Few things are as subjective as beauty. However, everyone can agree that beauty is difficult to achieve without feeling your best, and sometimes that feeling comes with a bit of help. From titans of the skincare industry to health-enhancing wellness experts to save-the-day hair and makeup artists, meet 30 of the Valley’s beautifiers who are using their time and talent to make locals look—and most importantly feel—their absolute best.
Body + Fitness: It doesn’t get more gorgeous than the rosy-cheeked glow of someone who took the time to care for their physical self.
Adam Maielua
Lead Instructor at The Body Lab
@kumumana
Many people can relate to Adam Maielua. “I was burnt out from 11-plus years in the corporate world,” says the lead instructor at The Body Lab, a studio in Scottsdale and Phoenix with a focus on Pilates and Lagree Fitness. “I was too focused on obtaining success and power. I neglected health, happiness and love. Now, I love every minute of my life by sharing my health and happiness with anyone willing to try.” After realizing that he was lying to himself about what really matters in life, he can now see that same issue in others—and he has set out to change that. “I have an 80-year-old client who has been with me since day one—10 years now. She doesn’t try to keep up with anyone nor does she care how she looks or what she’s doing. She just loves the way she feels and won’t stop until something makes her. She is my forever inspiration.”
Hailey Hyde
Partner at YogaSix
@misshaileyhyde
Not many can say that their profession can help to overpower issues like depression, anxiety, obesity and loneliness. But such is the case for Hailey Hyde, who brought the boutique fitness and yoga studio, YogaSix, to Scottsdale within the past year. Hyde has been practicing yoga off and on for 15 years. “I love what it does for my mind, patience, body and overall well-being,” she says. “I knew this was something that I needed to share with the Scottsdale/Phoenix area.” At YogaSix, Hyde has been able to witness how yoga and its community have supported its members as well. “We have a member who has had several surgeries over the years, including the removal of her thyroid, leaving her body feeling off and unbalanced,” she says. “She joined YogaSix and practices regularly. Through her practice, she has been able to increase her mobility, add balance to her body and center herself.” In 2020, Hyde hopes to continue YogaSix’s positive impact on locals by opening three more studios.
Melissa Mickelson and Jessica Stellwagen
Co-Founders of Bodify
@bodify
As kiddos, Melissa Mickelson and Jessica Stellwagen started their own lemonade stand. Fast forward to five years ago, the duo opened their second business together: Bodify, a CoolSculpting business. “For as long as we can remember, we wanted to own a business together,” says Stellwagen. “We had no clue it would eventually be a fat-freezing empire with thousands of happier and more confident clients.” CoolSculpting is a non-invasive fat-reduction and body-contouring technology; Bodify has grown to become one of the top four providers in the world. “It's incredibly rewarding to know that because of our work [clients] will feel better in their own skin, which good, bad, right or wrong, inevitably makes them contribute to the world in bigger and better ways,” Stellwagen says. In the next year, not only do the sisters plan to open their third location, but they are also eager for a new launch: CoolTone by CoolSculpting. “We are excited to let our clients take themselves even further by boosting muscle definition on their abs, butt and thighs,” Mickelson says.
Hot Bod: Bodify has a location in Scottsdale and one in Phoenix.
Ryan Read
Owner and Head Trainer at Thrive Specialized Training
After a back injury ended his professional basketball career eight years ago, Ryan Read moved to Scottsdale and launched Thrive Specialized Training, which concentrates on female physique training. “I have a passion for helping people, and over the years Thrive Specialized Training has grown into a community of support that goes far beyond the four walls of a gym,” he says. Thrive now has locations in Scottsdale, Phoenix and San Diego and hundreds of clients. With training, nutritional guidance and the empowering community at Thrive, Read has not only helped clients meet their physical goals but has also made a significant impact on their lives. “A [client] came to me with anorexia,” he says. “Through consistent training and support, the Thrive team helped her put on 23 pounds of muscle and drastically improve her health. This work is important to me because I have the unique opportunity to change lives for the better.”
Hair + Makeup: Because we all know what a good hair day or a fresh set of lashes can do for our self-esteem.
