I was born and raised in Calgary and didn’t initially plan to go down an esthetics career path. I spent all three years of high school in cosmetology, which I loved, but I had planned to take a year off and then go back to school for psychology to eventually become a psychologist or social worker.
Thankfully, near the end of that year off in 2011, I got a job at Merle Norman in Chinook Mall thanks to my cosmetology background. I quickly fell in love with not just the work, but the clients too. Being an esthetician still allowed me to connect with people on a deeper level, often feeling like a bit of a therapist as well, which is something I’ve always enjoyed.
About a year into working at Merle, I took the Inverness Nose and Ear Piercing training and continued expanding my skillset from there. After three years at the Chinook location, I decided to get officially certified as an esthetician at the Esthetics Institute in Calgary. Once I finished school, I worked at the Chinook Merle for another year before moving to the Signal Hill location. That’s where my passion for esthetics really grew, and I fell even more in love with the career I’d found myself in.
Over the next few years, I trained in Hydrafacials and Dermaplaning, and in 2017, I took Shay Danielle’s Microblading course, followed by Microshading shortly after. After five years at Signal Hill, COVID hit and, unfortunately, that Merle location shut down permanently. It was honestly heartbreaking, after being with Merle for nine years, it felt like the end of an era. But it also gave me the push I needed to finally go out on my own, especially with a loyal client base behind me. It ended up being a blessing in disguise.
In June 2020, Samantha Nicole Esthetics was born.
I started working out of a walkout studio in Signal Hill with one of my former Merle colleagues, and since I already had a Hydrafacial clientele from Merle and fully believed in the results, we decided to invest in a Hydrafacial machine together shortly after opening.
Now, five years later, I’ve branched out on my own and moved into a commercial space, where I currently rent a room inside a laser clinic in Crowfoot Plaza. It’s been a big step, and I’m so excited for this new chapter. I’m thrilled to welcome both new and returning clients to this fresh space.
Owning a business is a lot of work and can definitely be stressful, but I still truly love what I do. I feel incredibly lucky to have had so many amazing clients follow me through the years. Being able to set my own schedule and take more time with each client has allowed me to create a more personal and comfortable experience, something that’s really important to me. I’ve built my business around offering services I truly stand behind, treatments that not only deliver real results, but also align with my values and the level of care I strive to provide.
After 13 years in the industry, I still feel so grateful to have built a career I truly love.
The Studio