Today we’d like to introduce you to Kateryna Safronova.
Kateryna, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I entered the beauty industry while I was still in university. At the time, I was studying engineering at an architecture university — a path largely chosen for me rather than by me. By my second year, I realized I was searching for something more creative and personal, a field where I could see a direct emotional and aesthetic impact on people.
During my first year, I participated in a university beauty competition and placed fourth. That experience became a turning point: it introduced me to my future brow mentor and sparked a deep interest in the beauty industry. I began following her work and soon enrolled in professional training. My first courses were in sugaring, but everything changed when I completed my brow education. I became deeply fascinated by facial aesthetics — by how brows can frame the face, enhance natural features, and subtly transform how a woman perceives herself.
After a year of practice, I worked in my mentor’s studio, and in 2019 I opened my own studio in Kharkiv, Ukraine, called Lighthouse. It was more than a business — it was a creative and educational space where I worked with clients, trained students, and developed my own aesthetic philosophy. During this period, I actively participated in professional beauty championships, received awards, and became a representative of a German professional brand specializing in brow botox products. This stage marked the beginning of my commitment to natural, healthy, and balanced brow aesthetics.
Over the next three years, my studio grew into a full team-based space with loyal clients and students. In 2021, I launched my own cosmetic brand, VOS, a name derived from Latin meaning “you” and your inner world. The first product was a natural brow growth oil made from nine herbal components. It quickly gained trust among clients and students, many of whom successfully helped restore and grow brows using the product.
In 2022, the war in Ukraine forced me to close my studio and relocate. I continued working with clients in Kyiv, where I also completed professional training in permanent makeup. This experience was important for my development, as it allowed me to deeply understand how pigment interacts with skin over time. However, I soon realized that permanent makeup was not aligned with my philosophy. While there are natural and well-executed permanent techniques, I observed that pigments can change under sun exposure and aging, often leading clients away from their natural features rather than supporting them. This understanding strengthened my belief that long-term beauty lies in preserving natural structure and health, rather than relying on pigments.
Afterward, I worked across several European countries, gaining experience with diverse skin types, hair textures, and cultural approaches to beauty. A particularly transformative period was my time in Bali, where the climate and lifestyle emphasized how minimal intervention often produces the most harmonious results. There, I focused even more on brow restoration, growth, and natural form rather than heavy pigmentation.
After relocating to the United States, I began rebuilding my professional path from scratch. My first studio experience in the U.S. was a collaboration that ultimately did not align with my vision. That experience clarified an important lesson: my strongest work happens when my methods, values, and identity are fully centered around my own expertise.
This realization led to the creation of GG Beauty.
“Gossip Girl or Good Girl. Who are you today?”
GG Beauty is a space where every woman can exhale, relax, and feel safe. It is a place where she can choose who she truly wants to be, without pressure or imposed trends. Living and working in the U.S. has deepened my understanding of diverse skin types, hair structures, and client expectations. Today, my studio attracts clients who value natural brows, restoration, and individuality.
I developed a signature brow thinning technique that preserves natural growth and shape — in contrast to common practices such as brow cutting or aggressive lamination. This approach has resonated strongly with my American clients, many of whom appreciate being able to remain natural while still enhancing their features.
My work today is rooted in respect for individuality, long-term brow health, and the belief that beauty should support who a person already is — not replace it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My path has never been a smooth or linear one. One of the most significant challenges for me was starting from zero after already reaching a certain level in my career. Closing my studio and relocating meant rebuilding everything — my practice, my client base, and my professional identity — in an entirely new environment.
Adapting to a new market, a new language, and a very different audience required patience and flexibility. People are incredibly diverse, and finding “your” clients — those who truly resonate with your philosophy — always takes time, especially when you enter a new country and culture.
Another ongoing challenge has been working in an industry that is heavily driven by fast-changing trends. In the U.S. market especially, beauty trends can shift quickly — from very thin brows to overly structured or dramatic looks. Staying true to my philosophy sometimes means gently guiding clients away from impulsive trend-based decisions and helping them understand that healthy, natural brows are timeless. I often tell my clients that the goal is not what looks fashionable today, but what they will be grateful for in a year or two.
These challenges taught me resilience, clarity, and confidence in my expertise. They strengthened my ability to adapt without losing my values and reinforced my belief that true beauty work is about long-term results, trust, and responsibility toward the client. Looking back, each obstacle became an important step in shaping both my professional depth and my personal growth.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about GG BEAUTY ?
GG Beauty is a brow-focused beauty studio built around the philosophy of natural aesthetics, long-term brow health, and individuality. The brand was created as an alternative to fast-changing beauty trends, offering a more thoughtful, preservation-based approach.
I specialize in natural brow shaping, restoration, and growth-focused techniques that respect each client’s unique facial structure, skin type, and hair pattern. One of my signature services is a custom brow thinning technique designed to maintain natural density and movement — without cutting or aggressive lamination.
What sets GG Beauty apart is its long-term vision. I often guide clients away from impulsive trend-based decisions and toward results they will appreciate years later. Many clients choose the studio because they value subtlety, authenticity, and consistency.
“Gossip Girl or Good Girl. Who are you today?” is the core idea behind the brand. GG Beauty is a calm, trusted space where women can relax, feel seen, and choose who they want to be — naturally and confidently.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My biggest advice is to take time to understand why you do what you do, not just how. Skills can be learned, trends will change, but a clear sense of purpose and values will guide you much further than copying what is popular at the moment.
Over nearly nine years in the industry, I have experienced burnout more than once. What I learned is that burnout doesn’t always mean you chose the wrong path — sometimes it means you need to pause, reflect, and bring new meaning or creativity into your work. Each time I allowed myself to evolve, add new layers, or change perspective, I returned with more clarity and strength.
I also wish I had understood earlier that growth takes time. Finding your own clients, style, and voice is a process, and it’s important not to rush success or compare your beginning to someone else’s middle. Consistency, patience, and respect for your craft matter far more than quick results.
Especially in the beauty industry, long-term thinking is essential. Focus on health, quality, and trust rather than trends. When you work with responsibility and care, people feel it — and they come back not for fashion, but for confidence and honesty.
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