Beate Assmuth-Ong
Owner and Stylist at Mane Attraction Salon
@masphx
Not only has Beate Assmuth-Ong been making her clients look and feel their very best as the owner of Phoenix’s Mane Attraction Salon since 1998, but her 20-year-old Beauty to the Rescue fundraising event has earned her the reputation as a philanthropist as well. “With this annual event, by making people look and feel better through our services, we impacted the lives of thousands of homeless cats and dogs in Maricopa County and have given them a second chance in life,” says Assmuth-Ong. “We have raised over $360,000 over the years!” This year, Assmuth-Ong aims to continue to qualify more protégées through Mane Attraction Salon’s internal training program as well as focus on aiding her husband and salon co-owner, Kendall Ong, recover from the two strokes he had in 2019. “[My main goal is] that he will regain his voice and learn to eat again.”
Brittney Capis
Hair Artist with Brittney Capis Hair
@brittneycapis_hair
How far would you travel for the hair of your dreams? For one of Brittney Capis’ clients, the answer would be about 500 miles. “I had a client recently travel from New Mexico to Gilbert so I could give her a total hair makeover,” says Capis. “She explained to me that during [nursing school] her self-confidence took a total nose dive, and she was hoping this would help her gain some of that confidence back. After I gave her long blonde gorgeous hair, she felt so incredible walking across the stage at her graduation and her confidence was through the roof.” The client continues to make the eight-hour drive every few months to visit Capis, who specializes in natural beaded row extensions and blonding. Capis has been in the hair industry for six years, even being the first student to finish Avalon School of Cosmetology with perfect attendance—and five month early.
Lisa Graziosi
Founder of Extension Bar
@extensionbar_official
For 10 years, Lisa Graziosi (previously Lisa Fresa Palacios) has been an in-demand hair stylist, specializing in hair extensions for the past decade. “I love to serve and making people look and feel their best!” she says. “Everyone deserves to have beautiful hair.” Now, Graziosi is making an even bigger mark on the beauty industry with the opening of Extension Bar in Scottsdale. “It’s the world’s first hair extension bar,” she says. “[It’s] a place where ladies can be confident that they will walk out with beautiful hair extensions tailored to their exact needs. We customize the whole experience giving you options and doing the best method for you based on your natural hair and your hair desires.” In 2020, Graziosi is excited to see clients stepping outside of their comfort zones when it comes to their locks—whether a drastic cut or a fresh color. “Just last week my client came in not knowing extensions were something in her reach,” she says. “When I was done, she was smiling from ear to ear and told me her husband called her sexy that night, and she hadn't felt sexy since before her kiddos.”
Lo Kyle
Artist and Owner of HEYLO
@oohheyylo
Never fear: Lo Kyle is here! The revered makeup artist and owner of HEYLO doesn’t just make a bride look and feel her most beautiful on her wedding day, but she has also been known to save the day. Kyle recalls a bride who had gotten a very blotchy spray tan the day of her wedding. In an attempt to remove the tan, her skin became tomato-red. “She was beyond hysterical. Luckily, one of us ended up having self-tanner in our bags. In my sweetest voice, I told her, ‘This is the moment you’ve been talking about forever. So you’re going to stop right now, and you’re going bride up so we can get through this. Cool?’” Kyle was able to keep her client calm while also repairing her tan—and the bride was only 10 minutes late, to boot. The pro has been at it for the past decade, finding her love of makeup by playing with her mom’s beauty stash. “Over time, I just started to think to myself that I could make this a career. But now that I’ve been doing it for so long, it’s so much more than that. It’s a true passion.”
Photo credit: @keziahsphotgraphy
Megan M. Shank
Makeup Artist and Owner of Makeup by Megan Marie
@makeupbymegan_marie
“I always looked up to my grandma so she most likely was the inspiration behind my passion for makeup,” says makeup artist Megan M. Shank, recalling her grandma’s slick of pink lipstick and frosty blue eyeshadow. Shank has been doing makeup for about 20 years; though she specializes in a more editorial style that enhances natural features, she is excited to challenge herself and start training in special effects makeup this summer. “Hopefully, one day, I’ll make it to the movies,” she says. Whether she is working on a photoshoot or, perhaps on the big screen down the road, Shank brings the same passion and integrity to each role. “With makeup, it’s my creative outlet. I still get excited and a little nervous with every job I do. I don’t think makeup can change who we are or how we feel, but when you look and feel your best, it’s easy to have confidence.”
