Gabriella Iafrate is an esthetician and owner of Scottsdale-based Skin Deep Beauty. “At Skin Deep Beauty, I offer my clients supremely relaxing, therapeutic, customized facial treatments that drastically improve the look and feel of their skin.” Learn about Gabriella Iafrate…
Hometown: Scottsdale
First job: Coaching gymnastics at 16 years old.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in AZ: When I’m not working, I’m spending my time with my family, fiancé and our dog. We like to find different places and restaurants we can bring our Aussie dog, Quill, to so we can meet new people while enjoying time together.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: My biggest accomplishment is opening up my business by myself. I have always been the reserved and quiet girl growing up and was constantly afraid of failure. But the fear of failure wasn’t bigger than my passion and my drive, so I wanted to beat the odds and take a chance. Not only has my business grown, but I have grown personally as a business owner, esthetician and a woman. I feel stronger now than I ever have, and it feels amazing!
The biggest obstacle you overcame: The biggest obstacle I’ve had to overcome was opening up my business during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. The feelings of fear, stress and the unknown were very present during the whole process, but I took a leap of faith and decided, if not now, then when?
Someone who inspires you and why: Someone who inspires me is Savanna Boda – better known as @thedallasaesthetician on Instagram. She is a self-made medical spa owner in Texas. The drive she has for her business and skincare is remarkable and something to look up to. I value someone who is always their authentic self, and she is just that.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: My advice to someone wanting to pursue a career in esthetics would be to look deeply into WHY you want to go into this field. Ask yourself: Are you passionate about skincare, lashes or whatever path you are looking into? Can you relate to it and see yourself truly happy helping others? If you answered “yes,” then you will become a fabulous esthetician.
Favorite quote: “Everything happens for a reason.” This simple quote has resonated deeply with me throughout my entire life. I would often get hung up on the outcomes of events and would stress about what would happen next. What I eventually learned is that outcomes often happen for a reason and very often new and even better opportunities can arise from it.
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: Something not everyone knows about me is that I am very passionate about creating artwork. Throughout high school and my young adult life, I’ve created many canvases that I have been proud of. I’ve sold pieces at First Friday, Etsy and custom orders for customers.
What makes someone fabulous: Someone who is fabulous is someone who’s being who they truly are. They aren’t bending to social norms and changing themselves to “fit in.” Because there will only be one of you in this world, why not be your fabulous authentic self?