Hi. My name is Christina Allen and I am a entrepreneurship, skincare and wellness-aholic. I can’t say it’s always been this way though. I grew up in a small town in Massachusetts. My family owned a restaurant business. I worked with my mom, aunts, uncles, grandfather and cousins, having a front row seat for the behind the scenes of running a business.
After high school, I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career. I’ve always been independent, creative and competitive (mostly due to playing sports in school). My competition has been directed more towards myself: to be a better version of me. I thought about going to school for psychology or maybe cosmetology. Interesting how I ended up being an entrepreneur and “skincare and wellness-therapist” if you will. I soon began my career in Boston where I would stay for 12 years serving the Boylston and Newbury Street goers’ skincare and wellness needs.
The next step was opening my own spa in the upscale neighborhood of Wayland Square, Providence Rhode Island.
I started becoming interested in beauty rituals in my teens mainly because it made me feel more comfortable in my own skin. I never really looked at skincare/self-care as being therapeutic until I truly needed it. It was always very relaxing which is why I was drawn more to the spa side of the beauty industry. But it wasn’t until I had my daughters (while running my business) that I became a certified wellness junkie.
When my daughters were born I can’t say I had a “Birth Plan” or “Motherhood Plan” that included all aspects of how I planned on mothering my children but I can say I knew one thing and that was that I wanted to be a happy, healthy momma for them. In my early adulthood years I struggled a bit with depression and still, til this day, struggle with some anxiety. So when the burn out and stress started creeping in trying to juggle twin babies and a baby business I decided it was time for radical self-care as a form of natural medicine.
I have always used Buddhism as a coping mechanism for the various struggles of life- I have found kindness, forgiveness and compassion (this includes yourself!) to be essential for wellbeing. So I took my interest in Buddhism a step further and took a Buddhism course through Harvard University Divinity School for a certification. I also took a certification course in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (aka meditation and yoga based practices).
Next, I truly wanted more of a 360 degree approach to wellness so I enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and received my Health Coach Certification. This course changed my life. All of the practices that I was taught to coach my clients, I had to apply to my own life. This course truly showed me how much things like food, stress, lack of exercise and time management struggles were affecting me inside and out. This is coming from someone who used to eat Wendy’s bacon-ators on an regular basis! Believe me, it affects you.
So now I could truly see, for myself how much self-care (skincare included) and wellbeing were connected. Taking care of myself in multiple areas was truly the key to balance, inside and out. I am passionate about promoting these practices to my guests because I can see how it’s made me a happier, healthier mom, business owner and person. I brings me so much joy to guide my clients in their wellness and self-care journeys. To improving someone's outer appearance and inner wellness through clean skincare, stress relief and lifestyle practices is the root of our mission and I can say I see a little bit of myself in them.
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