Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Nino.
Victoria, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Like all passions in life, Vanity Belle was first born out of love.
It was my wedding day in beautiful Cabo San Lucas, Mexico after four years of courtship, I was finally marrying the love of my life – my wonderful husband, Jonathan.
There were so many details in planning our wedding – early on, we knew we wanted to create an eloquent event that reflected our own style and commitment to each other. We had so many different vendors to decide on and met so many amazing and talented folks along the way, but when it came time to find a makeup and hair team for my bridal party entourage (me, 7 bridesmaids and my mom) I had the hardest time finding someone who not only could I connect with, but who could also accommodate all of us.
Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but rapport and relationship are very important to me. A woman’s wedding day is a beautiful experience and naturally, I was selective about the people I wanted to hire to share this intimate experience with. After all, we’d be spending the entire day together!
Eventually… I decided to just do it myself. Sure it was a bit chaotic and people thought I was crazy, but this experience made me realize how there was a real need for this type of thing, a beauty team that specializes in artistry with an extra special human touch. When I told my husband Jonathan about my idea of creating a business around this theory he responded with unconditional support and encouragement, that still remains today. He believed in my vision of creating an experience built on comfort while delivering an exceptional level of service. Boy, was I excited!
And Vanity Belle was born…
We have been blessed to see our business grow extremely fast and we now have an awesome team of artists with their own unique talents and strengths. My husband Jonathan is still a big part of making the business thrive, he is the man behind the magic and handles all of the business management, client relations and operational duties. Trust me, clients love him, he’s the sweetest! We now have TWO adorable and intimate boutiques! Costa Mesa has salon services, a blow dry bar and makeup bar, a brow bar, a cozy lash extension bed and even a private bridal suite. Our La Jolla boutique is a bit smaller but still provides all the same services. It’s located in the heart of La Jolla right across from the water! It’s cozy and fancy at the same time.
We have also been on a mission to be a sustainable business and be able to keep our earth beautiful. We recycle the majority of the salon products we use – foils, color tubes, plastics, papers, and chemicals to divert them out of our landfills and water systems. Even the hair we sweep from the floor is re-purposed! We were the first salon in California to join this movement and we are very proud of that.
Vanity Belle is my family’s passion, born of unconditional love and grown over time through nurturing and a closely held commitment to our core values. We are dedicated artists and unconditional supporters throughout your special day. We ALWAYS strive to deliver the best.
Has it been a smooth road?
With any business, there are speed bumps and hick-ups and we have learned a lot of things the hard way. One of the hardest parts of being a business owner is feeling like you are all alone in this journey and that it’s all on your shoulders to provide for everyone all the time, with getting little back in return. Some days are harder than others, but having a support system of people that care about you and lift you up is super important. When you are the “boss” you don’t get a lot of kudos or validation that you are doing things right, and it’s hard not to get lost in that. Luckily, I have my amazing husband to do this with, side by side, and bounce ideas, talk through challenges, and remind me why I started this business years ago.
We have such a great team of artists and feel really lucky that we’ve been able to find such strong, powerful women to represent our brand. They make our jobs easy:)
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Vanity Belle story. Tell us more about the business.
With eco-friendly boutiques in Costa Mesa and La Jolla, Vanity Belle creates a one-stop, upscale experience for all your blow-dry bar, lash, makeup, salon and beauty needs. We offer a home away from home — whether you need a caffeine fix, ring our champagne “belle” or kick back in our bridal suite — priding ourselves on creating the ultimate atmosphere to indulge and pamper yourself.
Or we can bring the glam to you for a special event or wedding. Our awards, reviews, testimonials, and references prove that we are dedicated to providing extraordinary customer service — we’re proud to say that we lead the way in bridal beauty in the Southern California market with 5 stars on Yelp, WeddingWire and the Knot.
We care about people and get to know each and every client on a deep level. We get to be a part of so many special moments, days, and events with our clients, and we don’t take that lightly.
For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
There are opportunities all around us, you just have to go get them! As they say ” the future is female” so, now is the time to start building. Follow your dreams, your heart, your passion, whatever it is. Don’t take no for an answer if you believe in something, but most importantly, you have to believe in yourself.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1237 Prospect St., La Jolla, CA 92037
- Website: www.thevanitybelle.com
- Phone: 858.876.5776
- Email: info@thevanitybelle.com
- Instagram: vanitybelles
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanitybellesd/
Image Credit:
Chloe Atnip Photography
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
