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All things Liz Lugo
Some of you might already know, but most of you don’t really know how Nova came about and who Liz Lugo truly is. What’s the story behind the brand? How did NOVA come to life? Who is Liz and when did this all begin? Well, gather round esthies and friends, let me tell you a story of the social media sensation and hard-wax guru, Liz Lugo…
It all started with her passion for skincare while attending Bellus Academy in Poway, California; one of the most accredited beauty and wellness institutions in the nation. Liz soon realized waxing would not just be her career, but also an aspiration toward perfecting the technique of brow artistry. It was a talent that she embraced and perfected!
After completing her schooling for esthetics, Liz knew that she wanted to pursue a career in waxing. She applied to European Wax Center (EWC) and was hired as a wax specialist. Liz enjoyed working at EWC and received phenomenal training from fellow wax specialist, Chloé Amstutz. While working there, Liz also discovered she had a special talent for waxing eyebrows. However, after 3 years of working at EWC, Liz felt that it was time to move on and focus on herself and her eyebrow artistry.
Liz dreamed of having a celebrity clientele and knew that the only way she could obtain that was if she worked in Los Angeles. She left her life in San Diego, moved back in with her parents, and got a job in Beverly Hills. Her parents lived in Moreno Valley, which was roughly a 1.5-hour drive from her new job. However, a one-way commute would sometimes take her 2-3 due to the horrific LA traffic - the stories all true.
For nearly 8 months, Liz made the commute from Moreno Valley to her job in Beverly Hills as she desperately wanted to build her clientele in LA. Unfortunately, plans were not going as expected, and she was not making much money at all. On Friday, while driving home stuck in traffic, she realized that as fun as LA was, she didn’t really see herself living there for much longer, and decided the job was not going to work out.
“There I was… in my 30s, living with my parents, jobless, broke, and so lost. I didn’t know what I wanted or where I was going to take my career. I knew that I didn’t want to work for anyone, but the thought of being a business owner had never crossed my mind. Even at my lowest point, I always knew everything would turn out fine because when you find something you’re passionate about, something you love, everything will fall into place the way that it should. It might take some time, it might be tough, but you have to think “big picture” and power through.”
Being unemployed, Liz had the luxury of time to think, reflect, and even wax herself, which she rarely has time to do to this day. While she was setting up her wax, she thought it would be really cool to record herself and post the video on her Instagram.
Not many people were familiar with her style of waxing at the time, so Liz wanted to show her followers some of her favorite techniques. She posted the 1 min. video and a couple of days later, when she woke up and checked her phone, she kept receiving non-stop notifications from Instagram.
“I thought it was a glitch at first! Every few seconds it would tell me I had 30 new followers, 50 new followers, etc. etc... then, one of my girlfriends texted me and told me my video had gone viral! I went from having 5k followers, which I thought was a lot, to 20k followers within days! My following continues to grow every day!”
The responses to Liz’s videos were astounding! Countless people began asking Liz how they could schedule an appointment to get waxed by her. She knew she had to take advantage of this opportunity and open up her own space but felt that she had no clue on how to start a business. She convinced herself she would learn as she goes, and the excitement of it all helped curve any fears she had!
“I just kept telling myself, this is going to work because it has to work & I am going to do everything in my ability to make it successful.”
After building her following and adding more content she became a sensation in the world of wax. After being in the industry for some time and working with various product lines she decided to formulate her premium wax very own line. She loves hard-wax because of its flexibility, ability to work with coarse hair, and its easiness to use when speed waxing. She felt that a polymer blend is the perfect wax for her as it’s composed of a very specific formula that creates a unique flexible application. It is specifically formulated for waxing larger areas of the body such as the back, arms, and legs. It is also ideal for removing thick and coarse hair by pulling the hair follicle at the root.
This is when Liz finally launched Nova in May 2019.
Nova Wax is gentle like a cream wax and thin like a clear wax; a hybrid of the premier qualities of the most exquisite European hard waxes in the world. Crafted for professional use, this unique wax formula provides an unparalleled waxing experience.
These stripless hard wax tablets have a low melting point and form a flexible yet creamy consistency. Nova Wax combines the most flexible polymers, essential oils, and natural ingredients, creating a perfect wax every time.
Liz Lugo has come a long way from her early days at EWC. She has become a household name in the healthcare and beauty industry and is living her dream to the fullest! Even during her hardest times, Liz never gave up on her dreams and her hard work and persistence are paying off. She continues to be ambitious and is always trying to improve wherever she can.
Today, she is the proud owner of the renowned Brows by Liz, a high-end salon located in Mission Viejo, California. Liz carefully customizes every client’s brows with precision according to their natural shape and facial features. Liz also specializes in full body and speed waxing. She takes pride in her waxing techniques, and her results never fail to leave clients feeling their absolute best.
She also provides private one-on-one training or customized training programs geared to specific esthetician needs.
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Jada Patterson
February 08, 2020
@estheticsbyjada_
I started my journey in the field of esthetics not even a year ago. I wanted to do something that I loved as well as something that would give me more flexibility with my little girl Ava! When I started esthetician school at Aveda I was a nervous wreck and honestly I almost didn’t make it through because I still had to work full time as well as school full time and then you know juggle home life. It was super tough for me but I pushed through and I’m so happy I did! I currently work for a lash studio as well as at the benefit brow bar (i work 7 days a week bc we all know there’s not tons of money in our field starting out). I would love to win your wax kit because I would finally be able to my friends from the comfort of my home for extra money and hopefully be able to quit the brow bar to have more time with my baby.