What do Jessica Alba, Hollywood’s elite, and my own face all have in common? Shani Darden. She’s the esthetician-turned-entrepreneur who went from rolling around in music videos to creating the go-to skin care line trusted by celebrities and Sephora shoppers worldwide.

In this episode of The Stiletto Room, Shani opens up about her journey from a small town in upstate New York to becoming one of the most respected Black female founders in beauty. She talks about her obsession with skin care as a kid, the leap from giving facials in her back house to opening her own energy-infused studio, and the product that changed the game: Retinol Reform.

We get into it all — building a business as a woman of color, the pressure of perfection in Hollywood, surviving the pandemic launch of her Sephora line, and why reputation is the only real currency. And yes, we even talk about her pet turtle Mitch.

This conversation is raw, funny, and full of wisdom — a must-listen for anyone chasing their passion and glowing while doing it.

About Shani Darden:

Considered the secret behind Hollywood’s most flawless faces, expert esthetician Shani Darden sets herself apart with her results-oriented approach to skin care. Her passion for simple, yet effective solutions has earned her clients’ trust and respect in a town where beauty, health, and wellness standards are high. Shani trained as an aesthetician under a leading dermatologist, eventually going out on her own. She developed a passion for creating products she could not find, sending clients home with custom-made formulas between visits. Her Retinol Reform® serum quickly built a huge celebrity following. Today, Shani is sharing her proven formulas and trusted expertise so people everywhere can achieve their best skin. In June 2019, Shani opened her first flagship studio in Beverly Hills where she treats clients, develops high-performance formulas, and shares her expertise with her followers on social media.

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