in the skin, it clogs pores. - What about just using a makeup wipe? - Ew. Absolute, do you use makeup wipes? Do you? - Yeah. - Are you serious? Which one? - Introgena. - No. - I love Neutrogena, but I don't like those wipes. They're very sensitizing. - They don't burn? - No. - My skin doesn't burn. - There's a purple one that burns. - Okay. - The blue one does not. - The blue one is lighting a match on my skin. - Stop. - Get an oil cleanser. It's going to change. - That's just so much work. - It's not. You're not lazy. Oil cleanser's going to change your life and it's going to actually remove. I feel like makeup wipes just like move it around and like, you wrote it into your skin. - Okay, so add that to my list of things that I'm fine. - I'll send you it. - I'll send you it, yeah. - Sensk. - So you want to talk about sunscreen, TAN, Mom? - Sensk, SPF minimum. Like, what's a non-negotiable? - Like the number? - Yeah. - A 30. - A 30. - Okay, does anything else other than that work? - Higher. - Really? I thought it like really didn't work. Like, SPF 100. - So it basically allows more, it allows for more wear. Like, so. So you don't have to reapply it as often. However, there are some that are like actual mineral shields. It would show up like warping. You know, those are going to last longer, and it's fully mineral, and it's reflecting the light out, not absorbing all that. The only reason I wear mineral now is because-- Oh, you're wearing it? Well, not every day. But like, I did wear some on my trip, and the only reason I'm wearing minerals because anything other than mineral, turn your extensions-- Yeah, chemical sunscreens can do that. Yeah, so how are you telling me that sunscreen is better for you than the actual sun? I'm actually turning your hair into a song. I'm saying it's better for you. It's going to help preserve the health and beauty of your skin. I will say, can this is actually right, guys, because the amount of sun damage I have under my makeup is frightening. Remember when I was literally chasing you around the pool? Literally. And strangers just go up and reply to them. She was like, literal strangers. You need sunscreen. Well, they're getting burnt. It's my duty. Yeah, it is. She's like a sunscreen fin. It's absolutely insane. Retinol, yes or no? Absolutely. Chemical, exfoliant, or physical exfoliant? Both. The best age to start real skin care. In vitro. [LAUGHTER] Well, when your babies come out, like start lubing them up, like keep them hydrated, but an actual adult regimen, as soon as you start seeing, like acne and things happening, yes, absolutely. Is an ice roller worth it or not? Yeah, a cheap one from Amazon. They're all the same, but I think that they're nice, they de-puff. You could also just use a regular old ice cube. LED masks are the real science or a gimmick. If they have the right wavelengths, it do something to the skin. OK. The number one skin care myth that you want to kill. I guess there's a misconception that people with acne are dirty, that they're not hygienic, and acne is a multifactorial process, and it oftentimes is gut and hormone-related. So if you see somebody with acne or if you're suffering from acne, you just don't feel confident because you feel like you don't look clean. It has nothing to do with hygiene or cleanliness. It truly is an inside situation. Well, I do love. I forgot who it was, but it was some-- I don't know if it was celebrity reality TV, whatever it was, but there was someone that had severely bad acne. And they were super open about it, and you did before and after, so then once I started your regimen, and it was insane. I know. And it is an inside-out approach. So not only am I recommending proper topicals, I'm also referring them to a naturopath. I want to see blood panels and have the naturopath help them with the gut-related stuff, because I can get somebody skin clear. But if it's truly something that's either gut or hormone-related, you're going to get the skin clear, and then they're going to regress, and they're going to go back to that baseline, and they're going to have the breakouts again. Because topical is only one part of it. If it's something related to the inside situation of your health, it's always going to undo itself, and yes, exactly. So you have to have it all. So do you see a lot of younger people coming to you or parents who are now investing in their skin care? I feel like now it's become such a thing. It's more prevalent than ever. Yeah, it is. I do have clients that bring in their kids. We're getting them started young. They're on simple routines. It doesn't have to be anything crazy. But I really do prioritize them making sure that their kids are getting actual nutrients, because some of these kids are out there just eating fruit snacks and chips. I think it's insane. But also, too, you have kids who are 10 years old that are using drunk elephants and all these skin care products that they should not be using on their skin. Correct. Yeah, I always say you need a really good cleanser. You need something that's going to hydrate the skin. Hopefully they're wearing a sunscreen and then something mildly exfoliating. And then it depends. There's so many different types of acne. So we have to look at that. But we also are really big on making sure kids are getting enough fiber. And there's a lot of studies that show that without fiber, without like regularly going to the bathroom, hormones that are supposed to be excreted through that digestion process, reabsorb into the bloodstream. And that can be exacerbating acne. At a time where kids hormones are already like, you know, kind of off the charts. That's absolutely insane. It's really cool. A friend of mine created a product called Biome Cult. It's a prebiotic fiber supplement. I give that to clients that we get their skin clear. They might still get some breakouts. We add in the fiber. They take it every single day. Acne-free. And also that is similar for people with psoriasis exome. Anything inflammatory that's related to the skin is oftentimes starting in the gut. And so who knew fiber? Everybody just got to go to the bathroom. I also think too. One of the biggest misconceptions about what you do is it's totally