Nutrition + Wellness: Taking care of one’s mental and physical health means beautifying from the inside out.
Alexandra Maw
Founder and Co-Owner of Kaleidoscope Juice
@kaleidoscopejuice
Unless you’ve been living under a fast-food rock, you know and love the Valley’s popular Kaleidoscope Juice and its menu of cold-pressed juices, acai bowls, toasts and healthy treats (hello, vegan matcha brownies). After her plan to pursue a career in real estate fell through, Alexandra Maw, who applied for and received a grant as a student at Arizona State University, started delivering juices and salads to client’s homes. “My dad is a food writer, and I grew up with an appreciation for fresh, nutritious foods and saw that there was a need for that type of food here in Phoenix,” she says. Maw’s desire to answer this necessity resulted in the opening of the first Kaleidoscope Juice in Old Town in 2012; there are now seven Valley locations and its wholesale line of Illuminating Elixirs is expanding. “I love creating a space for people to come together in health and wellness,” says Maw, noting that Kaleidoscope Juice’s recipes use high-quality, organic ingredients. “We are grateful to be a part of people's inward journeys.”
Amanda Grant
Chief Wellness Officer at CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa
@CIVANAresort
“I am endlessly fascinated with human potential and the capacity for change, be that social and/or individual,” says Amanda Grant, chief wellness officer at CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa. “On a practical level at CIVANA, that is expressed through meditation classes, intention-burning ceremonies, full-moon rituals, our evening gratitude circles, one-on-one sessions, HeartMath resilience-training workshops, team-building activities and informal inquiry with our amazing guests.” Grant, a former college athlete who grew up in a large, active family that was “fueled by love, competition and an inquisitive spirit,” says that her career in the wellness realm isn’t one that she chose; it chose her, calling it a “life path.” “Fundamentally, we all just want to be seen, heard and appreciated,” she says. “My hope is that anyone who I cross paths with feels this offering in an authentic way.”
Ginny Poole
Sensei Master Therapist/Spa Educator and Trainer at Sanctuary on Camelback
“Many moons ago, I started working on Wall Street fresh out of school,” says Ginny Poole of Sanctuary on Camelback. “While the energy and money was highly invigorating and often intoxicating, I noticed a common pattern of people pushing themselves into unhealthy lifestyle situations to sustain a certain status. Not only did I not want to fall into this category, I felt called to help people find healing on whatever level was needed.” Though Poole redirected her career to the realm of healing arts 25 years ago (she has been with Sanctuary on Camelback for 19 years), her long list of specialties reads as that of someone who has had a career twice as long: Ancient Healing Arts of Thailand and Thai massage, Yoga Nidra restorative meditation, Reiki and Vibrational Energy Healing, Sacred Sound Therapy, spa education and more. “As an awakened visionary in my field I believe everyone on this planet is in need of healing on some level. It is truly my life path to be a guide, mentor, coach and teacher to assist those on their healing journey in manifesting their truest and ultimate potential as human beings through education, healing and self-care.”
Jamie Miller
Registered Dietitian at Village Health Clubs and Spas
@villageclubs
While on the path to become a nurse, Jamie Miller witnessed an open-heart surgery and thought, “What if I would have helped this patient before he underwent such an invasive surgery?” “So I combined my love for cooking, health and my passion to help others to pursue a career in dietetics,” says Miller, a registered dietitian at Village Health Clubs and Spas. She says that while many people want to be healthy, it is easy to be confused by the false information and fads out there. “I love to simplify things for my clients so they feel confident how to nourish their bodies well but also enjoy everything they eat.” Miller also acknowledges that many have a negative relationship with food, which she has worked to reverse in her clients for the past six years. “I recently worked with a lady who coined herself a ‘chronic extreme dieter’ for the last 15 years. It was such a joy to teach her how to make food be delicious while still being healthy, and also show her we don’t need to starve ourselves to see the weight come off. She most importantly transformed her relationship with food, but also lost 10 pounds in just two months.”
