A Passion for Holistic Skin Care
For Jennifer Baker, owner of Complete Beauty Wellness Spa in Mount Pleasant, becoming an aesthetician meant she could follow her passion: helping people look and feel their best.
Baker didn’t just want to be an aesthetician; she wanted to get to the root of the problem for her clients and not just cover it up with makeup and product.
Building a Career of Purpose
When Baker opened Complete Beauty Wellness Spa in Mount Pleasant in 2019, she saw it as a natural progression to the career she was already building in the spa industry. After graduating from the University of South Carolina in 2007, she worked at a local spa as the front desk manager, then as a makeup artist before she returned to school. After completing her aesthetics program in 2010, she spent time working with many prestigious dermatologists, physicians, holistic practitioners and aestheticians in numerous spas and medical facilities.
Creating a Space for Transformation
“It was always a dream of mine to have a spa that allowed the client to relax while also giving them wonderful results,” she said. “I was influenced by one of the aestheticians at the spa where I worked initially. I saw how she was very determined and successful yet had a relaxing work environment and flexible schedule, professionally and personally.”
Baker said she loves working with people on a personal level. “It’s great when I know their skin and sometimes themselves better than they do. I have been the first person my clients tell they are pregnant; I am the person who pampers them through a tough health diagnosis; I am the person who gets to see their most vulnerable side because they can finally relax and heal; and I am the person who gets to see them smile and their face glow after dealing with horrific cystic acne. It’s very rewarding.”
Client-Centered Wellness and Skin Care
Opening Complete Beauty Wellness Spa in Mount Pleasant was unique to Baker because she said she has a loyal following there, where clients are involved in events at the spa and are always referring friends and family.
Baker believes the body should be looked at as a whole and strives to create balance for her clients. Providing individualized solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs is what guided her to choose the modalities in which she’s trained and certified. They offer clean products that align with Baker’s values: effectiveness, clean and non-toxic.
A Journey Rooted in Personal Experience
Originally from Spartanburg, Baker’s skin-care journey started early in life, where she was always the designated one in her family to groom all her siblings and family members. She struggled with acne herself, which ignited the passion to help others feel better about their skin. Baker said she is most proud of the relaxed environment that Complete Beauty Wellness provides. It’s a setting where clients can feel relaxed and comfortable and where they are always welcomed and heard.
Advice for Aspiring Aestheticians
Her advice to anyone who is entering the spa industry for the first time: “Be patient and find your niche. It takes time to figure out what you want to specialize in. Give yourself time to try out different types of aesthetics and all the different services. I also recommend working under another aesthetician as your mentor – and never stop learning. I take continuous education workshops and training to stay abreast of the latest treatments and also to hone in on my specific talents.”
Learn More
For more information on Baker and Complete Beauty Wellness Spa, visit completebeautywellness.com.
By Theresa Stratford
