Glowgetters is all about promoting positivity and lifting women up.
Originally from Maine, Stuart moved to Los Angeles in her early 20s to try something new. In LA Jessica Stuart discover her passion for spray tanning. Her clients included reality stars, guests on late-night talk shows, athletes, and more.
And when she moved back to her hometown something felt like a death sentence to her. Stuart bought all the equipment to bring spray tans to her hometown and struck out bad her first try. After regrouping during quarantine and figuring out a marketing technique Stuart relaunched in February 2021. She built her business on lifting women up and empowering them for their big events or their daily lives.
Since February 2021, Jessica Stuart has had 1400 different clients walk through her doors, 302 of them were brides. Stuart saved every penny she made and opened her own salon in August. Jessica Stuart proudly expanded within the building last month for a private spray tan party room and offers party rentals of the vintage furniture and cool decorations that are in her salon. Later in the journey, Stuart started to receive many spray tanning requests and wishes from her out of town clients.
‘’I started my search for a self tanner that wasn’t orange. I got samples from many labs, brands, private label companies and almost gave up’’.
Stuart finally found a color that she could say was perfect. She teamed up with a YouTuber in the area and launched Rylee jade by Glowgetters on February 1st and sold out in less than 2 days. You can purchase or have a look at the collection via glowgetter207.com.
‘’I’ve had a ton of influencers reach out to me to try my self tanner and I am so excited to see how far this beautiful color will reach. Meanwhile our private spray tan salon for bridal parties is almost completely booked for 2022. I want it all. I want everything this life has to offer me and I won’t stop until I have it. I built this business on lifting women up and in return all of my clients have lifted me up. I feel like I have 1400 people cheering me on every time I get tired or frustrated and want to give up. 2021 was the best year of my life but 2022 is already giving it a run for its money.’’
Tell us about your business of spray tan and teeth whitening salon what makes it so unique?
Glowgetters is more than just a place to get your tan and teeth whitened. Everyone who comes in the door becomes a friend. I try to promote positivity in our lives. Positivity for yourself and positivity for the other women around you. I am everyone’s hype girl and because of that I have 1500 clients that are hyping me up for every move I make. That energy comes back full circle.
What was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Before I opened there were only booth spray tans in my hometown. Booths give you 4 passes and you’re done but real bodies have rolls and curves and 4 passes isn’t going to cover their entire body. I wanted to open a place for all bodies, all ages, all skin complexions to come and get a spray tan that is handmixed for them that is carefully applied to their entire body and where they can leave feeling glowy and beautiful.
How did you first become interested beauty industry?
I was an avid tanning bed user for years. I worked at a couple of tanning bed/ spray tan salons and I really took a lot of interest in the business side of things. I managed a salon in West Hollywood and after I had my son and moved back to Maine I just knew that it was my calling. I have always loved being tan but now with spray tanning, I’m able to educate people and also give them a beautiful color.
Did you have any setbacks, challenges, or epiphanies along the way?
Oh definitely. When I first moved back to Maine I could not give a tan away. I was so confused on marketing. There’s only a big chain booth tan in the area and they give their tans away 6 weeks a year. I felt like I had to compete with their prices and I had to undercut them and then I could raise my prices when people saw how good my tans were. I cringe thinking about posts I made “cheap and affordable spray tans only $20” I was losing money and who really wants the cheapest tan in town?! That sounds awful. During covid I think we all did some self reflecting. I was on Pinterest looking at spray tan business posts when I saw one that said “market for the clients you want not the ones you have.” That moment really felt like an ah hah moment for me. I stopped using cheap, affordable language in my posts and started marketing myself as a luxury tan… and my books started filling.
Tell us about your work? You have your own salon. How did you decide to take the leap to work for yourself? What are some of the greatest accomplishments thus far?
I quickly outgrew the room I was renting in the hair salon, I had at least 100 clients a week coming in.. and spray tanning appointments are fast 30 minutes or less in and out. Hair salons are longer services and the energy just wasn’t the same. I had started carrying retail products at this point and I was running out of space in the small room to put it. I was totally terrified to go out on my own but it came to the point when I realized that I was going to start losing clients if I didn’t find a bigger spot. Luckily I spray tan a few realtors and once I had made the decision I had to get my own spot I had found one within two weeks. My salon is definitely one of the biggest accomplishments I have so far. I had been embarrassed of my tiny overcrowded space for months and I was really focused on providing a luxury experience. I had taken on two assistants to help with teeth whitening and spray tanning at that point so I had help when I moved into the space.. the transformation photos are really something. We worked so hard on that salon. I had an artist from Boston come and do a skin tone mural on the ceiling and the plant shop came in to make the waiting room into a jungle feel. When we opened the salon the news came in for an interview and I would say that day was just pure bliss. To see everything come together after all the hard work was a dream come true.
What are you working on currently and why?
I spray tanned just under 300 brides last year for the wedding season. People came from different states and hours away to get a spray tan with me that was totally flawless for their big day. I kept getting asked if there was a self tanner that I suggested for them to use back home.. and there wasn’t. Self tanners are notoriously orange but I hated to say no. I started searching for a self tanner I could retail in my salon.. I tried so many. I reached out to private label companies to try their self tanners and I was disappointed every time. Finally I found a lab that was skilled and willing to make the perfect formula.. and we did. We made a self tanning mousse that looks great with all skin tones. I played with color combos and levels of dha until it was absolutely perfect. I put a slimming additive in the solution that smooths out cellulite and makes it disappear.. it’s the perfect self tanner.. I would put against any big brand any day. I launched it with Youtube influencer Rylee Jade on February 1st and it sold out in 2 days. It had been less than a year since I made the decision to change my marketing techniques and I sold out my own self tanner. Our second drop just sold out again. Working on a third drop currently. This stuff is seriously so good.
What is the best advice you can give people wanting a career in beauty salon?
Always make it about the client experience. You’re in the beauty industry.. aesthetics matter in every aspect. Marketing, salon design.. it is worth going the extra mile to make it a vibe.
What are the company’s plans in the next 5 years?
I plan to keep developing my own retail line. I already have spray tan safe cleansers and lotions in the works.. I love the quote “the sky was never the limit”. I have seen so much success in the last year that it just motivates me to want more. I have seen what happens when I work hard for something and I plan to keep working harder. I also train and mentor other spray tan artists.. I love helping other women reach their goals.
If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before beginning your career what would it be?
I would definitely tell myself to get more organized when it comes to money. I started making more money than I ever had and every day in the salon there was more coming in. When the slower season started I really had to look at my finances. I was playing catch up to get my personal and business finances separated, I had to figure out that in someplace where I thought I was making a good profit I was not. It’s hard when you have to go back through things.. to start organized is so much easier to maintain.
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
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