Terra Schaad
Executive Director of Hunkapi Programs Inc.
@TerraSchaad
A 23-year-old Terra Schaad packed up her Jeep to move to Arizona to take part in a community-based equine therapy program. Twenty years later, Schaad’s Hunkapi Programs Inc. is most certainly a thing of beauty in the lives of many, as it explores the bond between horse and human as a catalyst for positive growth on a 10-acre farm in Scottsdale for participants with diagnoses such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Autism and addiction, to name a few. “Every day, I get to see people overcome their fears with the horses and the safety our farm provides,” she says. “I get to see them realize what is possible for them and what they are capable of. They get to feel that life can be different than what they have known and being able to witness that is everything to me.” Last year, Hunkapi Programs Inc. started a psychotherapy group for first responders, and Schaad fondly recalls the experience of a participant who was a firefighter with PTSD and a work-related physical injury. “When she arrived at the farm, she was so shut down and barely spoke. Over time, she began to bond with one of our toughest horses, Alfie. Through our somatic work with them, we got to witness her ‘unfreezing’ and beginning to speak up, make decisions and assert herself. Today, she is the co-founder of a first responder support group that meets every week at our farm.”
Danny and Teri Bockting, James Clark and Kari Tuttle
wagkind
@forallwagkind
CBD has been on the forefront of wellness for a while now, giving many users relief of various physical pains, depression, anxiety, skin issues and much more. So why not share those benefits with our four-legged friends? Scottsdale-based wagkind is doing just that. The dog wellness brand uses organic, human-grade ingredients in a variety of CBD products, like drops and cookies, intended to help pups thrive. “From food and exercise to leaning on plant-based medicine, I became a true believer in the power of the hemp plant and CBD,” says Teri Bockting, co-founder and CEO. “Now I want as many people—and dogs—to understand the tremendous benefits of adding it into their daily routine.” Bockting, and the wagkind team, which also includes Danny Bockting, James Clark and Kari Tuttle, are often told about the life-changing effect that their products have on pups, including their own. “Let’s talk about my furry son, Cheerio,” says Clark, chief innovation officer. “He’s stressed and anxious beyond belief. That’s why we started wagkind—to help dogs just like him. And so now after a steady regimen of daily CBD and getting him more active, he’s only crazy one out of 10 times instead of 10 out of 10.” The wagkind team sees their company as part of the general push to include dogs in the realm of natural wellness. “We’ve seen a big shift in organic, all-natural, non-GMO and vegan products for humans,” says Danny, co-founder. “Now that trend is starting to trickle into pet products, providing our furry best friends with the same healthy alternatives for a better and healthier life.”
Woof!: wagkind products are available online, in store at Local Nomad and at various pop-ups.
Skin + Aesthetic Medicine: Skincare equals self-care, and these Valley pros are ensuring that locals are being kind to the skin they’re in.
Adriana Martinez Campbell
Founder of ALINE Skincare
@aline.skincare
Helping people look and feel their very best is in Adriana Martinez Campbell’s DNA. “My grandmother was an herbalist in Chihuahua, Mexico, where she took care of the people in her town with natural remedies,” she says. “My grandmother passed down her wisdom and passion for natural ingredients, and this is the beginning of my story.” After her own skincare struggle, Martinez Campbell became an aesthetician who specializes in product development of natural and organic ingredients especially for Arizona’s dry climate. With her pretty-enough-to-keep-on-the-vanity product line, ALINE SCOTTSDALE (which is available online and soon to be at local retailers), Martinez Campbell aims to help others be the best version of themselves, starting with glowy, nourished skin—which isn’t always easy in this desert climate. What’s next for Martinez Campbell? “I will be starting a new skincare product to address a need for amputees,” she says, noting that her beloved brother is an amputee with severe skin sensitivity issues that she hopes to tackle.