different than maybe a normal esthetician's approach of just like, oh, let's just do a facial. And it's like you're obviously known for your facials and like you're sculpting and massaging techniques. I mean, I've never had someone massage my face like this. It's wild. People like pet me. Yeah, don't pet. Don't touch me with a limp hand. No, like touch me with a limp hand. No, please. You need attention behind it. But like you are not just about the facial and sculpting. Like you just said, you're hitting it from a medical science side of things. And I don't work out of scope. So I have a list of amazing people. Like I referred you to Ashley. Yes, I love her. Because my north star. I want to be like her. I love her. I will say, actually, you know what? I'm going to eat my words because the voodoo shit that like you do, she actually is, like, I'm telling you, she was like putting supplements on my stomach and then like checking my pulse and all kinds of other stuff. I was like, you need this. You don't need this. It was the most insane experience in the entire world. And I'm crediting her for like just how I have felt and all of the supplements that I take and all the crazy things in life that are like, it's just she's freaking amazing. She has, she changed my life. She knew things that were going on in my body before I did. Yes. She literally laid in my bed one day. And she was like, do you get urinary tract infections? And I'm like, no. And she's like, you have one. I'm like, no, I don't. And then I literally peed fire the next day. And I'm like, did she? What did she do to me? But she knew. She, and I was going through it. She's, she is. She's a medical intuitive. But I was going through like a really horrible time last year and the last year after our little fiasco down in Grand Cayman. And I realized like I haven't drank water in like days. Like when I'm under stress, I can't eat. I can't drink. And she was like, you, your body is like dying for water. And of course, lo and behold, she was right. But she's put me on routines. She comes in for her facials. And I always feel horrible because I'm like, I sabotage your facials because you come in and you're like, what's going on with you? And she does all of the pulses. And she'll put things on my body. And she'll be like, you need this, you don't need that. And it's just so interesting. But I like to align my clients with people like her who she's an expert. She knows all of the things about the supplements, the peptides, all of the things, and gets people dialed in. But she likes to look at blood work so that it's not just even though she is intuitive, she's also dealing with science. I love that. Yeah, I've had so much fun with you today. I know we could talk forever, but before we wrap up, I do want to tell everyone my skincare that I have used, I've used for, I mean, ever since I've met you. So like six years, and I have been on the exact same thing because I'm obsessed by it. It's like a skin system and it has all the steps. I say if you're like a dude, but you are a female, or if you're a dude and you just want like step one, step two for dummies, that's the one to go to. But then you just add stuff like as I needed, or as for skin ages, or whatever it may be, absolutely love it. And we actually have a code for everyone on the podcast today. So you can use code unlocked for 15% off at valleyfacialist.com. Yes, there's a few brands that are excluded 'cause they don't want us to promos, but most of the brands that we care, including Marini Skin Solutions, which is the skincare management system, that'll be on there. I love it. That's, I use it all the time. It's my favorite thing, and there's also some new products that I'm going to be getting, and I'm just so excited for you guys because everyone always asks, what do you do for your skin? Why is it the way that it is? Well, Candace is the reason my skin's the way that it is, 'cause I'm kind of a dude when it comes to this stuff. So she is the Holy Grail. Are you also still doing consultations? I do, that's a big part of the business. So if somebody ever comes to the website and they're confused, they don't know what to get. And please, I ask everybody, don't follow TikTok advice for skincare. Align yourself with somebody that you trust, that knows what they're doing, that can give you a recommendation based on your skin, your lifestyle, what's going on. So I do do virtual consults still every Friday. I'm at my computer, talking to people from all over the world, and then we create a routine, and we ship it to them. So that's also on the table, if anybody wants to. I absolutely love that. Well, all right guys, theellifacialist.com, you can also find her on Instagram @ellifacialist. Pretty easy to remember. So make sure that you use code Unlocked on her website for 15% off, and your skin is gonna thank you. Love it. Hello, and welcome to Pluto fo. If you know the name of the movie you'd like to see, just stream it for free on Pluto TV. We're all your blockbuster favorites are landing all summer long. Catch anchor man, the legend of Ron Burgundy. Fantastic. The Matrix trilogy. Welcome to the real world. I'm the king of the world, and so much more for showtime. Express nothing. They're free 24/7. That is so a fact. On Pluto TV, stream now, pay never. Hey, everyone. It is Sean D. Nelson, author, entrepreneur, and CEO. You know, that loves that guy. I've got some exciting news. Season two of the Let Me Save You 25 year old. podcast is finally here. We are back with more incredible insights, powerful stories, and expert advice to help you navigate business and life. Get ready for fresh topics, actionable takeaways, inspiring journeys that will save you years of guesswork. We go deep on topics that no one else wants to talk about, right? We're not talking about successes, we're talking about failures, mistakes, the stuff where the real lessons are learned along the way, because even when we fall flat on our face, we're still moving forward. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, business leader, or just looking to enhance your personal growth, we have something for everyone on this podcast. 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