it's so much more than just a product...
Buckle up! It’s a long, emotional story, but deserves to be told. I never thought i'd be able to pubically share this, especially because only some family and a few close friends even know. I share my story in hopes to heal myself, raise awareness, and inspire others to embrace their "different," and define their own beauty. If it can help just even one, it was worth it. This is the story that lead me to "my why,' and the desire to create products and provide services that help others feel beautiful!
Where it began...
I grew up with a very rare disorder called Trichotillomania that only effects approximately 2% of the population. It is a compulsive disorder, caused by a chemical imbalance that causes people to pull hair from their body, most commonly from their head. In my case, it was my eyelashes and eyebrows.
As you can imagine, a 7 year old girl at school with no eyelashes or eyebrows would undoubtedly look different, maybe even “scary” or “sick” as some would tell me. This rare disorder was an easy target for bullies. I was severely ridiculed, made fun of, excluded, and called horrendous names that created deep wounds and scars because I looked “different." I vividly remember the day the shoelaces of my brand new shoes were cut into tiny pieces by the bully who snuck under my desk during class. I was made to feel ugly. I was made to feel deformed. I just felt different. I carried so much shame and self hate knowing I was making myself look ugly (according to the world's standards) but literally couldn’t control it. I suffered and endured many years of being bullied in elementary. My disorder became less obvious in junior high and high school, but was still a struggle.
After I graduated high school, I was on a mission to "fix" myself and DEFINE MY OWN BEAUTY. This is when i discovered individual fake lashes and a brow pencil! Although this helped a lot, it also caused me to sadly miss out on too many boating trips, jumping into the waves of an ocean, and some overnighters for fear of anyone seeing me without my lashes on. This is a fear i've lived with my whole life until this past summer, while on a trip to the beach, a dear friend allowed me the freedom to BE ME! We dove headfirst into the waves of the Outer Banks together, no lashes, no judgement, just pure love. It was so freeing! This moment changed my life and gave me the courage to share my story. I'll forever be grateful for that precious moment.
Through the hardships over the years, I've been blessed with a life long group of friends that my childhood-self so desperately needed. Some of them still are my best friends from high school, even 32 years later, and are featured on this site for a reason. They have taught me the importance of what it means to surround yourself with loyal, supportive, kind, inclusive people who love you unconditionally. Brow.ol.o.gy is so much more than just a product, it's a culture.
THIS is the culture of brow.ol.o.gy!
my expertise
When eyelash extensions first hit the industry, they immediately caught my attention. I knew this was an opportunity to turn the challenges that came with my disorder into something positive. I had a very steady hand from applying my own individual lashes for so many years! This would become a key skill in having success in the esthetics industry. After doing lashes for 10 years, I launched my own lash supply company and sold my product and training courses into very reputable Medical Esthetic Academies across the state of Utah.
lessons i've learned
we define our own beauty
Who gets to define what beauty is? What is considered “normal” and why? It's not up to the world to tell us what beauty has to look like. We get to discover and define that for ourselves. Being different is a beautiful thing. "Why fit in, when you were born to stand out?'
out of adversity comes opportunity
Turning my disorder into a skill and passion that makes other people feel beautiful has brought me so much joy over the past 17 years! Watching people’s faces light up when they look in the mirror after receiving a treatment or using my product is EVERYTHING! We can take our hardships, and turn them into something beautiful! IT IS POSSIBLE!
find your people
Be a friend to the friend that doesn't have a friend! If you can be anything in this world, be kind. It can truly change someone's life.
my hope
My rare disorder, and being bullied as a child helped to develop my character of empathy, compassion, understanding and acceptance. Ironically, it also launched me into the world of beauty. I still struggle with my disorder at times, but with a daily positive mindset and a determination to help others, I hope to inspire a community of people who will love, support and accept each other no matter what their story may be. We all have our own insecurities, and WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!
pay it forward
brow.ol.o.gy will donate a portion of our annual sales to the TLC Foundation (Trichotillomania Learning Center) to help raise public awareness and funds for research to find a cure. Being able to give back to this organization is a childhood dream come true.
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