Aimee Werner
Founder of Whish Beauty
@whishbeauty
More than 10 years ago, Aimee Werner ended up using her husband’s shaving cream after running out of her own drugstore variety. It was then she realized that the products she had been using were actually drying and irritating her skin. “That moment, I knew that the ingredients you put on your skin make all of the difference.” Today, her high-performance, natural skin care and body care line, Whish Beauty, has more than 70 items—ranging from moisturizers and serums to hair-removal and self-tanning products, all void of harmful chemicals. “My hope is that we are making it easy for everyone to make intelligent choices for their skin,” says Werner. “We were natural before it was cool, so to see the world get on board with that mission is amazing!” In addition to clean beauty dominating the beauty market, Werner says that sustainable packaging will continue to gain momentum this year.
Allen Goldman
President of Skindinavia
@goldmanallen
Known for its cult classic setting sprays, Scottsdale-based Skindinavia has been a favored beauty brand since 2005. The Valley’s Allen Goldman (pictured second from right) says that one of his favorite client stories has to do with a Skindinavia setting spray miraculously keeping makeup in place through 13 hours of labor. “Makeup is important,” he says. “It inspires confidence. Our setting sprays are there for some of the most important days of people’s lives. We value that trust immensely.” Just how does it work? Skindinavia’s sprays form a lightweight web working with one’s makeup that releases slowly; the time-release evaporation retains moisture longer while also drawing heat away from the skin, which can cool makeup for up to 16 hours. Goldman found his place in the beauty biz as he was intrigued by the science and innovation behind the cosmetic industry and, looking forward, believes there will be a continued focus on healthy skin and a natural look.
Andrea Kelly
Licensed Aesthetician at The Phoenician Spa
@andreakelly1997
For Andrea Kelly, aesthetician at The Phoenician Spa, a facial isn’t just about making skin beautiful in the moment—it is about helping the skin function better long-term. “I love sculpting the face with massage techniques to detoxify the skin, leaving the guest relaxed,” she says. “I love taking care of guests and making them look and feel their best. It is also rewarding to help them choose products that will change/improve their skin.” (Her favorite facial? The Hydrafacial, which deeply cleanses, exfoliates, extracts and hydrates.) With 27 years of experience, Kelly has seen the tide change in the beauty industry, but notes that CBD and stem cell-based offerings will continue to be huge in 2020. “At-home devices continue to grow as well, providing micro-current and LED therapy, as do beautiful gemstone rollers and Gua Sha tools to stimulate blood flow and de-puff the entire face,” she says.
Annie Bruno-Thurston
Owner of Skin Charm and Board-Certified Aesthetics Nursing Specialist
@NurseAnnabelle
For Annie Bruno-Thurston, the owner of Skin Charm, a new skin health practice in Scottsdale, the biggest compliment that a patient can pay her is that she helped to make them feel like themselves once again. “The most rewarding thing a patient can say is that they see a version of themselves in the mirror that they haven't seen in a long time,” she says. “I love when patients say ‘I see me again.’” Bruno-Thurston has been working in aesthetics for the past decade, upon spending seven years working in facial plastic surgery where she specialized in injectable services. The Arizona native has always relished the opportunity to make people feel like the most beautiful versions of themselves. “I love working with people, but I also love being able to artistically express myself through working with injectable procedures. Every face is so different, and I love highlighting each patient's beautiful features that make them unique.” Bruno-Thurston is excited to share her knowledge alongside aesthetician Jena Irby in their new podcast, Charm School, launching this March.
Jamie Comstock
Clinical Director at MDSkinLounge
@Jamie_Comstock
Jamie Comstock had a front-row seat to the world of aesthetic medicine long before people had the benefit of Instagram filters. “My mom is a dermatologist and began a cosmetic and procedural dermatology practice over 30 years ago,” says Comstock, clinical director with MDSkinLounge and certified physician assistant. “She stopped taking insurance to focus on skin health, injectables and lasers—before it was as popular as it is now.” After seeing the uplifting effect that her mother’s work had on patients, she became interested in the psychological impact that skincare, health and anti-aging had on well-being. “I am passionate about using aesthetics to bring out the beauty in everyone,” she says. “I want to give my patients the opportunity to look like the best versions of themselves and feel beautiful from the inside out.” Comstock, who is most well-known for her ability to create natural-looking results with fillers, neuromodulators and lasers, believes that clients will continue to pursue treatments to overall augment—not change—their beauty. “Everyone has their own unique beauty, and I'm here to help maintain and enhance that beauty.”
