We had the good fortune of connecting with Leola Davis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leola, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Pansy Esthetics is a business that centers and focuses treatments and skincare knowledge specifically for LGBTQ+ communities and allies. Esthetic and beauty industries often overlook or exclude queer and trans people and I wanted to create a space that was welcoming and inclusive!

I also spend my time talking about how to make services and treatment rooms inclusive and accessible so that no one is left behind or feels like an afterthought.

I hope these are all steps in helping to make a more inclusive industry overall!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I started Pansy Esthetics in August 2021 after leaving a job at a Medspa that left me feeling a bit depleted, but I knew that I had a vision that I wanted to see through. Ever since day 1 of esthetic school I said I wanted to open a studio catering to the queer community! There are plenty of queer estheticians but none at the time that I opened that were strictly, prioritizing LGBTQ+ communities.

It’s been quite the journey opening a business in the middle of a pandemic and also a business that’s core principles are unlike any others. It’s been a struggle to get the word out that I’m here and available for people but I’m happy that that’s changing 🙂

I’m currently feeling most excited about the Post-op top surgery recovery treatment that I offer! It’s a service specifically designed to help trans people in their road to recovery from breast removal or breast augmentation!

I want the world to know that trans people and queer people are deserving of care and being prioritized in that care!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well first off any friend that comes to visit me always gets a facial haha!

We would absolutely go to Wi Spa for soaking and body scrubs.

Booksoup for book shopping and people watching.

Mstreet for coffee and matcha mists.

Kismet for the absolute best rotisserie chicken and pita!!

The observatory for sightseeing and photos.

The Eagle LA for drinks and dancing!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout my friends and extended queer community! I used GoFundMe to start my business and my community helped me to fulfill my goal and start my business! I would not have been able to do it without the help and support of all of them!

Website: Pansyesthetics.com

Instagram: @Pansyesthetics @thelezthetician

Yelp: https://yelp.to/BvU2D0O3Xob

Image Credits
A Klass photography (transnormativity)

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