Jennifer Hayes
Founder and CEO of James Anthony Skincare
@jamesanthonyskincare
Sometimes, if you don’t find what you’re looking for it’s time to go ahead and make it happen yourself. Such was the case with the creation of James Anthony Skincare. “I feel that this skincare line chose me,” says Jennifer Hayes, founder and CEO of James Anthony Skincare and a 20-year veteran of the beauty industry. “I never thought or was interested in starting a skincare line. But after having so many issues with my own skin, I started really investigating skincare products and was disappointed with the industry as a whole. It all just fell into place.” Hayes says that her skincare line—which includes cleanser, toner, a.m. and p.m. creams, serum and more much—balances the skin on a cellular level, helping with aging, acne, rosacea and various other skin concerns. This year, Hayes is excited to put out three new products (“We really listen to our customers and take their wants very seriously,” she says) as well as make the line available in select brick-and-mortar locations.
Kristina Cadwell, M.S., PA-C
Injector and Owner of Vibrant Skin Bar
@vibrantskinbar
Kristina Cadwell started her journey in aesthetic medicine more than 10 years ago and has become known for her ability to produce natural-looking results with injectables to, she says, “turn back the hands of time.” As the owner of Vibrant Skin Bar, located in Arcadia, Cadwell uses dermal filler to plump lips, sculpt cheek bones and create chiseled jawlines in her satisfied patients, as well infrared heat, whole-body cryotherapy, nutritional counseling, IV therapy and electromagnetic muscle stimulation to nurture their internal health. “My ultimate goal in life is to be happy and help others experience as much joy as possible,” says Cadwell. “When people look and feel their best, their ability to enjoy life flourishes. Taking care of your body and skin can be fun, and daily habits matter. Small changes have a huge impact and doing preventative maintenance is the best way to look and feel your best at every age.”
Marie Baker
President and Medical Director of DermaCrush
@dermacrushskin
There are few gifts as precious as the gift of youth, and that is exactly what Marie Baker of Scottsdale-based DermaCrush is providing to her satisfied clients. “The treatments I provide allow people to look much younger than their actual age,” she says. “I am able to repair insecurities. Whether it is correcting thin lips or a sagging face, what I do involves more than just correcting an issue that is skin deep.” The expert injector started in medical aesthetics 10 years ago after a career as a hospital RN. Now, as a nurse practitioner, her clients turn to her to achieve a natural, refreshed look. In addition to her lineup of injectable or laser offerings, this year Baker is implementing a non-invasive and/or liquid facelift. “By thoughtfully placing fillers in anatomically appropriate locations, I am able to provide a lift to nearly any area of the face. Heavy brows, volume-depleted cheeks and jowls of the lower face can be lifted. The results are immediate and look natural.”
Michelle Crawford
Owner of Cold Beauty
@coldbeautyfacial
Imagine putting aside a mere 15 to 30 minutes for a treatment that not only has beauty and anti-aging benefits but also acts as a great way to relax, relieve stress and alleviate pain. Enter the cryofacial, or “frotox.” Michelle Crawford (pictured left) launched Cold Beauty just over a year ago and has achieved quite the presence at pop-up events throughout the Valley and beyond, like Moet’s Frose & Frotox Friday, poolside facials during Scottsdale Fashion Week and treatments at Coachella Festival House. The cryofacial is a non-invasive way to revitalize the skin on the face, neck area and scalp using a controlled hyper-cooled stream of air. It boosts blood flow, accelerating collagen production and releasing toxins—in under a half hour. “We are focusing on a growing number of men and women who struggle to fit the business of maintenance and self-care into their overstuffed routines,” Crawford says. “Our No. 1 feedback from clients is how refreshed they feel after just a couple minutes into the treatment.”
